Will build a Fixture Mill from my original design, fabricated from
gray iron castings. Will document the patternmaking for those
who may be interested in the process. Will machine the castings,
and assemble the machine, and then convert it to 3 axis CNC.
Will post lot's of pictures for those who are new to this addictive
hobby.

Enclosed is a drawing of the first three cast parts.
The design incorporates 30 degree angles on the sides because they are
easy to make on a table saw & I liked the appearance!
The next part described will be the Machine baseplate which incorporates
a coolant groove & lots of room for a 6' X 19" table/cross slide.

I will submit my patternmaking guide for reference as soon as I can
reduce the file size.

W. Smith

round column is not the best for CNC.

Brian,
Thanks for your input!
The mill is only 168# but it's a sturdy little sucker!!
I'm eager to install some 280 oz/in stepper's and give it a try.

W. Smith

The Baseplate shown was cast from a “Loose Piece Pattern”.
(see my patternmaking Guide for an explanation)
The price at 33# wasn't much more than the parts cast from
“Match Plate Patterns”, but that was because there were no cores involved.
The Baseplate picture shows the progression from raw casting, to blanchard
ground & painted, to machining mounting holes for the Column Support.

An “old timer” at the foundry suggested I paint the castings immediately,
because gray iron is messy to handle & also to machine. You can see the
results of not taking his advice, in some of the pictures. I am now relegated
to bead blasting the remaining raw castings.

I've included the picture of the spindle head casting because it was pictured
in the earlier post.

Next I'll start machining some of the castings.........

Enclosed are the additional drawings to complete the Spindle & Head Assy.
My Glass Bead blaster required a complete pneumatic overhaul before I
could begin the rust removal task on the remaining castings. I got carried
away with the pattern making and completed work on a vise, a rotary table
& some knee mill parts before loosing interest. I have drawings on the Cross Slide but will not post them unless there is some interest. Enco sells a FINISHED 6" x18" Slide for less than than I can buy the raw material.(see "5 Bears' commentS on the subject).

Next time I'll include photos of the Knee Version of this Mill, which I'm also starting to assemble.

Hi,
I think you are getting a lot of interest but not many posts because your work is a step above most on this forum. I am fascinated by your work so please keep the posts coming.
Thanks for sharing.

Rod, Your post was very encouraging......Thanks!!

I received the ENCO Cross slide today...it is made in Taiwan & the quality
is very good.(particularly for $121 + S&H)
It is positioned on the Baseplate to show the scale.I will now tear it down
and rework it with linear rails, ball screws & motor mounts for the Steppers.

The spindle was roughed out & machined for the #2 Morse taper, then sent to the local Spline & Gear house along with the mating step pulley.The last spindle I made incorporated Timken Tapered Roller Bearings. I can't machine the Quill until I research the bearings needed
for higher speed. I'm also modifying a Sherline spindle to add a tool changer to the design. More on that & the Knee mill iteration next time...

Because I have previously posted all the Detail Drawings of the Fixture Mill, I am going to
take some liberties with the existing design in order to simplify the conversion to CNC.

After receiving the Enco Cross Slide, I completely disassembled it to find out why the "Y"
axis nut had fractured in shipment. The unit was nested in a thick foam structure which
looked "bullet proof". The foam was penetrated about 1/2" in front of the "Y" axis handle
but no significant damage was noted. I only intend to use the table and the 5/8-10 lead screws in the new configuration, but thought the base & the "Y"nut could be adapted to
make a nice machine vise.
The table & acme screws are of excellent quality and I will buy some anti backlash nuts
from Kerk or SDP/SI to try them out.
I'm using THK linear rails on the "X" & "Y" axis. The trucks will be mounted on a Gray
iron saddle I designed & the "Y" rails will be mounted directly on th Base plate, since
it is already blanchard ground.
One configuration for the "Z" axis has been prototyped & shows some promise but it
is a complete departure from the original Fixture Mill Drawings. It would allow the use of a Cartridge Spindle or a Grinder motor which I have successfully used on other projects.
The 4" Travel on the "Z" axis envelope could be raised & lowered by adjusting the column.

Enclosed are some pictures of the Knee mill castings. I may use some of these castings
on the new CNC mill if it will improve the design & ease of fabrication.

Hi,

Nice job so far :). I’m watching this thread btw.

John

I'm alsso watching, and tryiing hard to keep up

I'm also modifying a Sherline spindle to add a tool changer to the design. More on that & the Knee mill iteration next time...

I'd love to know what you had in mind. I've toyed with the idea too.

John, Thanks for watching....hope it's informative.

cncuser1: There are a lot of the "Smart Guy's' working on Tool Changers & Spindle Retrofit's. I bought Joe Vicars plan Set to get up to speed. He modifies A Sherline
Spindle. I bought a couple and they are a quality product!! I modified his design to
add a few enhancements which I will describe in coming posts.

The acme leadscrew idea was discarded when I priced the plastic nuts @ $35. ea.

I'll just use the rolled Ball Screws/ Nuts I have on hand.

I've decided to bring the Knee Mill along concurrently with the Fixture Mill so........
enclosed are the first two drawings to show some of the detail parts.
Also are a couple of photo's of the 2 side by side.

I haven't accomplished as much as I'd like since the last post, but was able to finish
a mounting bracket for the knee mill. Too much time planning and not enough "in the cut".

CNCFun&games
You have just set the bar to max. Excellent work, I,m so impressed that you are casting your parts in iron. Beautiful work and your making a knee mill too. Please keep us posted!!

CNCFun&Games,

This is a very interesting project, and it's coming along just fine. My big question for you is if you are melting the iron yourself, and if so how?

Great Work!

More power to you for melting cast iron. Great job so far

ZIPSNIPE: thanks....your feedback is important to me!

dang & defarijf : A Clarification... I make my own patterns & take them to
Covert Iron Works, Huntington Park, CA where they work their magic!!

I've been using their services for 25 years & they do excellent work.
I always order a minimum of 5 parts.

I like using Gray Iron parts...but I hate machining the stuff.
It takes a lot of time to clean my shop after machining it.
Black dust everywhere.

My Bridgeport Boss retrofit is being setup for coolant just to solve
that problem.

Why did you opt for a knee(bridgeport) configuration rather than a bed style(Tormach)?

Nice work. The knee mill looks like a little brother to my Rockwell vertical mill.

Regards,

Chuck

Cncuser1

I decided to construct the Knee Mill along with the Fixture Mill
because I had already prepared the plans, made the patterns and had the
castings on hand. I suppose I could reverse the column, and mount the head
in place of the knee and have a bed mill configuration.

I have already built a mill configuration which I consider the optimal design
for a Benchtop mill. The Bridge mill has a large working envelope, is extremely
sturdy, uprights are 9.5” x 20.” x .75” Blanchard Ground steel plates. The bridge
is rectangular steel tubing 6.” x 3.” x .375” wall. x 24” lg. It was my first CNC
design & it’s been running for over 7 years trouble free.

