DIY machine porn

[BillTodd]

If, for some reason, you want to feel inadequate: Have a look at this guy's work

http://www.youtube.com/user/00CrazyDiamond00

[Smiler]

Bill, I felt inadequate when I followed you renovating that lathe, this is just sick :)

BTW,

Just posted on the Yahoo Mach group

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_-uHyJNVxs"]YouTube - Portable CNC milling machine[/ame]

Answer looking for a problem?

JEff.

[BillTodd]

You having a bash Bill?

I have plans:

An MD30 drill/mill to conversion, which has been on hold while I fixed up the lathe. I have made a couple of DC servo boards (Max-Mod's pic dsp based design) for it and have yet to design the Z axis mechanism (which might be a planetary traction drive to the rack and pinion). Oh yes and I've yet to fix the broken servo motor encoder - I bought a bargain encoder wheel, only to find my two channel reader unit wont read the three channel encoder

And, a bed-top cnc adapter for the HLV, (similar to this [ame="http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75106"]Feeler conversion[/ame]). I bought an extra width Hiwin slide from the US the other day with the intention of using it as the cross-slide with a single, but when I tested the idea (by clamping it the Hardinge's carriage) there was a little too much play in the Hiwin truck to be useable (a new set of bearing ball might fix it).

[BillTodd]

Looks like a job more suited to crossed roller bearings

Yes they would do it. However, the 'problem' forces, in-feed and reaction, are small (the majority of the force is straight down). I was easily able to hand feed the tool to face a part, even holding the tool to turn down the piece wasn't too hard. Accuracy is only effected if the carriage/truck flexes away from the part (because the feed screw will be some distance away from the tool). The problem with my Hiwin MGW slide is that is has a small amount of clearance (it's not a pre-loaded type).

Any images of the traction drive?

I haven't even designed it yet!