Matt's X3 build Odyssey......

[Matt McColley]

I heard back from CADMonkey and have his permission to pass his design files, as he's let his Distinct Perspectives web site go.

Let me go through what I have and pack up some zip files...

Fair warning, some of you guys out there who are band width challenged or have caps on attachment sizes may not be able to receive the Solid Works files.

Also, I'm not the worlds most proficient computer geek, and don't have access to FTP sites, Bit Torret sites, etc...

I'll pack em up as best as I can and e-mail them out.

Last warning, I let my Solid Works up save them into either 2009 or 2010 version formats, and am not sure if I still have the origonal model files in the origonal format, which I think was 2006.

I'll do my best... but that may not meet your needs.

Send me e-mail addresses if you want them.

I wish I had archived all of his pages, as he had a ton of build photos

[Matt McColley]

Just realized I hadn't posted pics off the X & Y components...

[Matt McColley]

When my buddy built the PC I'll be dedicating to the mill, he installed the trial version of Mach 3.

But almost a year has gone by and he can't remember if he did the manditory re-boot right away.

Reading through the manual, I'm remembering that this re-boot is really important.

Can anyone out there tell me if there's a way I can tell whether Mach has interupt control of the system and is installed correctly?

[Matt McColley]

I ordered the following from CNC Fusion..

Z motor and ball screw pulley's (w/ Crevice Reamers G540 drive ration)
Z drive belt.
Z collar.

I may have been able to save a few dollars ordering the items direct from the distributor, but Michael has been really helpful, answering a bunch of questions, etc.. that I wanted to buy the items from him, and besides, all it would take would be ordering the wrong belt length and that "savings" would be gone.

Since I'll be turning the Z axis ball screw myself, I'm hoping to keep it simple and NOT threading the bottom end for a pre-load nut.

It appears that the std. ball screw kit and even the older deluxe ball screw kit simply used a collar to keep the Z screw from rising and depended on the weight of the head to keep the bearings loaded.

Can anyone tell me if this works well enough, or is threading the shaft for a threaded pre-load nut really a must?

Just need to machine the z-axis ball nut block and then make arrangements to stay late at work to use the lathe.

Any opinions as to whether a full size tool room lathe with indexible carbide inserts can cut through the hard ball screw surface? Or will it be neccessary to anneal the ends first? (we don't have a tool post mount for a die grinder set up on the lathe at work)

[cornbinder23]

if you have an angle grinder you can use the auto feed on the lathe to get through the case hardening, or just take light "rough" passes till you can use the indexables
I have heard of some getting through with just the indexables but to each their own

[Crevice Reamer]

I ordered the following from CNC Fusion..

Z motor and ball screw pulley's (w/ Crevice Reamers G540 drive ration)
Z drive belt.
Z collar.

I may have been able to save a few dollars ordering the items direct from the distributor, but Michael has been really helpful, answering a bunch of questions, etc.. that I wanted to buy the items from him, and besides, all it would take would be ordering the wrong belt length and that "savings" would be gone.

Since I'll be turning the Z axis ball screw myself, I'm hoping to keep it simple and NOT threading the bottom end for a pre-load nut.

This is a NO NO and false economy.

It appears that the std. ball screw kit and even the older deluxe ball screw kit simply used a collar to keep the Z screw from rising and depended on the weight of the head to keep the bearings loaded.

Can anyone tell me if this works well enough, or is threading the shaft for a threaded pre-load nut really a must?

Doing it this way will cause you needless aggravation. There's a REASON why Michael changed to threads.

Just need to machine the z-axis ball nut block and then make arrangements to stay late at work to use the lathe.

Any opinions as to whether a full size tool room lathe with indexible carbide inserts can cut through the hard ball screw surface? Or will it be neccessary to anneal the ends first? (we don't have a tool post mount for a die grinder set up on the lathe at work)

It's the Rigidity of larger lathe over 7x lathes that makes it easier. You should be fine with the large lathe and good carbide.

CR.

3

[Matt McColley]

Making some more progress...

Z motor pulley and Z ball screw pulley are on site...

Z ball nut block complete...


Need to drill and tap the holes to mount the Z-motor plate to the Z-brackets...

Then I need to drill the holes int Z-brackets where they mount to the mill.

I'm not sure if I want to mill "hockey rinks" or wait untill I tear the mill down and transfer the hole centers and drill the holes on a drill press.

[Matt McColley]

I pulled the electronics cabinent off the back and pulled the collum bolts one at a time to measure their locations and then completely finished the Z motor mount assy.

So I'm ready to pull the trigger and convert X & Y (need to get time on the lathe at work for the Z screw)...

but am about to pull my hair out with pesky little problems...

While verifying all my X & Y hardware, I discovered that I'm missing one of the tiny #4-40 cap screws on the X axis helical coupling Fortunately the local Trustworthy Hardware guy came through and found them in stailess for me... so I guess I can call that a $.45 x 4 upgrade

Then I settle down to wire the DB9 connectors onto my motor leads, and after an hour of scouring the basement, I can't find the little envelope with the current set resistors I purchased last fall. looks like I'll have to order them again....

I thought I had left all this kit organized when the conversion got shelved last summer.... Looks like I was wrong

Bad Karma for not completing what I started?

Must persevere!

[Matt McColley]

I finished all the z axis hardware that needs milling, and even got a start turning a brass ball screw sleeve on the lathe at work... so it's time to get this show on the road...

Stripped the table and saddle...


Though the ways were pretty smoothe they had some ripples from the grinding process. So I got the idea to use my granite surface plate as a reference plane while using emery paper to wet sand the ways flat. I was afraid I'd marr the good surface of the plate, but then realized that the back side, though not polished smooth, was still dead flat. I put the emery paper on with double sided PSA tape.

Here's the set up...


Here's the plate on the mill...


I wet sanded 20 strokes down and back, then rinsed the paper and repeated 3 or 4 times....


I also polished the gib on the stone.
This really smoothed the ways out and eliminated ~1/3 the ripple...


But I wasn't satisfied so I had to break out the heavy guns....

I used 180 grit Colver lapping compound and mounted the gib and saddle and went to town... unfortunately I was into it hot and heavy and forgot to keep taking progress pics.

Then I mounted fresh 400 grit emery paper to the granite plate and re-did the wet sanding.

Then I did two lapping sessions with Mother's Mag Polish.

Then I wet sanded the gib again.

Then I took a med. India slip stone and blunted the burred edges.

Here's the final result on the Y ways...


About 90% of the ripple is gone and they are really smooth.

I sunk several hours into the Y ways, but I figured that being able to run the gibs nice and snug would be worth the effort.

Hope to finish the brass sleave tomorrow at work... then I'll be ready to turn the Z ball screw.

[cornbinder23]

Then I took a med. India slip stone and blunted the burred edges.

HAHA had to read that 3 times, thought you said something else,
I went through the same process earlier this year and at that same point, well I needed a med lol

[Matt McColley]

stayed after work and got familiar with the lathe....

Here's a pic of a collar I turned from a stub of brass shafting I salvaged from the scrap bin. This will be used to hold my ball screw in the 3 jaw chuck. Similar to what Hoss shows in his videos.



Apparently the carriage advance on the lathe is not in 100% working order. So it's doubtfull that I will be able to thread the ball screw for a bearing pre-load nut.

Will likely have to use the lock collar (ala the older style CNC Fusion kits).

[Crevice Reamer]

You won't be satisfied with a collar. Too much backlash. Get yourself one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/40-piec...set-39391.html

and thread it with a die.

Not professional quality, but they work surprisingly well and are good to have around.

CR.