The best design for a Bridge mill I’ve seen was just released by Mori Seiki.
I’ve contemplated building a simplified benchtop version of their Duro Mill because it contains all the design features I consider important. Think I could do it with 4 or 5 castings……..WELL, enough dreaming…..back to work on the Fixture & Knee Mills.

kuhncw,

The Rockwell is a very nice mill… big enough to do some serious work.

Your castings look to be of very, very good quality. I am impressed! They look smoother than most commercial castings.

I am watching also...

Scott

I just wanted to say that this is one of the best builds I have seen on here...mostly because you made the patterns for the castings. Talk about a custom build. Any chance I could get you to design, draft & make some patterns for some projects I have in mind?

CNCfun&games,

Your bridgemill concept is very interesting. What are the X, Y, & Z movements and what diameter are the guidebars? Do you cut metal with it?

Thanks,

Chuck

Scott,
By incorporating sufficient draft, using multiple coats of sanding sealer
and block sanding the pattern to a fine finish, a smooth & finely detailed
casting will be produced.

Wyld,
With the information I’ll include in this thread,you should be able to
construct your own patterns. It is very rewarding to see the results of your
effort cast in gray iron, brass or aluminum. Give it a try.

Kuhncw,
The travel of the bridgemill is 18” x 12” x 9”. The Thompson rails are 1” dia,
and I selected 5/8” Ball screws with double nuts on X & Y.
The assembly drawings are posted for reference. The mill was originally designed as a 5 axis machine, but only 3 axis’ were included in the
prototype. I’m currently installing the new square steppers (425 oz”) & adding an additional axis.to rotate the spindle from side to side. To date, I have only machined wood,plastic ,brass & aluminum on this mill.

Keep it up man... Many of us watching ur progress... i will keep my eyes on ...

Thanks for the additional information. Nice machine. The drawings specify a 23 X 36 surface plate for the foundation. How do you drill holes and attach your rails, uprights, etc to the plate?

What do you feel are the pros and cons for the bridgemill design vs the knee mill design you are building?

Thanks,

Chuck

kuhncw
Chuck,

Several details changed between completion the layout drawings posted and finishing the prototype of the Bridgemill.
The idea of using a surface plate as a machine base was discarded.
The “X” axis was mounted on a separate plate allowing changes in travel as required. Enclosed is a revised design using a 12” x 48” plate with .75” dia.Thomson rails mounted. The lead screws, motors & table are added to make up a complete single axis assembly which can then be secured under the bridge.


Exploring the pro’s & cons of the Bridgemill vs. Knee/Fixture mill designs and selecting the best configuration will depend on personal preference and your comfort level in using computer controls.
They are different animals...I like them all.

The Fixture & Knee Mills are manually operated machines until the CNC retrofit’s are installed, then they can be operated either using the handwheels or the Keyboard. The Bridge mill as presently configured, is strictly keyboard input.

I normally use MasterCam to compose the “G” code...unless it's a real simple task!

Was able to make some progress on the Knee & Fixture Mills this week.

The front & rear surfaces of the column on the fixture mill were blanchard
ground which made it easier to orient it for machining.
I chose to clean up the surfaces before cutting the dovetails.I cut the dovetails and the column base in the same setup insuring perpendicularity in the related asis'. Next i'll start machining the knee. I'm debating using the 6” x 24” table casting I have on hand or buying another ENCO cross-slide.

The next step in the Fixture Mill construction was to drill & tap 16 holes in
the Enco table and install the linear Rails. That worked out better than I
expected.

Hopefully, next week I'll be able to detail the saddle mod's & install
the linear rails on the baseplate.

what kind linear bearings are you using? did you grind the table or did you find that unnecessary? great build !!!!!!!!!!

The 4th Seal:
The linear's are THK, the Table that came with the ENCO Cross Slide is of excellent Quality.......What a Buy!!!


In order to determine the dimensions for the saddle I thought it wise to
assemble the table & leadscrew. I received the plastic 5/8-10 nut from Techno-Isel and wanted to check clearances between the nut mounting ring & top of the trucks when mounted on the rails. The LS nut mounting ring will have to be trimmed to lower the profile.

The X axis lead screw is of excellent quality and the ends are precision ground & threaded. However; the ends are secured in holes drilled in the cast iron mounting brackets. Since the Axis’ will be stepper driven, bearings are a must! Luckily the Brackets are 1 “ thick & when bored 26mm dia. x 16mm deep they will allow 2 bearings to be located on each end of the screw. Modifying the existing brackets worked out great because they are extremely sturdy.

Now on to the saddle design and selecting the method for mounting the motors.

Direct drive or off - set drive using HTD pulleys

Before the saddle could be designed, it was necessary to fabricate the lead Screw (LS) mounting bracket. A brass cylinder was turned to slip over the LS nut body. The end was tapped in 3 places to match the holes in the integral mounting ring of the nut. Two holes were drilled & tapped in the top of the bracket to attach it to the saddle.

The drawing of the saddle was carefully dimensioned because location of the trucks & LS nut mount is critical. The ball leadscrews on my BPT 2J are new with no noticeable backlash, so I was able to hold the dimensions I calculated.
The saddle was made from .625 thk CR steel. All holes were drilled & c’bored for m4 Screws.

The “X” axis was assembled and I cranked the saddle back & forth a few times
just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming…..Smooth as glass!!!

The hand wheel was installed on the right side of the table for manual operation.
The left LS mounting bracket was drilled & tapped in 3 places to attach the 23 size stepper motor mounting bracket. (direct drive)

Next time I'll have the "X" motor installed & get back to the Knee Mill Castings!

Fixture Mill Progress!

The two “X” axis motor mounting brackets were fabricated and one was mounted on the LS (Lead Screw) mounting bracket. I haven’t selected the flex couplings yet so won’t be able to design the spacers which connect the motor mounting brackets.

I decided to use the existing Enco cross slide base for the new “Y” axis. The base is very sturdy and originally supported the “Y” axis lead screw. Bearings on the lead screws are required for CNC applications so three bearings will be added.

The first operation is to reduce the footprint of the base with the Metal Cutting Bandsaw. 20 minutes and 3 cuts later the job is done. Then a bearing pocket was machined in the LS mounting bracket & the LS was turned down to add the
third bearing. The dovetails will be milled down to provide clearance for the linear rails. This machining operation will require the removal of my 6” Vise so
I can install the 2 Piece Vise. (the base is 12” long) At that time I’ll also
do all the machining on the Knee for that Mill.

There has been no progress on the Knee Mill because I’ve concentrated on finishing the Fixture Mill Cross Slide. I’m looking forward to connecting it to
one of my existing control modules and exercising the “X” & “Y” Axis”.

