Machine not level - Need advice

[studysession]

I posted this thread while back showing pics of my machine -

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39813

I do not have updated pics to post because camera broke. Just got a new one and should have some updated pics by the weekend. The gantry doesn't have the clamps on it anymore, have it properly mounted now. The X & Y axis is fine it is my Z axis I have a problem with.

Here is one of the pictures I also posted -
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...6&d=1183209707

Problem is the machine isn't level. When I place my work on the bed the area closest to the front cuts higher than where supposed to and the area towards the back cuts deeper/lower where supposed to.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[rustamd]

I think you mean your machine is not "square" or axes are not perpendicular

This thread might help you get on right track: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39671

Also i remember seeing more threads like that with more details on how people fixed their problem. Searching should help you alot. Good luck

[One of Many]

Sounds like the rails are not aligned to the table surface. Best you can expect is to get it close then deck the spoil board table top with as large a cutter as you dare, to true it up to the rails. First, double check that the rails are in a flat plane in all 4 corners. If you had access to one, a .0005/ft level works well for this.

Considering the span and weight of your traveling assemblies, you may aways find some slight anomolies towards the middle. Once the table is decked, it should still follow along the same plane.

DC

[rustamd]

Originally Posted by One of Many Sounds like the rails are not aligned to the table surface. Best you can expect is to get it close then deck the spoil board table top with as large a cutter as you dare, to true it up to the rails. Considering the span and weight of your traveling assemblies, you may aways find some slight anomolies towards the middle. DC

i believe you might be wrong, to me it sound like spindle is not tram to the table. Surfacing table "might" fix the problem temporaly, but to fix it completely you need spindle alinged to table correctly. Here is quck ilustration of what i mean. But studysessions machine might be at 88 deegrees or something like that.. Someone can correct me if i'm wrong...

[One of Many]

Me? wrong? Maybe just mis-understood: He stated the depth of cut change is noticed where he places the material on the table front or rear. He would need a pretty good size cutter to see an out of tram condition to that degree.

No amount of surfacing the table will correct an out of tram spindle, temporarily or otherwise. Unless of course the cutter is the width of the table.

SS quote;

"When I place my work on the bed the area closest to the front cuts higher than where supposed to and the area towards the back cuts deeper/lower where supposed to."

DC

[rustamd]

misunderstood? very possibly English is not my first language, or second, so these misunderstanding happen quite often

[margni74]

how far out of whack are the depths?

heres my worthless two cents...

maybe you can adjust the rear of the machine where you have those rails mounted. it sounds like (with respect to the workpiece) the rear of the machine is slightly off kilter and a bit lower than it should be.

also, maybe you can use thin shims under your workpiece platform until you can make holes of a consistent depth in all 4 corners. maybe everything on the machine is square/level, but your platform was mounted a bit off.

[studysession]

It's really far out of wack. The X/Y/Z axis are very consistant. Just the further back of the table I go is the deeper it cuts compared to the front. And it is pretty far out of wack.

The back is almost 4 foot and from left to right is almost 6 foot. I am going to try and build the bottom a bit differently and like the idea of trimming the top even with a very large bit. Right now sounds like the best solution for this.

Thanks for all the replies and please keep the ideas coming. I appreciate any help on this as it is very important to me.

Thanks -
Keith H

[studysession]

Originally Posted by margni74 how far out of whack are the depths? heres my worthless two cents... maybe you can adjust the rear of the machine where you have those rails mounted. it sounds like (with respect to the workpiece) the rear of the machine is slightly off kilter and a bit lower than it should be. also, maybe you can use thin shims under your workpiece platform until you can make holes of a consistent depth in all 4 corners. maybe everything on the machine is square/level, but your platform was mounted a bit off.

Prett cloes, but the front is lower than the rear. Thanks -