My Lathe project; might CNC it one day

[Stevie]

Here is the cross slide set-up; the Bronze handwheel was todays effort; the alumi support was also made today (tool post is beside the cross slide)
The circle you can see is the referance locator for the compound slide; it keeps it on center as you swing the compound through the arc; an 8mm screw locks the compound


Looking right down the cross slides center; the small setscrew deep down is the adjustment for backlash; there is a small teflon button under the screw; it presses the leadscrew into the nut to reduce the backlash; the other 2 cap head screws hold the nut under for the leadscrew


Compound slide being attached; the 6mm allen key is in the locking 8mm caphead


Here is a bottom shot of the compound; the locating ring can be seen; the 2 small holes in the alumi handle extention are for gaining access to the locking 6x32 setscrews that lock the handwheel and the leadscrew adjuster


The compound on the cross slide; the allen key has locked the compound at an angle to show how tapers can be cut; the bronze insert in the middle is the nut for the 1/4"x20 leadscrew (0.05"/rev)


The final normal setting for the compound slide; the access hole for the taper setting is now closed as it's quite far ahead of this position; also helps to keep crap out of the allen head; tool post is on; the round guide bars for the main way are visible too; these are Thompson shafting; held with 4mm capheads into a CNC machined 90dgr each side of the main bed; these are accurate to within 0.001


Shot of the collet set-up; also in the shot is the main leadscrew bearing (just under the collet chuck) this will support the 7/16"x20 (0.05/rev) leadscrew
The collet chuck still need 2 holes drilled into it for tightening; the adjusters for the main carrage can be seen too with locking nuts; these again like the leadscrews have teflon buttons to help maintain accuracy; the cross slide has smaller set screws for the same reason (2 small holes just above the main section of the carrage)


Drive end of the spindle; the 1.125 dia is threaded ready to hold the 8 step pulley; the main bearing can be seen; another is right behind the collet chuck; the spindle can take 0.650" through; the run out is 0.0004" at this time; once the drive is complete I'll grind it totally true with a pencil grinder in the tool post

I'm also going to add chinese scales and make the ShumaTech DRO; there will be a tail stock added and a 90dgr block to make the compound into a vertical slide; the tool post will be removed and a small vice added to hold small parts
Top speed wil be over 12,000 and lowest speed will be just over 1400 with 8 steps
One day (after my NC mill) I'll CNC it

I should add; the project was designed in SurfCam 2001; the machines used to make the parts were a Supermax 56 and a Fanuc wire
I don't work at that place anymore (projects like this are not allowed; and I had to hide it all the time); my new place the boss says "hey just build whatever you want" (in my time) The Mill project is coming nicely in SurfCam 2002 and I'll post a photo of the shaded surfaces soon

[Bloy2004]

Hey!
Very nice pictorial of your excellent work!

[Ken_Shea]

Very nice pictorial of your excellent work!

Bloy2004 does some really nice work and knows what nice work is, so that is a nice compliment to which I fully agree.

Nice work on the knurling, speaking of which I will post a question on in the correct forum.

Ken

[DDM]

Wow I must say that I'm very impressed. Its nice to work in a shop that will let you do your own projects in your spare time. Keep up the good work and post us on future progress.

Carl

[pack rat]

It really is Superb workmanship and plan. Great pictorial representation to boot. Talent is easy to recognized in the work it does and as a novice I can see it here.

[pminmo]

Stevie,
The round ways are interesting, did you build the ways or is it a part of an existing machine?