“Y” Axis debacle
Only after assembling the “Y” axis lead screw in the base did I realize that
It was damaged beyond repair. I should have examined it more carefully
because the “Y” nut was broken into 2 pieces in shipping. After berating
myself for my ignorance, I called Enco to obtain a replacement….they informed me it would take 6 month for a replacement to arrive here from Taiwan.However; if I sent the Cross Slide back they could replace the unit immediately.
After extensively modifying the Table & ancillary parts, that course of action was out of the question! I have already ordered a new LS & nut from another source.


“X” Axis progress
The “X” axis motor mounts were fabricated and installed along with the motor.
The whole assembly will be covered with a 6” x 6” aluminum plate.


Knee Mill Progress

The 2 piece vise was installed and the machining on 2 of the four sides of the KNEE was completed. Holes were drilled & tapped to provide attachment points for holding fixtures. The vise alone is not satisfactory and clamps were also required to bolt the knee to the Mill Table.

This is awesomez! Keep up the awesome work :)

-Speed

More pics !!!(cracks whip) Get yer arse back in that shop boy!!!

ZipSnipe, I hear you loud & clear!!

Now that the Holidays have come and gone, it’s time to get busy on the Mill Projects!
Not much progress to report since my last post.although I did buy several items which will move things along. Received another ENCO Cross Slide yesterday and have been busy tearing it down. So far no shipping damage noted. The table & base will be used to finish the X & Y axis for the knee mill.

I’ve used Ball Screws on all of my earlier projects, so it is with some reluctance that I chose to use acme screws & delrin nuts on these two projects. They will receive a vigorous workout on brass & aluminum and the results will be reported here.

I found some 12” ( ½-10) Acme leadscrews on eBay. They are machined on both ends & come with a sturdy Delrin nut,all for $18.
I’m also going to buy 2 Bearing Blocks for $12. Ea & 2 Motor Mounting Blocks for $23.ea.
These might be nice components for a home shop wood router.
Take a look & make your own assessment . They can be found on the eBay sellers list as: Premachine 2004.

Hope to report more progress next post.

Yeah I used that table for my mill, its fine for manual milling but it is sloppy. But the table surface is nice and flat and good for what your doing. I was hoping to see ya have a table casted, that would have been neat. Keep up the progress.

Very impressive project, fun & games! I like the home-brew castings. Especially interesting, since my dad was a pattern maker for Buick & Pontiac back in the day.

I think the delrin nuts will serve you well. As long as the nut is physically strong enough, the wear characteristics of it are phenominal.

I saw those same leadscrews & nuts on ebay myself... was thinking about them, but opted to try and use the existing leadscrews on my Harbor Freight mini-mill to see how that works out with my lower power motors.

CNCfun&games
Where did you get your ENCO X&Y table?
I have ben dealing with a seller on Ebay. Long story short TWO tables recieved to Date;both damaged at the same location.
So now im waiting for UPS to pick up this second one. To get shipper to send me another replacement.
Its slowing me down in my CNC MILL MOD.
And Pissing me off.

I am using the same table only KBC brand. This is my first attempt at a cnc machine so i wing it as i go. Ordered the ball screws yesterday and hope to have it moving under computer power 2-3 weeks. Then the Z axis (ugh)

Blades,
The 1st Photo in post #30 shows the method used to reinforce the Delrin Nut.
Guess I could draw it up in Solidworks & run a FEA but haven't done it yet!

Oldboy,
Try: use-enco.com

Model #AC201-2536 $121.95

stevehuckss396,
I've got a KBC catalog somewhere, I'll look it up.
The critical question: is it made in Taiwan.
Keep up the good work.....sounds like your' going first class.

W. Smith

*chuckle*...should I call you Mr. Smith?

FEA....oh, you are hurting me. So, be you a mechanical engineer?

This is one of the finest builds since 5bears.com's mill and Widget's CNC....don't know how I missed the beginning....guess I thought "who's crazy enough to build their own mill from castings and why would they do that...?"

Impressive, to say the least!!

You mentioned that you had a minimum of 5 castings made at a time.....have you thought of offerring those to the rest of us....:rainfro:

Just for grins.....what do people charge to make the castings that you've done?

Zipsnipe:
Be of good cheer! I did cast a table, see photo enclosed.
The thought of cutting “T” slots right now made my hair hurt.

ViperTX:
Thanks for your generous comments about the thread, my
purpose is to take the mystery out of this stuff & encourage more
hobbyists to give it a try. It’s great fun to make a pattern & see it
replicated in gray iron or aluminum.

Re: castings: I order 5 because there is normally no setup charge
buying that quantity. No problem disposing of any extra’s!

Cost: The last order averaged about $1.20/lb.

Now....back to work on the "Y" axis!!!

Hey nice work, Have you had any of the castings have big voids that made them not usable? If so does the foundry take them back and credit you? Thanks, Dave

Davo727
I've experienced surface imperfections caused by sand falling into the mold cavity. Never heard of a foundry not replacing a casting for this type problem.

Y AXIS PROGRESS

After saw cutting the cross slide base casting down to manageable size,
the saw cut surfaces were finish machined.

The next step was to bore the bearing pockets in the front & rear surfaces to
mount the lead screw.

Initially I decided to mount the linear rails on top of the dovetail, but decided to
move them down closer to the centerline of the leadscrew. This required the
removal of the dovetail to obtain the needed clearance for the trucks.

Picture 5 shows the extensive modification to the casting, the approximate location of the linear rail & truck, and the clearance and placement of the step motor. The aluminum piece is the beginnings of a motor mounting bracket.

A word on the castings:
All the castings on this cross slide were excellent in design & execution.
Generous radii on all intersecting planes and lots of draft. The interior
surfaces were as smooth as the exterior.
The castings were very machinable because of their fine grain.

BUT : I still hate to machine gray iron………..W. Smith

I plan on building a mill using castings someday. Can somebody recommend a book or DVD on metal castings?

I also read that there are metal casting services who will do the castings for you, correct? I am not to happy about building my own foundry and rather pay someone else to pure the metal into the castings I provide.

Thanks,

Georgebarr,
See my pattern making brochure on page 1, post #5 on this thread. The first 3 photos at the bottom are the 6 pages of the brochure and can be downloaded and printed out.
I have been using the same foundry for 25 years and I have never considered doing their job.

Fixture Mill
This week I concentrated on completing the “Y” axis.
Positioning the Y axis motor gave me some heartburn because I had to make sure the motor didn’t intrude into space occupied by the X axis assembly.
After looking at it for a couple of days, I proceeded to design the motor mounting bracket and the rear bearing block.
Enclosed are some construction details of the two parts.
The next task will be to mount the linear rails, motor, pulleys & belt.

Knee Mill
After cleaning & painting the Knee, I decided how the lead screw & bearing blocks for the “Y” axis should be attached. Luckily, the actual parts arrived this week and I had them to work with.

