New Machine Build- Ridgid mill/router

[louieatienza]

Thanks, Roman!

I'm going to run it first and see. The unsupported span is only 16" o.c., for a 3/4" (19mm) plate. I was also thinking of just getting that stuff they stick to the inside of car doors, to make them sound solid when you close them.

I also never really finalized where this machine will be. I guesstimate it will be over 300lbs when completed.

Needed a few more screws, but I can start putting stuff together...

[louieatienza]

Got some mockup done on the base and x-axis.

Pic 1: The rails and ballscrew laid out...

Pic 2: A closeup of the groove milled for the profile rail. Both grooves were machined on the same setup. From what I can measure they're dead nuts parallel and co-planar to each other.

This begs the question as why I would choose mic-6 if I was going to go this route? First, the plate is cast, leaving very little if any internal stresses, as opposed to the typical plate which is extruded. Second, it ensures as constant a depth that the machine shop could produce. Third, being ground flat, means that it will sit better on the extrusions (and using the table as a surface plate shows that the extrusions are pretty damn straight!). Fourth, I'll have an accurate surface which to indicate off of when setting up the rest of the machine.

Pic 3: Just a view of the ballscrew and bearing block. The holes were drilled and tapped along with the rest of the machining. The mounting holes havev a +0.5mm tolerance, so I can fine tune once the nut carrier and traverse beam are made.

Pic 4: The extrusions are temporarily bolted on so I can take actual measurements and compare them to the CAD. This thing is getting heavy!

Pic 5: You can see how tight the clearance is between the bearing blocks and the extrusion. This was done to make that area as stiff as I possibly could with what I had.

Pic 6: Coming along! Looking at how things are going here has given me new motivation.

On another note, my Xylotex driver has kicked the bucket. While I'm waiting for a new driver board, I hooked up the G540 purposed for this machine, on my current one. It became immediately apparant that I was living in the stone age. Guess I'll have to get another one! I'll repurpose the xylotex for a smaller machine I have planned. But I feel I'll be able to be more productive with the rest of the aluminum cutting...

EDIT: On the slots, I had them machine it .5mm oversize. This allows me to use one edge as my datum, and "float" the other side if need be (off tolerance in transverse beam, etc...)

[ger21]

Can you please buy a real camera. You're phone is killing me and my aging eyes.

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by ger21 Can you please buy a real camera. You're phone is killing me and my aging eyes.

LOL how could I afford to finish this machine if I buy a camera?!

For some reason, the flash kills the shot. No flash works better, but if there's anything I need to buy is more drop lighting in the basement; I told you it's a dungeon!

BTW, since you're here, I plan on getting the Mach screenset. I will be using the tool touchoff feature, but had a qustion about the table surface plate. I will have a phenolic spoilboard over the aluminum. Can the table surface plate be mounted to the aluminum, or should I pocket the phenolic and "shield" it from the aluminum? Hoe that makes sense...

[ger21]

I guess it depends. If the router bit is grounded to the table then you need to isolate it.

[Drools]

Maybe use a small piece of single sided PCB as the touch plate. Just have to know how thick it is.

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by Drools Maybe use a small piece of single sided PCB as the touch plate. Just have to know how thick it is.

Thought about that, but I may just inlay a piece of aluminum into the phenolic, and "level" the phenolic afterwards....

[louieatienza]

Got some work done this weekend. Unfortunately, while I can still cut, I can't assemble anything since I need some metric taps. Specifically M4 (for the HRW21 low profile rail), M5 (for the cooresponding bearng blocks and ballnut carriers), and M12 (for the endcaps, gantry stepper plate, etc...) Anyways...

Pic 1: The HRW21 rails. I probably could have used regular block and rail, but then it would have pushed my carraige out a bit further (almost 3/4"). I could set the bearing blocks on on the gantry another 1/4", but I think I'll leave it be. For now, until I have steel equivalents made

Pic 2: This is what the HRW21's will look like on the saddle/carriage assembly

Pic 3: My carriage plate, back. All 32 holes will need to be tapped for M4 screw. NOT looking forward to it. The larger holes are for M8 screws, which will be explained in..

Pic 4: The fronot of the plate. The spindle will be attached to 1/4" plate with M6 screws (mounting holes already on spindle), which will then be bolted 3 aside with M8 screws. The extra holes will allow me to mount the spindle or router at different positions depending on the situation. All the way up, I get a full 7-1/2" travel, and all the way down, 3-1/2", with the VFD spindle.

Pic 5: Checking alignment of holes to rails. I still find it amazing that the ability to do this has reached the home shop!

Pic 6: Checking everything for fit. Again, can't bolt anything down until I get my metric taps (maybe at the auto parts store...)

Pic 7: A shot with my spindle, in the high mount location. This puts the collet at the bottom of the plate, giving me full travel

Pic 8: And with the spindle in low position...

[microcarve]

Originally Posted by louieatienza Pic 6: Checking everything for fit. Again, can't bolt anything down until I get my metric taps (maybe at the auto parts store...)

I would Highly recommend some 2 flute spiral point HSS taps from
McMaster. They may run you about $8 each or so, but they're 100x
better than Hardware store taps. Those are more likely to break with
tiny 4mm threads....being cheapo brittle carbon steel in many cases.

You could also drill out the holes in the rails to a bit bigger size.
That gives a bit of breathing room tapping thru thick gummy aluminum.
The rails should drill out easily. I do it sometimes.

Use lots of tapping fluid whatever you decide....


John

[louieatienza]

The reason the carriage plate is slotted is so the mounting bolts for ths spindle woudln't interfere with the plate. I didn't want to counterbore them because I only have .25" to work with. In hindsight, I could havev just drilled holes...

[louieatienza]

Originally Posted by microcarve I would Highly recommend some 2 flute spiral point HSS taps from McMaster. They may run you about $8 each or so, but they're 100x better than Hardware store taps. Those are more likely to break with tiny 4mm threads....being cheapo brittle carbon steel in many cases. You could also drill out the holes in the rails to a bit bigger size. That gives a bit of breathing room tapping thru thick gummy aluminum. The rails should drill out easily. I do it sometimes. Use lots of tapping fluid whatever you decide.... John

You'd probably laugh or cringe when I say this, but for everything that I tapped so far (M8 holes, of which I DO have a tap) I simply chucked it into my 12V cordless Milwaukee drill and set it to low, and dry. I don't think I'd do this on a blind hole, however, with the tiny M4 tap. The mic-6 stuff however, makes chips easily (though others I've read haven't been as lucky)

I believe there is a few thousandths clearance with the holes and counterbores on the rails. I'd have to see for sure once the plate is all done.

[microcarve]

Originally Posted by louieatienza You'd probably laugh or cringe when I say this, but for everything that I tapped so far (M8 holes, of which I DO have a tap) I simply chucked it into my 12V cordless Milwaukee drill and set it to low, and dry. I don't think I'd do this on a blind hole, however, with the tiny M4 tap. The mic-6 stuff however, makes chips easily (though others I've read haven't been as lucky) I believe there is a few thousandths clearance with the holes and counterbores on the rails. I'd have to see for sure once the plate is all done.

I used the hardware store taps for years....up til about 6 months ago...
when I decided to try a few 'better' taps. World of difference with the
2 flute spiral points. And un-coated HSS. Less backing the tap off and
risking the debris getting stuck between the finer threads the little
bolts have, as the spiral points push the shavings ahead in through
holes.

I use 5-6 taps every single day. I can say for sure I'll never buy
another hardware store tap again after getting the good ones.

I haven't tried the spirally taps that look like sharks teeth. I don't
think I'll need to being as the ones I have work sooooo well.


John