Lathe suggestions?

[routercnc]

The lathe arrived this week - hurray!

It arrived in a big wrapped wooden box:


The drip tray was on top in bubble wrap:


Levering off the lid revealed the well packed machine with all the accessories:




The invertor is behind this cover. A branded model, with a branded contactor, so bodes well:




A look behind the end cover panel:


Sensor for the rpm readout (there is a once-per rev small metal rod sticking out of the shaft):

Should be quiet easy to add a multi-pulse index wheel for cnc threading (at some far distant time!)

Declared run-out not too bad (will check if this is accurate later):


Started stripping off some of the parts to make it lighter and give better access to fit the DROs:



Started on the cross-slide DRO. A bit worried that the one supplied for this machine is 100mm travel but the cross-slide travel is about 115mm. Admittedly it probably won't go right to the back of the machine but if in the future I forget it could damage the sensor. I'll ask Warco about it this week if I get a chance. May have to limit slide travel.

I can't see any way to make the standard brackets which come with the DRO fit. The slide has to be stepped back to give access to the saddle lock cap head (and clear the gib lock bolts), be low enough to miss the top slide, and the read head has to be positioned so that it can travel the whole range. This puts it in the middle of no-where. So, made some measurements and did some CAD. Printed it out as a trial fit:


Setting up some 6mm aluminium plate:


Done:


Light coat of Zinc spray, drilled and tapped the carriage (M4) and offered it up:


Starting to dial in the read head bracket. So far looks like it needs about 0.4mm shim on the left. Note that the main body is NOT attached to the slide yet, it's just loose on the reader. Once dialled in vertically I'll do the fore/aft dial in using the slots in my bracket.


This is in the same position as the Warco display model but I do need to be careful that the tailstock does not get slammed into the back of it during use. It will hit the 6mm bracket not the sensor itself but it is only secured with 2off M4 into soft cast iron so could do some damage. Maybe add a rubber bump stop on the tailstock front edge?

Thinking ahead I had a look at the longer DRO for the Z axis. Since this mounts on a non-machined surface it needs to be levelled. I was disappointed that the kit did not come with levelling blocks so I'll have to make my own.

Here is the Warco display example which uses grub screws top and bottom to dial it in:



Looking further ahead - I will obviously need to lift it onto the bench I also tried to feel the weight at the tailstock end and the chuck end and it is still very heavy. I had got a few friends lined up to help lift it but now I'm not so sure. Will probably hire an engine crane to be on the safe side.