The knee will require a lot of effort to put it into an acceptable cosmetic appearance.
It was a loose piece (LPP) pattern, and not one of my best works. Lots of erosion on the parting lines because I didn’t radius the inside corners.

I made an LPP of a hefty angle plate (7” x 7.5” x11”) and cast it some time ago. It was a simple pattern with 5 degrees of draft, .125” radii in all the inside corners and several coats of sanding sealer with block sanding between coats to remove wood grain. The raw casting turned out well and was Blanchard ground on 6 sides to produce a reasonably good plate.

How are those enco tables out of the box? I was thinking of using one for my X2 (manual) Are they pretty sturdy. I can pick one up over here at the shars warehouse for $99, add about another $100 for materials to build up the base and I'll have what i need in terms of size.

Otherwise I'll have to bite the bullet and throw in another $250 sell the X2 and get an X3.

Nice job on the castings by the way. What did make the prototypes out of? I've been trying to get my own castings going but other projects keep taking precedent. Never thought of just taking to someone else, guess i'm pretty stubborn. Seems that it costs roughly about the same either way when you consider fuel for the furnace, steel, time, not to mention i cleaning up sand :)

Airhog

The Enco Cross Slide is well made but has some serious shortcomings “out of the box”
Zipsnipe said his is “sloppy”, and I understand why!
See the Illustrated Parts List enclosed.

1. The leadscrews are of excellent quality, but are not riding in bearings.
This oversight can be corrected by boring bearing pockets in
the Longitudinal Screw Brackets (item 24) and the Transverse Screw Bracket (item 4)
The Base (item 1) can be modified to support the rear end of the leadscrew which
must be turned down to match the bearing (or bushing) you select. The NSK Bearing
I used is 6000ZZCE.
Dims: 26mm x 10mm x 8mm.

2. The acme nuts (5/8-10) are inferior and should be replaced with
Delrin nuts. The Y axis nut (item 3 ) is a press fit into the Base and is easily removed.
3. The X axis nut is cast into the Saddle (item 16) and will have to be
machined out and replaced.

Making these modifications will convert your Cross Slide into a valuable asset for manual operation or a future CNC retrofit!

The foundry I use casts gray iron & ductile Iron, my castings are Gray Iron.

CNCfun&games excellent work , so when can cnczone members make a order for a CNC_Mill ?

CNCfun&games In your post #5 you have a cast Base Plate. FLAT CASTING PLATE.
I was wondering if you have an extra one to sell me?
If not I was thinking of using Alum-1" Plate 18x20.
All so looking at the parts list of the Mill Table item #24.
Did you use the old parts or NEW castings?
One more qestion; Did you use NSK 6000ZZCE bearings in X&Y?
Or a differant bearing on the Y axis?

FPV_GTp

Thanks for your kind words! On the question of CNC Mill orders, I'd like to share my castings
with interested parties, but don't want to if it limits my fun time in the shop.
I have been exploring some ideas with friends in the business but nothing concrete
has developed.

Oldboy

A Designer/ Toolmaker friend of mine has several base plates in stock at his machine shop, send me a PM & I'll put you in touch with him.
Yes, I modified the castings on the ENCO cross slide.
The NSK 6000 ZZCE Bearings were used on both the X &Y axis.

Fixture Mill progress:

Not much physical progress to report because I've been working on an all aluminum moving gantry
router for a relative who intends doing both sign & corian work with it.
Luckily I've enlisted the aid of my Designer/Toolmaker friend who has years of experience building Gang Tool Lathe Retrofits & Toolchangers. We've been looking at several lengths of ½-10 acme screws from 12 to 48 inches (with Delrin Nuts) and they appear to satisfy our need to produce a husky reliable design at a reasonably low cost. We are also considering using Thompson Rails with Delrin Bushings & in preliminary tests they also look promising. See post #19 for photo's of a similar but much more rugged mostly steel design.
We will complete the design in the next week then I can get back to finishing the benchtop mills & he can work his magic on the Aluminum Router parts. The Z axis design is already completed “so let the FADAL'S begin”.

We will start a thread on the build and expect to receive much constructive input on our effort.
Since the Gantry Router configuration is so popular we will also post the working drawings.

Thank You CNCfun&games.
Im going at it a little different with my ENCO table from the way your doing it.
So I wont need that Base plate. When im done I should have a very strong mini mill. With X&Y 16" or a little more. Will post pictures after completion.
How is your project working out for you CNCfun&games?

I received a nice present today via UPS.

It was my order of electronic modules for my Mill projects.
Compared to the Yaskawa & Ge-Fanuc drives,motors, BO boards & cables I buy regularly,
it was very very inexpensive! But unlike them It was plug and play.
Definitely eye candy for this “old” electronic packaging guy. Nicely designed & executed
PC boards. Thoughtful consideration for the person who will assemble the modules into
the finished system. I'm a happy Guy!

Enclosed are photos of Tom Caudle’s Cand CNC products & the other stuff I use regularly.

W. Smith

Great stuff CNC Fun&games !!!! The exploded view of the table and explanation on fixing its short comings is excellent!!!



You Da Man !!!!!!

Zip: comments appreciated!!

Finally Back to the project at hand!

Installation of the linear rails on the Cross slide base to complete the “Y” axis.

After pre machining the various mounting surfaces, a new 4 flute 5/8 “ end mill was installed and an .060 deep Datum Plane was machined into the mounting surface.

Then the mounting holes were drilled and tapped.
After carefully stoning the mounting surfaces tp remove the eruptions from the surface
caused by the drilling & tapping operation the linear rails were installed.

The next step will be to install the 10” long rails on order from NB. These rails will provide 6” of travel on the Y axis.

Then the X & Y axis’ will be joined & the Z axis spindle will be started.

I have not posted to this thread since mid March because I’ve been pre-occupied with a Gantry Router with 54” x 44” x 6” Travel, which has been much more time consuming than I anticipated!

The Router will be used for sign making, Wood, Mfd, & Corian.

Will drive the Gantry (X axis) with 2 steppers.
Obtained four 5/8-5 Thomson Ball Screw's, but am considering Rack & pinion on the X. However; I have NO experience with R&P so input would be appreciated from any of you router Guy's out there.

W.Smith

Hi All,

Was hoping to get some friendly advice on Rack & Pinion Drives for my Gantry Router now in progress, But; guess this is the wrong forum!!
Have been checking the Router forums & think I can make an informed guess on which way to go.

During the last few months I’ve been thinking about a Square column adaptation for the Benchtop Mill. I’ve been playing with the column on the Knee Mill and it is extremely rigid in all planes. It could be modified to put a geared Head/Spindle on the dovetail ways, but there is room for improvement!
1.- Increase the surface area of the foot to 5-1/4” x 8” -3/8.
2.- Decrease the height from 24” to 19”.
Think I’ll Make a couple of patterns and give it a try.
As usual a lot of details will change in the pattern making process.

