Member postings for Gareth Jones 11

Hi David,

I don't have a DRO fitted yet. It's on my list and I'll double check travel/lengths before I go for it. I'll prob fit a simple Z-axis DRO, ASAP as the standard Z adjustment is just about useless for any level or accuracy.

Thanks Geoff.

I've made my reverse a momentary push-button .

i.e. I have to keep my finger on it for it to run in reverse

I was worried about leaving it in reverse and forgetting then swiftly ruining a cutter, the next time I used the machine.

Thanks Jason. I won't push my luck.

Thanks Neil. Great pointer. I glanced at the vid and it looks really interesting. He's got lots of other good stuff on his channel too. There's a section on fitting a DRO to the SX2P which is also on my list.

I'll have a better look ASAP.

Cheers

Cheers Harry,

I've just spent a couple of hours stripping the guts from an old modem power supply. It's 12dc out so I found room in the main box, behind the collumn and fitted it in there, taking a 240v supply from the output of the mill's mains filter.

Rooted the 12v wires through the flexi conduit and into the tacho and job's a goodun'.

I've also wired in a button to the reverse and it works a treat. Just need the spiral flute taps that I've ordered to arrive and I can look for excuses to power-tap things.

Thanks to all who've answered.

Gareth

Reverse would mainly be for tapping.

Also, I have a nice little fly cutter that I made years ago and have never used as I cocked-up and made it to run the wrong way and accept a right hand tool, rather than left.

I sometimes use a Bridgeport at work and have found reverse useful many times.

Thanks John, both for the link and the "how to link".

I'll order one.

Cheers

Sorry for the awful link

I hoped so too but that socket only has 5v available for stealing.

Anyone used this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265904298733?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=c1zlClA7S_K&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=UukGaBKmSby&var=565734937634&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

or simar to step the DC voltage up from 5 to 12v?

Morning all,

My SX2P was bought new from ARCeurotrade in May this year (I'm it's second owner) so I'm guessing it's a relatively new model/version. It has an aftermarket tacho kit which is powered by 9v battery that I'd like to eliminate.

Does anyone have a detailed elec' drawing for the mill? I was hoping to find somewhere to "borrow" a DC supply from, to replace the 9v battery. According to the info on the tacho and sensor, between 8 and 24vdc will do.

I also want to fit a reverse switch. This seems very simple - there is an unused 3 pin header on the potentiometer board which gives forward/reverse when either pin 1 or 3 is shorted to pin 2.

A bloke in the USA has a vid on YouTube demonstrating this in action but has anyone on here done it without ill effects?

Thanks

Gareth

Quick update -

My TR12 x 2mm leadscrew arrived from AliExpress, exactly 2 weeks after placing the order.

It seems to be pretty good quality. I pulled the table off my mill and the new screw is an excellent match to the original nut. Seems better than the original leadscrew.

Very pleased and I've since ordered a few more bits from AliExpress

Thanks all.

Tony - the screw from a larger machine is a great idea but I've taken the plunge and ordered a length from AliExpress. The lead screw is unsupported at the left end but the minor diameter is only 9.5 mm so there isn't a huge amount of meat to drill and cross pin but I did consider it. I might make the drive motor mount double as a lead screw support on the left.

Jason - I've seen plenty of examples with a slot in the end as you describe. Mine isn't like that unfortunately. No cap, support or slot.

I'll wait for the screw to arrive and get molded and fitted, then order a stepper and electronics and start playing.

Thanks for all the replies.

Thanks for the reply.

You're right about the step to 3mm being at tr12 but I'd have thought 2mm would be available. If my tiny mill uses tr12 then surely all the larger Chinese hobby-type mills use tr12 or bigger and a lead of greater than 2mm would make for silly increments on the hand wheels.

I'd rather not drop to tr10 as I'd then have to think about a new nut to suit.

Since my first post, I've found some tr12 x 2mm on Ali Express. I've never used Ali Express - is it trustworthy?

Thanks

Gareth

Edited By Gareth Jones 11 on 18/08/2023 12:21:16

Hi all.

I'm hoping to add x-axis power feed to my "nearly new" Sieg SX2PG. It only has one x handwheel, on the right and the lead screw is quite short. I intend to mount the feed assembly on the left and attach it to the left end of the lead screw.

In order to not reduce x-axis travel (and maybe increase it a tiny bit) I want to make a new lead screw. I'd hoped to buy a length, off the shelf and then machine whatever is needed on each end. However, I can't find 12x2 trapezoidal screw anywhere. Every other size is readily and cheaply available but not 12x2.

The existing screw is about 420mm overall, so I'd want at least 450mm.

Can anyone help with a source for the above?

Thanks

Gareth

Thanks Clive.

I've machined much of the block but have only roughed the "tenons" for the dovetails. I was planning to cut one 60 deg then just move the Y axis and cut the other (rather than cut one then flip the block and cut the other).

I hoped this would ensure the accuracy you describe.

I'll be using a milling slide on the cross slide of my lathe. I know it's very much a poor man's milling machine but everything is very square and surprisingly rigid - certainly capable of light cuts in cast iron. I've tested it a fair bit and been very pleasantly surprised at the results.

Gareth

I was leaning towards 60, if for no other reason than Ade's example. He seems to know his onions.

Thanks all.

Hi all.

I'm in the process of making a QCTP for my Warco WM180.

It will be a piston type, with an eccentric cam in the centre, very much like the one made by Ade of "Ade's Workshop" on YouTube.

The main body is cast iron and I'll make the holders from steel. Male dovetails on two faces of the body and females on the holders. I have 45 and 60 degree dovetail cutters but can't decide which to use. Ade uses 60 deg on his and it seems to be very successful but most of the proprietary dovetails on bigger machines seem to be 45s.

Can anyone suggest which angle to go for and why?

Cheers

Gareth

At present, I only have a set of MT3 collets to go in the spindle (and a dead centre). I don't have a MT3-to-ER collet chuck or anything similar. So, if it was really stuck, I couldn't use wedges to aid extraction.

I may buy (or more likely make) a flanged ER chuck which seems the most versatile for holding cutters and/or longer pieces of stock. Downside is the runout that is often introduced by collet, chuck or clamp nut. At present there is zero runout (that I can measure) with a cutter in a morse collet.

I'd never considered cold collet vs warm spindle - that's a great tip.

I'll carry on with a plastic hammer for now but do have a decent idea for a sort-of-self-extracting draw bar. There is no "spare" spindle at the rear so I'll have to replace one of the castellated locknuts with an internally and externally threaded collar.

Thanks again to all above.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I need to clarify - the WM180 is a lathe, not a mill.

Holding cutters or stock in tapered collets is very much a secondary mode of operation.

I know for sure that small lathes with ball-race spindle bearings can be damaged by smacking a draw bar. I think mine has taper rollers which are more able to take the knocks, but I still don't feel great about hitting it.

It's only a small lathe so cuts are never that heavy but I do think you're right though. Good advice about not leaving the collet tight or cutter mounted. Just the sight of a gleaming end mill makes me picture the plastic seats in A&E department.

Think I'll stick with the hammer for now. If the bearings suffer, it wouldn't be a bad thing to renew them with less Chinesey replacements anyway.

Thanks.