Axis locks.

[BlackMoon]

Hi, while moving my IH mill indoors, I managed to loose a few of the little cylinders that go beween the X/Y/Z lock handle shaft and the actual gib.
I took one and loosely messured it as 20~ degrees angle into the tip of it.

But when I went to messure my gibs/ways, its 29 degrees (+- half a degree or so), (Definately not 30! oddly enough.)
I assume they are made like this so it puts an even force across the gib and not be able to rotate maring the back of the gib, but should'nt it have a matching 29 degree angle?

I have to make at least 3 of my own now, and making 3 more would'nt be a big deal, so should I make all my own with a 29 degree tip angle to match the gib?

I have decided to buy some 5/16" cold rolled steel to use. (Metal shop said it was actualy hot rolled, but theres no mill scale just the lightest of rust, I think the metal shops supplier just let some cold rolled rust a little and had to sell it as hot), should'nt be any problem in contact with the gib right? (just toss some way oil in there I guess)

[Andre' B]

A repair like that I would just grab a length of stock fire up the belt sander or bench grinder and put flat on that looked about right. Test fit it in the hole if it looked good saw it off to length and start on the next one.
If the angle is off a few degrees it is not going to make any difference.

The stock may well have been hot rolled but it was likly ordered pickled. A short dip in hydrochloric or sulfuric acid and the scale is gone.

[BlackMoon]

Good point andre on the pickle. I bet my micrometer could tell the diffrence. (Hot rolled is more inaccurate iirc.. And I bet after eating mill scale off its even more inaccurate)