After looking at the drawing it becomes obvious I should extend
the foot in the front and back by .625 like the sides.
Enclosed are sketches….Comments appreciated!


Regards…. W. Smith

Why not do the same mod to the back of the column also?

i cast bronze in my shop and wanted to know what yall thought of it for a milling maching base and upright if i use thk rails with it

Jalessi
I will probably cast 5 pcs in the present design. If the rigidity isn’t adequate I’ll happily take your suggestion and enclose the rear of the column. Adding a core will definitely increase the stength and the complexity.

Johnc2309
The base weighs 33# and the column #40.
Those castings in bronze would be something!!

Rodm1954
Would appreciate your input.

HI All,
Enclosed are photo’s of the modified column.
I will start the pattern making this week, and post a comprehensive
photographic record of the build.

W. Smith

Hi CNCfun&games,
That is a work of art. A good sized base with the top boxed over and the generous webs it looks like a winner to me. I wish I had your talent for design.
Look forward to seeing the casting of this.

I think the design would benefit from some internal vertical webs on the side sections. The horizontal webs do little to add resistance to simple bending in either the x or y planes. This would match my observations of cast and fabricated structures required too perform similar functions.

Just a thought
Phil

Jalessi
I will probably cast 5 pcs in the present design. If the rigidity isn’t adequate I’ll happily take your suggestion and enclose the rear of the column. Adding a core will definitely increase the stength and the complexity.

Johnc2309
The base weighs 33# and the column #40.
Those castings in bronze would be something!!

Rodm1954
Would appreciate your input.

HI All,
Enclosed are photo’s of the modified column.
I will start the pattern making this week, and post a comprehensive
photographic record of the build.

W. Smith

philbur: Thanks……. Good Idea, & easy to incorporate too!


HI All

I am presently planning how I will make the pattern for the new column.

I’m happy to start work on this project because it will give me an excuse
To break out a Harbor Freight 6” Rabbeting Jointer I purchased in December.

I will disassemble it and re-paint it with Rustoleum as part of retrofitting
it with a Grizzly Indexable Carbide Cutter Head. The cutter head is a magnificent
beast and I can’t wait to try it out. Nails & knots beware!!

If there is any interest, I’ll post some pictures of the installation along with the pattern
making process.


W. Smith

have you tried lost foam casting, i am starting to build a small mill and used this for my paterns. but i cant melt iron so mine is going to be bronze

Johnc2309,

I have never used the process!
Would enjoy seeing some of your work.
Feel free to post here.

W. Smith

Hi CNCfun&games,

I just bumped into this thread today ... great work and reading.
You mentioned back in post 56 and 57 that you needed some advice on rack & pinion. I've done a little bit of work with a custon 25deg modular design we cut on our wire at work, but if you visit www.mechmate.com their entire machine build is designed using R&P and I REALLY like the self tensioning mount design there for both straight and gearhead (my personal choice) steppers.

If you haven't found the answers you were looking for I'd suggest a visit to that site (open downloads for registered members ... same basic ethics and principals as this site).
I think you may like their overall design once you look at it, I felt their approach to the linear bearings developed into some fresh new directions in the recent revisions.

Hope this helps you out.

Rob

acssgt,

Thank you very much for the link!!
That mechmate site is terrific....hard tearing my self away.
I'm presently on a patternmaking binge, but it was a pleasant distraction.
That site is very informative & highly recommended.

HI All!
The column pattern is coming along and i've decided to make a new base pattern similar to the existing 11 x 17 one which will be 17" x 19". It will
accommodate my modified Enco cross slide and also serve as a sturdy foundation for a bridge mill concept i've been thinking about. Will
make an additional pattern for a bridge side panel which will look
similar to the new column but only 2" deep. 2 will be required to
support a seamless tube about 2" x 4", 5/16" wall.
12" x 12" Travel OK?
Will post a layout soon for comments.

Hope to have a series of photo's posted in the next week.

W. Smith

Hi All,

Enclosed are sketches of the two new concepts!

I am presently working on the three patterns.
The purpose is to build the machines with gray iron
castings which will be capable of doing serious work.

The benchmill will use the modified Enco cross slide, and should be a
very inexpensive solution for the guy who wants to machine steel
with a minimum of tooth rattle.

The Bridgemill will be patterned after my existing Unit which is rock solid.
It will be configured to use the Enco slide or a Y axis integral to the Bridge.

Naturally all will be CNC-able.

Comments are always appreciated!!!

W. Smith

Hi All,

Finished the woodworking stage of the Upright Column for the Bridge Mill
and have begun the finishing process. Many coats of sanding sealer
with filleting & block sanding between coats.
Will start on the base in parallel while waiting for the sealer to dry.

From the earlier sketch it is apparent that I have made a couple of changes.
This is part of the evolutionary process in my case, because as I start
assembling the pieces of the pattern refinements become apparent.

More changes are in the works for the other side of the match Plate.

W. Smith

That is indeed a very impressive project, I admire your skills.

Johnc2309,

I have never used the process!
Would enjoy seeing some of your work.
Feel free to post here.

W. Smith

this is one of my sand castings. i build fancy tattoo machines and have a small foundry and machine shop. i dont have any pics of the foam casting right now but when i cast my milling machine base i will get it on here. how do you think the bronze will do as a base

Nice work John!!!

thanks

Time to get back to work!!

Just returned from a 2400 mile Train Ride from Orange Cnty, California to Portland,
Oregon and Back.

THEBETTERONE:
Noticed this was your first post . Welcome to the CLUB!!

John 2309:
Thanks for posting your fine Casting. Your product development and sculpting skills
are enviable. I’m sure you will design and cast a very sturdy machine base.

W. Smith

Pattern making progress!

Enclosed is a picture of the rough column pattern, lots of details
remain to be fabricated before it is attached to the match plate.
Several changes were made to the column to add extra strength.

Jalessi take note!!
It will be closed and the pattern will be used for both halves.
This will require a core to make the inside of the part hollow.
Several cutouts will be added to the core to gain access to the interior.
New dimensions are : top 5” x 5” , base 6.5” x 8.75”, ht 20.75”


The Upright column for the bridge mill is being painted and block sanded to
achieve a smooth finish. That Norton sandpaper is terrific stuff.

W. Smith

HI ALL,

The Column Pattern is just about finished.
I’ll use the same pattern for the Cope & the Drag,
and put an extra protrusion on one core half to open
up the lead screw slot from the inside on one( the front) surface only.

A modification to the black , cone shaped core supports
may be necessary to keep the core from rotating.

The two core boxes will be completed, and then I’ll
be able to make that judgement.

I just received my Gecko G251’s so I hope to finish the
Cross Slide’s in the next few weeks.

Any Updates?

YOU BETTER NOT QUIT ! !