[Stevie]

Hi Guys; thanks for the kind words (although some of the parts I'm "Embarrassed" about; could have made them better; I rushed them to get them out of sight again)

pminmo: no it's not part of anything else; I designed it to be that way; the cuts are 0.250" X 0.250" the round stock is 0.500" the Supermax cut the rabbits and I simply screwed the stock in place (quick way to make ways)
The Saddle is wire CNC EDM'ed to match the centers; 4 adjustment screws with the teflon buttons to keep it all nice and tight (tool makers love tight things ;-) )

Ken; the knurl is one of the things i could have done better; the cross slide one was tough as the stock I used only just made the part; I had nothing to hold on; the knurl puts soo much pressure on the bronze it was almost coming out of the 3 jaw (it was a scrap piece I used)

The mill project will be much better as now there will be no pressure to hide it; I've got it 50% designed; I have designed some parts a little different just like the Lathe project; after more than 35years in a trade you do learn something; and I'm almost to that age when stuff starts to fade from memory; the changes are to the head slide/motor area; I think it will be interesting to some
The lathe will be fully digital; I was going to go the chinese scale route; but after finding the linear optical encoder strips by US Digital I'll simply make my own fully enclosed DRO/slides using extruded alumi; plus the compound is only 2 1/2" of travel; so the optical route is much better

On another note for the lathe project; before i do go the whole hog CNC way; I'd like to try to make it stepper powered for the ways; but have it use a manual jog; is there a way to move the steppers with a jog dial; and have multiple resolutions by using a selector switch working in tandem with the jog dial; I'd love to have 0.1-0.010-0.001-0.0001" switchable and have the jog dial marked accordingly; even better would be 2 full sep jog dials (saddle and cross slide) the saddle could be swichable to the compound stepper
So has anyone tried this on a small scale; the full sized Supermax had the exact same setup for manual milling and for zero pick-up

For those interested in the CNC mill project; the travels will be 10" Z 10" Y and 26 or 28" X not exactly small; but still benchtop; I want it big enough for several projects i have in mind; one is a super small fully CNC mill using #17 sized steppers with 2X2X4" travels and a spindle speed of 100,000 rpm

[balsaman]

one is a super small fully CNC mill using #17 sized steppers with 2X2X4" travels and a spindle speed of 100,000 rpm

Interesting,

What will you use it for? Or just a show peice?

I like your lathe so far. Tool and Die makers always impress me because they are very fussy by nature, so the work they do is always impressive.

E

[Stevie]

actually the size would be ok for quite a few projects; you could even make a small RC aircraft engine with that size; granted a lathe would also be needed; but imagine the carbs and stuff it would make
Small engravings was my first thoughts on it; plus the "wow" that really works factor
I guess after seeing the 4mm ball screws you can get; my mind started to grind
As my regular job is not really Tool and Die anymore (just regular old General Machine work) I need to keep my hand in with design and toolpaths

I was working on a 12ft long stellite coated auger shaft this week; the flights and some of the working areas of shaft got re-welded up and needed to be re-machined to size 5.250" dia; with 0.125"/side stellite; needed a 63 finish (tough to get) I used a Makita hand belt sander 1"x30" to get the final finish; worked really good too; run the lathe in reverse (80rpm) and sand with Alumi oxide belts; don't go below 120grit and the stellite will spring to life

The Mill project will be all steel for the main frames of the machine; most likely 1/4 plate mig welded and stress releaved (over-night soak)

Another thought on the lathe; I'll be adding drilled holes with a div head; every 10dgr around the rear part of the collet chuck; with a indent shaft i can then lock the spindle ever 10dgr; I also bilt a small 2 way slide to mount above the spindle; this has a 30,000rpm air powered 1/4" spindle; with this i can machine stuff like hex's while the part is still on center; I have some 25mm anti-aircraft guns to make in 1/48th scale and the muzzle has 6 flash ports; I'll have to use a 0.01"ball mill to make them

[Ken_Shea]

I'm almost to that age when stuff starts to fade from memory
I knew we had something in common

I got a feeling this is going to be a great thread.

Don't quit on us now Stevie.

Ken

[Stevie]

Ken; this July 22nd I'll be 51
Started my apprenticeship in England when I was 15; got payed 5 pounds a week; thats about 25cents/hour; and still managed to get blind drunk every Thursday and Friday night (hehehe)

[Ken_Shea]

blind drunk every Thursday and Friday night

LOL,
And I bet every Saturday morning you said "I am never going to do that again" Right?