Hi,


Today I fitted the Z axis ballscrew. I had to drill the top of the column, a hole of about 18mm. it wasn’t fun as my drill bits only go up to 12mm, and it takes forever to enlarge the hole with a Dremel. Then I remembered I had these cone shaped drills that drill in ever larger steps. Thereafter it was a piece of cake.


I haven’t machined the top plate yet, but by connecting the FK12 at the top plus a handy little lever I made to crank the ballscrew in both directions, I could get a rough idea of the effort needed by the motor.

Basically, to move the head down requires zero effort. In fact, if you are not careful it may start to roll down by itself. A question of adjusting the gib a little, I think, just to hold the head still.

Cranking it up requires more effort, for instance, more than moving the X or Y axes, but not drastically more. I think the 3.1 Nm motor will move it well with direct drive. We shall soon see….otherwise maybe a 4Nm motor...

In the future, I may attach a gas spring, if anything just to ease the effort on the motor and to hold the head stationary when the motors are disconnected.

I think for the moment, I may have to use the gib tightening lever when I am not using the mill, just in case the head decides to roll down and smash something pretty badly. I hope I remember to loosen the lever when in use!

Tomorrow, machining the thick plates to fit the bearings and motor, with the manual mill, painful, or as the French say...quelle horreur!

Edward