ZipSnipe: See update below.
Foam27: QUIT?……NEVER!!!!

Update:

1). Am concentrating on finishing the CNC mod’s to the 2 Enco CROSS
SLIDES.
a. Slide#1: ULTRA model with THK Rails & Blocks. Bearings & Delron Nuts
added to ACME Screws.
b. Slide #2: LOW COST model Utilizing existing dovetail slides with small
Oiler, Bearing & Delron Nuts added.
2 ). Assemble an Elec. Pkg. for the above, using G251’s, Mini I/O, Keling
Mtr’s & Pwr S.
3 ). Assemble my custom made “D” Series BOB for use with G540’s & cheap
computer cables.
4 ). Finish Knee Mill Modifications & assemble.
5 ). In my spare time I’ll investigate Pack & Pinion Drives and Auto Tool
Changers.
6 ).Work on my Moving Gantry ROUTER as time permits. See Thd # 69283.

W. Smith

Okay anymore updates?

ZIPSNIPE: Thanks for the wake up Call!!

The rails & trucks were attached to the base casting.
The Y axis Truck mounting plate was sized and the holes were drilled
to retain the blocks.

Was unable to mount the lead screw nut. The nuts received from SDP – SI on the first order were easily installed . The nuts received on the second order were No Good.

Was able to find a NEW Brubaker 5/8 – 10 tap on Ebay, expect to receive it this week.
If I can’t correct the existing nuts, I can machine some DELRIN rod I have here to keep the project moving!

The 5/8-10 Acme tap was delivered & I was able to re-thread the Delrin nuts received from SDP-SI.

After running the tap through the two remaining nuts, the amount of chaff indicates to me that something was terribly wrong…..MFG & QC.

The support block was machined and the Y axis re-assembled. I installed a hand wheel and discovered the contribution that the linear rails & delrin nut makes in the smooth & effortless performance of the Axis. I then placed the X axis with motor installed (38 lbs) on the y axis
and repeated the movement with negligible difference…..Smooth!! Now I
can join the X & Y axis and see how things fit!!

Next comes some additional brackets & switches & the ENCO ULTRA Retrofit will be Ready to run!

Love it, Top Notch !!!

Yes, I agree, coming along very nicely....

Did you ever consider writing up a brief tutorial on obtaining castings from a local foundry?

Living within earshot of 2 foundrys and not knowing how to approach them has been a limiting factor for me.

I would certainly appreciate your comments and suggestions on hints, tips and tricks related to getting castings made locally.


Brian

Zipsnipe & Foam27: Your comments are appreciated …Thanks!!

BMG: I’m working on a new design which will require 3 or 4 castings
And I’ll discuss the pattern designs in detail to give enough information
to approach the foundrymen with confidence. I'll also critique my own
work, so my errors will be exposed!! Every pattern is a learning experience.


I will finish assembly of the cross slide this week & then resume the Pattern making effort including patterns for the new design.

Enclosed are concepts for the new Bridgemill Configuration.

Do you give them a pattern of an acutal part? My local foundry needs a mold of the part so they can pour it with wax. Once the wax solidifies they de-mold it. From here they coat it with ceramic. They then melt the postive wax out to leave the ceramic mold. After all of this they fill it with liquid metal (whatever it may be) and then break the ceramic off.

Does you foundry do it differently?

Your work envelope is restricted

SSfab,

Sand casting is very popular for big parts.

A wood form is used over and over verses lost wax.

This may interest you>

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/

http://backyardmetalcasting.com/forums/

Jeff...

Your work envelope is restricted

Looks fine to me Gotis, I fail to see the restriction?

SSfab,

Sand casting is very popular for big parts.

A wood form is used over and over verses lost wax.

This may interest you>

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/

http://backyardmetalcasting.com/forums/

Jeff...

Thats cool, although I'm not looking to do this my self. That is another hobby i don't need.

Looks fine to me Gotis, I fail to see the restriction?

he means clearance below the z rails. if the mounting was reversed - putting the rails on the moving Z part and bearings on the saddle you get alot more clearance which means the side gantry supports could be made lower and and therefore lighter and more rigid.

If you consider a tool in the collet, then the its tip should be approximately near the lowest point of the z carraige - perhaps that is why he considers no restriction?

Ssfab: See post 76 for a photo of a typical match plate pattern
used for “Sand Casting” gray iron.
What you described sounds more like an “Investment Casting”.

Gotis: the fixed element you noted is in the full down position.
It can be moved up with a series of holes in three 1 ½ “ increments.
The moving element of the Z axis will move the spindle down
6 + inches from any of four positions on the saddle.

Jalessi: Thanks for your contribution!
Have never seen those sites before.

Ihavenofish: the Z axis on my last bridge mill design was made in the
configuration you describe, however; the adjustability aspect of the new design allows for more part height under the Bridge.

Hi Guys,
The design is presently undergoing a lot of tweaking so keep the suggestions
and observations coming!

Hey the CNC machine looks great but what happened to your knee mill your building?

ZipSnipe take note:

Knee Mill Progress:

The knee was clamped to the mill table after allignment with the Vise half.
The “as cast” vertical surfaces of the knee were positioned on the table and
trued with an endmill before the dovetails were cut.
Then the column was installed onto the knee and Gib spacing was checked.
SO FAR! SO GOOD!

Ultra Cross Slide:

The X and Y axis’ were assembled and the results are shown below.
The Y axis belt and cover will be installed and then ….back to the Column Patterns.

Stay Tuned!!

HI All!

The Knee was clamped to the Mill Table and Half Vise.
Then the nose of the knee was drilled & bored to form the LS bearing pocket.

The 4 holes for the bearing retainer plate were also drilled & tapped.
The lead screw was installed & dimensions confirmed to
modify the standard “Precision Tech Machining” leadscrew.
The screw was shortened .5 “ and a 5/16-24 thread was added to the front
bearing journal to retain the bearing on the shaft. “Fixed-Simple config”.

The Cast Iron Saddle was placed on the knee to assess the machining
required to convert it from dovetails to linear rails for the X & Y Axis’.

The interior photo shows 2 threaded bosses and a triangular protrusion
which will mount the 2 bevel gears and the bearing pocket to angle the
height adjustment mechanism.
This is going to be a cut & try experiment.


Best Regards....W. Smith

Great lookin cast ya got there. Don't slow down keep 'em comin!!!!

Mr. Smith...kinda sounds like the Matrix.

Are these castings aged by the caster and what exactly does aging do to the casting?

Thanks,
Paul

Zipsnipe: still cutting material off the saddle, then I'll install the Trucks on the top & Bottom! will post Photo's then!

ViperTX: I haven't had any stress related problems on the castings.The subject has never come up with the Foundry.

