New CNC Mill on the horizon

[Jonathan]

To add to JB's comments, tapered drill chucks like to come lose and drop out when applying a side cutting force - using something like an end mill in a drill press. So can be dangerous both to you and the part, be safe guys....

On a milling machine the drill chuck is generally held in with a drawbar, so it shouldn't drop out. However, the drill chuck's poor ability to support the cutter radially would make the cutter prone to dropping...

[fvfdrums]

Jonathan, Thanks for that I will do that and see what its like :) I do always use a drawbar with my mill head as the last thing I want is the chuck dropping out and hitting me let alone the piece of metal I have been working on for hours!

I got on to machining the front side of the y axis plate and it again went very well, managed to get the surface nice and level even though it had to be done in two sections as my mill table is not long enough for one pass.

I then milled the base of the bk mounts and the ball screw holder to get the whole thing to close up a bit more without hogging out more of the aluminium plate than I needed to. I only took a couple of MM off the feet of the bearing mounts but it meant I did not need to cut into the face plate at all.

Ignore the lack of bolts I am waiting on a "top up"

[Neale]

Looking at your picture, you have the Z ballscrews bearings bolted to the fixed Z plate, and it looks as if the ballscrew nut will bolt to the moving Z plate. How are you going to adjust the nut or bearing position, or the guide rails, so that everything is nicely aligned? I've been looking at these details on my own design for a while and am looking for inspiration! I have some ideas, but always keen to re-use other people's work...

[Skysurfer]

Sounds a bit similar to the machine I could do with building...I'll be keeping an eye on your build.
If you're buying on fleabay, just a tip... Don't buy anything online after a visit to the "Trip" (To Jerusalem)
Good luck.

[fvfdrums]

Done plenty of buying after going to the Trip! But no CNC parts mind :)

[EddyCurrent]

Looks like the build is moving at a pace now, Z axis looking good.

[fvfdrums]

Z axis front plate on the mill as we speak just in for a nessecary cup of tea!

[fvfdrums]

Been busy for a week or so but have managed to get some stuff done. The z axis is now done and on the gantry which is great, all moves up and down nicely I am leaving fine tuning until its all sat on the frame.

Speaking of the frame I should be expecting the steel delivery next week for the main framework and the weekend after will be a 3 day weekend of getting the frame sorted and the gantry sitting on it hopefully.

In the mean time I have been levelling out a pad in the workshop for it to sit on as I realised after closer inspection that the floor did fall away in the corner where the machine is meant to be going so I thought I would level a specific area for it to sit on which once dried out will hopefully double as a nice flat plate to set the frame up for welding on as well. I have left adequate room around the machine for maintenance once all bolted down.

Few tedious pics of the pad going down

[fvfdrums]

A decent amount of progress made on the frame this weekend, inspired by the build Jonathan did recently we decided to go down the route of a similar frame but at worktop height so working height of the bed is around 850mm at max settings. All made from 60x60x5mm, took plenty of time to weld up moving around the frame tacking then putting down some good welds so as not to distort.

End result is an extremely level frame in all directions (still will be doing resin but more to level out the bow in the cross section of the steel box section which is very noticeable along its length)

Still need to finish fully welding the frame as the bed is still only tacked but then X axis drive components next!

[Skysurfer]

I'm a Boilermaker, and run into this all the time. The bow is caused by the shrinkage of the steel after it's cooled from the cherry red of the weld. If it's easier for you, if you heat the opposite side to the weld by roughly the same amount of heat that's gone into the weld (you could weld opposite, then grind flush when finished), it will shrink by the same amount (i.e. straighten). I normally put a torch to the opposite side, and eyeball down it's length until it's bob on.
Always weld opposite the last weld to keep distortion to minimum, but it'll always creep in...
You should put a couple of decent tacks on one seam, then weld the opposite. Then go back & weld over the tacks.
Might save you effort and/or time...Certainly save epoxy...
Really love that gantry, presumably ally? Would love some more details on it. Which supplier did you go to for your rails?
Looking good...