Denford Starmill - replacing spindle

[andy_con]

remove all tools and tool holders from the spindle

you will need to fold down the tab on the tab washer that's stopping the tab nut from turning. undo the tab nut and remove, remove tab washer. remove belt, undo pulley, probably two grub screws locking it to pin. remove pulley and pin.

id have to see a photo of how the bearings are sat around the spindle.

but there is probably a guard on the underside/spindle on the head to prevent crap from getting into the bearing, you will need to remove this. normally 4 allen key bolts.

once all the above is done and subject to how the bearings sits you may be able to tap the spindle down/out with a hammer. but use some wood so you don't damage the spindle. also put a car jack or something on the table to support the head whilst tapping with a hammer. you don't want to snap the z belt and have the whole head crash into the table.

[andy_con]

http://www.denfordata.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3585

[Doddy]

Just an update

I decided to bolt two rails onto the dovetail and mount a sled onto those, with a bracket attaching the base of the sled to the orginal Denford Z-axis positioning plate.


Picture 1, shows the basic sled, provided curtesy of a member on here in response to an RFQ.

(Also, the neodymium magnets on the right rail tells the tale of my hand-drilling the cast iron of the original dovetail)



Picture 2 shows the spindle mount attached to the sled. An early picture - was yet to be wired (the copper pipe in the background suggests the minor distraction of replacing an indirect-heated cylinder that was leaking, that somewhat halted play on the mill).



Elsewhere on the site I've discussed the problem with wow/flutter on the spindle, ultimately overcome with using RS485 between the computer and the Spindle Controller. At this time everything works as I'd hope it to.

[magicniner]

That's looking tidy, have you mounted the new spindle to give the same throat as the old one?

- Nick

[Doddy]

More by chance than design it sits within a couple of mm of the original spindle