The book says:

Stress Relief

Complex Castings of varying sectional sectional dimensions always contain
some casting strain. Where full strength properties are mandatory,
stress relief is recommended. Sometimes castings are “aged” or “weathered”
for long periods of time for this purpose, but a straight anneal treatment
assures complete removal of all pent- up stresses, where as aging &
weathering do not.

Stress Relief Heat Treatment

Stress relief anneal is important with complex castings, especially where
there is much variation in casting section thickness.

Slow uniform heating and cooling, approximately 50 to 100 degrees F per hour,
Is recommended. The former militates against cracking or warping of cast parts with high internal casting stresses; the latter avoids the reintroduction of casting strains from non-uniform contraction during cooling.

All stress relief must be distinguished from normalizing, since the maximum temperature is below the critical and ranges from 1000 Degrees F to 1150 degrees F.

Castings should be retained at this temperature for one hour per inch of casting section
and allowed to cool in the furnace.

CASTING DESIGN as influenced by FOUNDRY PRACTICE, Meehanite Metal Corp.

Knee Height Adjustment.

Finally decided I had been procrastinating too long and did a rough layout.
The intersecting points for the gears seemed to be dead center in the cross brace.
I drilled the pilot hole and it was positioned correctly so it was opened up to
contain the Oil-lite bushing.
The whole process was much easier than I had anticipated.

Next the Knee will be mounted on the Column and the
height adjustment lead screw will be installed.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

Gib Screw Machining


The next operation on the knee was to position the
gib retaining/ adjustment screws.

The holes were drilled & tapped for 3 ¼-20 gib screws.

Then the holes were counter- bored for the lock nuts.

The Knee was positioned on the Column and the gib clearance was checked
Looks like a .375 x .125 x 5.” long gib should work fine.

Slipped a piece of brass stock in the gib cavity and locked it down with the
Screws………..so far so good!!

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

This build is the best at the zone. It takes DIY to a new level. Its totally cool that you did the design for the casting. Just the BEST.

bgolash: Thanks! I downloaded pictures of your Router many months ago,
as an example of a great design.

Hi All,

Progress on a couple of other fronts:

Received my fabulous new Gecko G540 and had to start the electronic package.
Was able to use one of the enclosures my son Greg designed to
house the Fagor Controller he uses on one of his “other” projects.

The enclosure was modified to add the extension for a Keyboard and Trak Ball.
Also fabricated an adjustable bracket to mount a 15” Display, which left plenty of
room for a Keling power supply and lots of other stuff !


We also completed one of the patterns for Greg’s Bridge Mill design.
See Post #86
Initially it will be an all gray iron & steel tubing machine, but we are considering
taking the patterns to Miller Foundry in Santa Ana, CA for castings for an all
Aluminum model.

After receiving one of the new 2.2kW Spindles from Hong Kong we decided it provided
the key component for a Horizontal Benchtop mill we need for end machining on
some of the 16-20 “ long parts we have cast.
The Bridge Pattern for this new design is at Covert Iron Works in
Huntington Park, CA. and the structural member which houses the spindle and
Provides the “Z” axis movement is in work.

Yes, I know!! Too many starts and too few finishes; but intend to remedy that
in the coming months.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

More work completed on the pattern making front.

Fabricated the Universal Base Pattern for both Bridge Mills.
The Base dimensions are 19” x 18”.

Picked up the sidepanel Castings for Bridge Mill Design No.2.
Also dropped off the two Patterns for BM design No. 01.

In two weeks we will have gray iron castings for 5 Machines
to play with. Will order the rectangular tubing . Probably be about
2” x 3” x .25 (or .375). Will hide the 5/8” lead screw in the tube.

The “Y” & “Z” axis ( all cast iron & steel) moving parts weigh 15#.
The 3 hp Spindle advertised at 22 lb. actually weigh’s 11lb.-12 oz.

Hope to have a mechanical assy for show next time……

Well, after about a one month wait, we finally picked up our castings yesterday.
The Bases are beautiful! Very flat..one .015 pass on the Blanchard Grinder should do it!
The columns are passable. Sand left on the patterns between impressions.
We paid $3.00/lb + .15/lb material surcharge this time.
The price has doubled since our last big order 18 mos. ago ($1.29/lb).

Finished the Z axis prototype in aluminum. Looks OK so will build a couple in steel.
Will hang one of those 276-28-4B steppers on it and give it a try.

Ordered the tubing for the Bridge cross member 2” x 3” x 24” , 1/4” wall. 10 pcs cost $16. ea.... free delivery. Totten Tubes Inc. 3 locations in So. Calif. (what a buy!!!)
Ordered on Friday....delivered on Tuesday am.

Now the fun begins..........W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

this thread is great! i love it!

Teyber: Thanks for your kind words!

Finishing the Z axis
There are similar configurations for Z axis' Slides on the zone,
and this one is not much different!

In looking at the final assembly, I can easily cut an inch from the
“stack up” height. The changes will be implemented on the
all steel version, where an additional .250 will be gained by using
.375 thick steel plates instead of the .500 thk. Aluminum.
This will result in an additional 1.25” of X axis travel.
Maybe more if we decide to cast the Z axis base & integral motor mount.

The unit shown will be used to finish my moving gantry router which
has been occupying much needed space all these month's.

New Toy
Picked up a Right Angle Drive Spindle for my Bridgeport 2J Mill.
Was cruising eBay and and it popped up & said “buy me”.
For me; there was a learning curve associated with it's installation and use!

Bridge Mill
Sent the 5 Bridge tubes to be slotted, 1 day turn around & $95.later
they were done. Riddle Machine in Santa Ana, CA does both Flame/Plasma Arc.
They recommended Flame Cutting. A couple of parts I had them cut previously turned out much cleaner. But don't know what process was used.
Hope a ZONE viewer can enlighten me.(large tube on the right side)
Do know that someone got a little heavy handed with a disc grinder on the latest job.

Thanks, W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

W. Smith,

Who makes the orange die grinder?

Awesome work!

Jeff...

jalessi,

The Die Grinder is a Harbor Freight Catalog Number 44141.
I've had one on my "old" Bridge Mill" for 8 years now.(SEE POST 19)
Have bought several others as spares anticipating the original's self destruction,
but to no avail. I wait till they are on sale for $29.99

W. Smith,


***WOW***

$29.00 is a steal.

How loud is it and what is the run out?

Can you make a "You Tube" video of it running?

Thank You

Jeff...

Jalessi
Jeff

Did a fast check on run out

Old Die Grinder .0030 TIR
New Die Grinder .0002 TIR at spindle .oo45 at end mill blank w/ supplied collet

The New Die Grinder is quieter than the Old one and both are much quieter
than either my Bosch 2 ¼ hp or Makita 2 ¼ hp Routers.
The collets supplied on both Grinders are poorly made & should be replaced.
Because of your requirements for precision, you probably have multiple
sources for high quality collets.

The .003 runout seems excessive,but it is no problem for me because the router
is used to cut profiles in plastic material. Post 19, Photo 1 shows a lamp shade in work.

