Buget Warco Major 5 axis conversion

[Tweaky]

Hi Robin,

the cutter was a brand new Clarkson HSS 4 flute.
The column flexes as I have said previously, by 2-3 thou with a light pull on the head and 12-13 thou with a more substantial pull, at a height of 12” or so above the table.

Yes, the quill is worse the more it is extended, about 3 thou at max extension and un-locked.
I am not using flood coolant yet as I have not made a tray to collect it, so I am squirting the lube by hand.
I guess I should have expected these results.

I must add that I have not always been using the collet chuck correctly, as I have discovered that the cutter must be screwed into the collet a fair way before it grips the end of the cutter.
I have only learned this after the problem with the tapered bores.

Maybe I should treat this as a training exercise and buy a better quality machine after I have learned how to use this one.
It is difficult for me to have down-graded as I have.
At my previous house, I had a large workshop and had just bought a Bridgeport B2J CNC with the motors removed and was in the process of refitting it, when the house next door burnt down, leaving our rented house un-safe.:cry:
So we had to move and now my workshop is 6` x 4`!
Oh well, se la vie.

Thanks again for your help.
Cheers
Tweaky

[Robin Hewitt]

I must add that I have not always been using the collet chuck correctly, as I have discovered that the cutter must be screwed into the collet a fair way before it grips the end of the cutter.

You don't want to screw it in too far or the screw end can crack on the smaller sizes when you tighten. Assemble the collet without the cutter, back off about one quarter turn, screw the cutter in tight then tighten the nose.

It is a lot more picky on the diameter than ER collets but has better grip in the Z axis.

I got caught out with my first ER chuck, didn't realise you had to fit the collet in to the nose, cost me a collet :whistling:

Getting the right grease on the quill could remove some slop. If you got 10 micron accuracy at the top of the cut that is freaking amazing given the set up. Well worth persevering

I got moved out of the garage by her indoors moaning about the swarf getting walked in to the house. Luckily I own half of a small company so I was able to rent space up on the industrial estate as a business expense. I got 25 square meters for £3k pa, put in an extra floor and turned it in to 50 sq.m

[Tweaky]

Thanks again Robin,
to say I got 10 micron accuracy would be overstating things somewhat, .... I crept up on it over the last 3 cuts!..... but it was round.
The swarf is a problem, I like the idea of a proper unit to keep the mess in, could go for a bigger machine, a power saw, grinder........mmmm.
I will look into that.
Must finish this one first though, more progress this Easter I hope.
Cheers

[Tweaky]

Made a bit more progress over the last couple of days, finished the drive part of the z axis, and fitted it to the head.
Removed the depth stop from the head and mounted the assembly using the four mounting points from the name plate and an extra point on what is left of the depth stop bracket. All drilled and tapped M8.
Need to get the correct length belt and then sort out the quill plate.
Still haven’t decided how I am going to “quick release” the drive from the plate.
I might have to actually buy some metal (for the first time), to make the plate, as I am not very happy with my first one, having seen Robins honking plate.
I like to recycle things, so I will see if I can find a suitable part to modify.

More soon ……