14x14 Linear Rail Industrial Hobbies Build (Charter Oak Automation)

[diamond.3211]

I was thinking more like 1/4dia DOC in the steel, but even at the .025 DOC I think 6-7ipm's is more like it. In the video it sounds like it is hammering away especially for that small of a cut. Also in steel you will probably get longer tool life with climb milling and could even get more DOC also. Time savings!!! Try 66% stepover rather than the 50%, 50% stepover is the hardest on a tool because you are taking the thickest chip possible at entry.

Very nice work overall, I've been following you thru your Tormach build and can't wait to see this one completed also.

[nateman_doo]

Always appreciate the input! Not too much into time savings, but WOW?? 0.25 DOC on steel?! id be terrified, especially since that bit was almost $70.00! (do they use unicorn blood to cool them when they make them?!)

Shame I don't have any more extrusions in the steel to make, the baseplate is aluminum where I have to make the same 3/8" pocket.

Made lots of progress last night, posting pictures shortly.

[nateman_doo]

Remember I said I wanted to pin the bearing block so it wouldn't move? Here we go:

Drilling through it with the letter drill just under 3/8"


Reaming:

Using a bit 5 ten thousandths undersized of 3/8"

Tada:

drilled and reamed.

Closer look at the pins:


Everything sitting together:



Now comes the "oopsies"

My sub-plates touch the bearing block on the one side:

Not to big a deal... Just have to touch that edge on the grinder for a minute or so and that will be fixed. The bolt is an M6, so its similar in size to a 1/4-20.

The next oopsie...

OUCH?! Clearly this needs to be addressed.

My options are A, remove that mass from the sub-plate that is impacting the motor with clearance for the wires... or B, re-drill the holes for the sub-plate so its offset enough.

I didn't think of option B until this very moment. Its much easier to drill & countersink 8 holes, rather then milling/sawing all that material away.

[diamond.3211]

1/4 of the dia., not .250 DOC!! So, .125 for a .5 endmill.

[nateman_doo]

Scared me there

Off to the bench grinder.

[nateman_doo]

Yes... under a minute of grinding:

Works.

Now, by sliding the holes over to the edge, all is fixed:

That will be the next project. Hole drilling. Simple sequence, which thankfully I still have the DXF.

[nateman_doo]

What do you guys think? machine all that mass... or drill the holes? Im all but sold on drilling 8 holes, then hours of machining steel. Currently trying to figure out where some slop in my Tormach is coming from along the Y axis. Feels like ballscrew mount is loose.

edit: Yup, Y axis ballscrew. Simply slide the X all the way over, and just tighten the exposed screws. Simple repairs like that are why I am glad I designed the machine as I did. I can get to most everything without having to remove plates.

[mountaindew]

It even looks like it goes there. I would drill the holes and relocate plate like you show, unless that impacts other parts of the design in other places.
btw, You build some cool stuff! I have enjoyed looking and reading some of your other projects and posts.

[nateman_doo]

Nice?! what projects?!

Here is a clip of my testing the deflection on the bearing block with a clamp.



There is NONE!!

[mountaindew]

That thing with the tormach mill head on it.

[nateman_doo]

That thing with the tormach mill head on it.

heh... that..."thing"...
love it.

[nateman_doo]

What is this your ask:




Its almost FOUR FEET of Z! Do I need all that? HEECKK no, but I found the extra set of rails on ebay, and I could NOT pass them up. They are all brand new!

[nateman_doo]

What would 4 feet of Z weigh? the slab alone would weigh around 200 lbs, then the rails, and the head... ugh.

[mountaindew]

Your work bench looks just like my main work bench.
Cleaning it every week helped but it looked the same a day later.

The mount for the head will weigh 200 lbs?
wow go big or go home.
Keep up the great work, fun to follow along reading and looking at pics with a cup in the morning.
md

[nateman_doo]

I tend to work on the mill between batches of other projects. Thankfully the side work has financed this build nicely.
What would you guys do? make 4 feet of Z, or cut one of the rails in half and only go for 3 feet of Z? Either way, I will have to buy the Z plate, and bring it to a shop to be ground all over, and have grooves ground into place for the rails. I estimate that project to be in the hundreds.

Right now I am tossing up the idea of making a ball nut mount, or starting another batch of product. Since product tends to pay for the build, I am inclined to knock that out first.

[nateman_doo]

Finally some updates. Moved the screws over to allow room for the servo motor:


Drilling the holes for the floating back end bearing block for the X axis:


The rail is bolted so flush, that liquid doesn't seep under the rail:


AND.... the beast head has arrived.

[LeeWay]

I have a head like that. Mine has all the other parts around it. It is the HF round column mill. Made by Zay. The head looks identical to that one though. I have not run mine much at all other than break in. I'm interested in seeing how you use it.

[nateman_doo]

This lil block, will try to be a ballscrew block:


head stripped:

[nateman_doo]

I have a head like that. Mine has all the other parts around it. It is the HF round column mill. Made by Zay. The head looks identical to that one though. I have not run mine much at all other than break in. I'm interested in seeing how you use it.

just like the Tormach build but FAR more robust machine design.

[nateman_doo]

btw, have you ever taken your top off? I couldn't get the top to come off even when I removed everything you see (and the 6 bolts on top) I whacked it a few times, trying to break a seal that hasn't opened in a while - like a brake drum sticks.