No “youtube” capabilities at this time!


Bridgemill
The Bridgemill is a bolt together design & holding fixtures are being fabricated to
insure that the bridge columns are precisely machined for easy assembly.

Patterns
Next time I will critique my pattern making efforts on the Bridgemill project and show
examples of deficiencies in the patterns and how they are transferred to the castings.
It will also show how easy it is to translate designs to patterns and then to castings.
..... it's great fun and can be financially rewarding as well.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

Can I ask a stupid question? (Of course, it's within my nature)

What's the cost thusfar?

Costs so far:
Time: 120+ Hrs ( Design & Pattern Making) 2 more patterns required
Material: $330 for the 4 bridge parts for 1 system.( 5 systems in work)

2 more patterns/castings required for the Z axis
2 more patterns/castings required for the Machine table & Trunion


Bridgemill Progress

A Bridge column is being machined manually to establish the origins
for the holding fixture. The holding fixture will establish critical dimensions
when parts are transferred to the FADAL 4020 for final Machining.

W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

jalessi,

The Die Grinder is a Harbor Freight Catalog Number 44141.
I've had one on my "old" Bridge Mill" for 8 years now.(SEE POST 19)
Have bought several others as spares anticipating the original's self destruction,
but to no avail. I wait till they are on sale for $29.99


THanks for the heads up on this grinder. I purchased one this week using the 20% coupon for email subscribers. Went to the store and they had an unadvartised sale price for $29.99. Ended up with the grinder for $25 and change. Nice low cost spindle for me.

I plan on using it to replace my heavy router which should also cut down on the dust generation (cooling air from router flushes dust pas vaccum).

Enjoying your build. Keep at it.

Because there has been a lot of interest in Pattern Making on this forum,
I am re- posting a Pattern Making Guide on this thread to encourage others
to take the first step into pattern making. The “Loose Piece Pattern' is easy
to make because it is a wood replica of the finished part with draft added.

The Guide will present the basic process and the photo's will show the
results of using the Loose Piece Pattern in the cast iron part.
Most drawings specify 3 degrees draft per side.I normally use 10 degree's
on the outside of the part & 15 degrees on the inside because the impressions
are cleaner.The Foundry cast the large 11” x 17” base 3 times in quantities of
5, 5, & 10 pieces with no problems.

More next time.......W.Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

if you don't mind me asking, how much does the casting cost in small batches?

if you don't mind me asking, how much does the casting cost in small batches?

earlier in the thread he said he paid $3 per pound the last run. i was quoted $1.50cdn recently for my project done in canada.

Hi Guy's,

Unfortunately I paid more than $3.00/lb.
After 29 years I'm going to be doing some competitive Shopping!

W. Smith

Pattern Making Revisited:

This Post will concentrate on Match Plate Patterns.
Draft angle on these patterns was 10 & 15 Degrees.

In most cases the pattern, the raw casting & the finished part will be shown.
How & where it is used in our particular application will be included
to complete the frame of reference.
The Gray Iron castings are between 12 and 125 lbs.

Questions & comments are appreciated!

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

Base Pattern Critique-1

The 18" x 19" Base Pattern is 1.125” thick around the periphery or “picture frame”.
The coolant groove is recessed .312” lower than the top or mounting surface.
This allows the top to be easily Blanchard ground.

The top surface of the pattern could have been finished better.
The seams are visible and this is reflected in the casting.
I intend to block sand this surface smooth, and then apply several coats
of urethane to build up a smooth & flat finish.
This is moot since .012” will be removed in grinding.

Much more time was spent finishing the bottom side of the pattern.
There were four levels to the pattern and it required fitting a lot of pieces.
The “H” section is intended to increase the cross section under the linear rails
and the Bridge Column's to .57”.
Warpage was a concern when constructing this pattern but fortunately it was minimal on the castings.

Only one of the 5 castings exhibited problems on the bottom, This was entirely due to faulty work at the foundry. The other 4 were excellent on both surfaces.

Next time Bridge Column problems will be addressed.

W. Smith

Bridge Mill


The major Bridge Mill parts are now machined so assembly of
the all Gray Iron and steel parts for Unit #1 can begin.
The five 18” x 19” Base plates were Blanchard Ground & painted
& the mounting holes were drilled & tapped as req'd

The original design specified Thomson ¾ Dia Rods & Ball Bushings but
we had several THK HSR-15's and SR-20's so we decided to make a couple
of “ULTRA” models. Thomson Rolled Ballscrews will be installed on units 1 & 2.

Next week I'll start work on the 3 remaining patterns.
2 for the Gray Iron version of the Z axis assy. shown on page 9 post 108
earlier and a 12”x 13” Machine table. Which will support a 4” Trunion.

W Smith, Mission Viejo, CA.

Nice! I like!

-Jason

it has a 50's look that i just can't get over :D :D

great work!

Hi

As usual the project looks great!!!! The attention to detail is above the norm.
Just a wonder job.

Barry

Just wondering what does it cost to get that size of base blanchard ground and what tolerances and finish do you specify?

Thanks,

Paul

Cool work you are doing here.

Wouldn't it be cheaper and make a better machine if you did the base with only rail inteface strips and pads for the ball screw bearing block attachment ground , with the rest of it being a terrain surface to control chip and coolant flow?

Speeds Custom, Teyber12, bgolash,
Thanks!! Your comments are appreciated.

ViperTX (Paul)

$60. ea. Flatness & parallelism specified .002
the parts cleaned up in one .010 pass per side.

RotarySMP (Mark)

Greg and I are definitely going to take another look at the base
design when we use up the 5 castings we are working with.
This Base was designed for use with the castings shown in the illustration
shown on page 9, post 104 and the upright castings in post 105.

We originally thought about using an Enco 18” x 24” surface plate at $44.95
+ S& H, but there were too many question marks, so we opted out.

I like large ground surfaces, they make modifications (error corrections)easier.
The Rotary grinder doesn't care if it is cutting some or all of the part it
is spinning & traversing.

This is an interesting Video on the subject

http://www.dixmetals.com/Company/step6_Grinding.html

Click on Blanchard Grinding in the box on the right side of the page.

Regards....W. Smith

Thanks for that link. I can see what you mean.

Machine # 1 is constructed using THK Linear Rails.
Machine # 2 is constructed using Thomson 3/4” rails and enclosed Bearings held in place by the endcaps. Drawings shown.
Machine # 3 (see illustration) is constructed using Thomson 3/4” Dia rails and OPN Bushings
All three Machines will incorporate 5/8-.200 Thomson Rolled Ball Screws on the X & Y axis'
The Cast iron Z axis is still being tweaked to decrease the profile which increases the Y axis travel.
I have 10 beautiful 12” SS ACME 1/2 -10 screws/Delrin nuts acquired on ebay which may be used on the Z.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA