anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?


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Thread: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

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    Default anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    I'm enjoying my 770 but I'm constantly doing drilling or milling where one or two ops need to be in low range. With the power drawbar installed it's a knuckle buster and time consuming to move the belt back up from low to high. High to low isn't so bad because gravity helps but in general there's just no room to get your hand in there.

    Has anyone here devised either a tool or an automatic clutch or something to make it fast and easy?

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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    I don't have any problems moving the belt.
    Pull the motor all the way forward, and roll the belt off of the small pulley first.
    Roll it onto the new speed range, again small pulley first.
    Takes me all of about 30 seconds.



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    When you say pull it all the way forward... Are you saying you actually can? My wiring harness on the motor contacts the pdb well before max travel. It leaves only just enough slack to get the belt move done at all.



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Quote Originally Posted by Advil View Post
    When you say pull it all the way forward... Are you saying you actually can? My wiring harness on the motor contacts the pdb well before max travel. It leaves only just enough slack to get the belt move done at all.
    Are you pulling the pin out on the left hand side of the PD frame? I do this and rotate the frame forward. I have just put a new belt on so I generally pull the motor tensioner bolt right out, as it gives you another quarter inch. But with both of these done it is no issue and you have plenty of access.

    Cheers,
    .adrian



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Quote Originally Posted by RussMachine View Post
    I don't have any problems moving the belt.
    Pull the motor all the way forward, and roll the belt off of the small pulley first.
    Roll it onto the new speed range, again small pulley first.
    Takes me all of about 30 seconds.
    Dont forget to hit the button on path pilot
    I have a warning label taped to inside of motor door.

    Question how easy is this for machines with full enclosures? Guess you could run the head down as low as possible.



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    Dont forget to hit the button on path pilot
    I have a warning label taped to inside of motor door.

    Question how easy is this for machines with full enclosures? Guess you could run the head down as low as possible.
    Hi Mountaindew - I run a full enclosure and it isn't a problem, even high.

    I share advil's frustration as it is a pain if you just want to set and forget. I do try and program, all the low gear settings first up and then run the higher speeds later in the program cycle but I had to do a bunch of reaming .5005 ops (in aluminium) the other day and it was a real pain but couldn't be avoided due to fixturing.

    Cheers,
    .adrian



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Advil, you should be able to rotate the cage forward, I normally have to wiggle the air hoses out of the way but they flex without any issues. I would take some photos for you but just about to jump a jet for 10 days for work, so not near my machine. There is bugger all room if you have the PD cage in the way.

    Cheers,
    .adrian



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    I use a 3/4" wrench to loosen the bolt that holds the motor, then swing it forward. Stick the wrench in there and move the belt up/down. Once it sorta bites, push the motor back with the right hand, while rotating the spindle with the left. Belt will find its spot on the pulley and pop right on. No need to swing the pdb out of the way.



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Ok, good idea pulling the left pin to get more room. I have not been doing that because the hoses rub badly every time I swing the PDB out. Maybe it's time to try to do something permanent about that.

    As for fishing the belt on with a wrench or screwdriver it should be that easy but really isn't if you can't move the motor more. At least on mine.

    It sounds like improving the swing out of the PDB is the least difficult path to take. Just have to work out how not to abrade the hoses every time. I already had to notch my cover to allow the PDB frame to swing out at all but more material will have to be removed from the cover to also let the hoses pass easily.



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    Default anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    Crazy expensive idea, but maybe worth it: I have an odd 2-speed 3-phase motor (4/1 range on hi/lo instead of normal 2/1) on my manual mill. I built this two-range VFD box to drive it. I wonder if this could be done on a Tormach. It of course means a motor and VFD swap, but imagine losing the belt change!
    https://lensprojects.wordpress.com/2...enco-100-1525/


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



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    Default Re: anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

    I hate having to stop my machining process in order to swap pulleys but I did this for a long time before I eventually just recalculated all my feeds and speed for the lower pulley when working with 1018 steel. I get maximum torque from the lower pulley anyway so for me it saves time; even though with the lower pulley I'm generally running slower feeds and speeds.

    I used to mill nothing but aluminum parts using the faster of the two pulleys but then started making stuff out of steel. Using HSM now it kind of gives me back a little of the time I loose by using the lower slower pulley; and I don't have stop during a small parts run in order to move that belt from one pulley to the other.

    I don't have an automatic tool changer so I set up all my cutting tools in their respective holder so that everyone of them is identical in length. The only thing I have to stop to do is the tool changes. It's an in and out process that also save me time; time that wins me back a little more of the lost time I got from switching to using the slower pulley.

    I'm not a pro by any stretch of the imagination but I found that there's work arounds for nearyly everything in home hobby machining.

    MetalShavings



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anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?

anyone devised a hi/low range tool for the 770?