Member postings for Roger Vane

With telephone scams I usually try to keep them talking for a while and then ask them what the scam is - at this point they normally hang up, although sometimes they do cast doubt on my parentage first.

Talked to a scammer once and he admitted that he wanted my bank details so that he could steal my money.

Hi Dave

I made my 4" raising block for the VMC in cast iron purchased from M-Machine. A bit more expensive, but machines nicely.

Mine was made in 2 parts as Gary has suggested, and was written up for MEW, starting in issue 215. I understand that the position of the hold-down studs can vary, presumably depending on age and sourcing by Warco, so it might be worth checking your machine before you make the raising block.

One little problem I have experienced when testing the Z-range is that it is possible to disengage the Z-axis leadscrew. Had great fun re-engaging it and will not repeat the exercise.

Hi Alan

Yes - I've fitted a DRO (from Allendale) to the Y-axis of my VMC and retained a stop system at the same time. Unlike John, I chose to make a new stop bar and stops rather than use the existing one, probably because it matched the one that I fitted to the X-axis.

I've loaded a few photos into an album **LINK** which will hopefully give you some ideas. In loading the album, I noticed that I had already posted some DRO photos which you might also find helpful.

If you decide to adopt a similar approach then I have some drawings in TurboCAD format that I can send you, although if you can't read these then I can probably convert to a PDF for you - please PM me if you need these.

While you are fitting the DRO I would recommend fitting the X-axis scale to the front of the table rather than to the rear so that you can retain full Y-axis travel - I wrote an article for MEW196 showing how I did this and included stops. If you decide to do this you will need to buy a scale smaller than the standard one so as to allow the stops to be included - the article explains.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and have fun.

When I ordered my VMC from Warco I wanted imperial / R8 / 3 phase which is not a standard. Roger Warren ordered a special for me with a 240V 3 phase motor, saving me the cost of a new motor. Then I bought an inverter and control panel from Newton Tesla which was very easy to wire up (they provide a wiring diagram).

The belts are set to 1180 rpm - I can count on one hand the number of times I've changed the belt ratio in the 7 or so years that I've owned the machine. It allows me a totally variable speed, and not the belt or gear ratios specified by the manufacturer. I find that at this belt setting I can drive a 7/8" drill (at low speed into a piloted hole) or a 2.5" shell mill as long as the feed rates and depth of cut are sensible, whilst with the maximum frequency set to just under 60Hz (1400 rpm) I can drive a small slot drill. A further benefit is that I can tap under power using the jog / reverse functions. Torque levels maintained well down the rev range. Magic!

"I then used the engine crane to remove the main machine from the base"

Sorry Dave - pgk pjk has reminded me that the base was delivered as a separate item, so I did not have to lift the machine from the base. It was a long time ago, and memory fades.

Hi Dave

If your machine is on a hard surface can you use an engine crane as used by garages to remove car engines? - they can be hired for a reasonable fee.

I had to remove the turret on my VMC due to height limitations in the workshop - it's heavy and awkward, so best avoided if possible. I then used the engine crane to remove the main machine from the base (which I manhandled into position in the workshop), and then the turret-less VMC was moved in using the engine crane and bolted down to the base. That was followed by manhandling the turret in and fitting to the body of the machine (you'll need a couple of helpers here).

To lift the VMC I bought a webbing sling from Machine Mart - I used a 2m long sling which was a bit too long and 1m long would probably have been better, There are lifting holes on the machine, but these are not suitable for moving the machine. I wrapped the sling around the knee between the table and the column. Tip: if you plan to make and fit a raising block best to measure the tee-slot and centre bore before refitting the turret.

Good luck.

John Hilton - I've sent you a pm about the cartridge valve

Roger Vane

Hi Windy

My guess is that if you want to just check end-float in the spindle you could do this by locking the quill and then finding some way of 'moving' the spindle so that you can check the actual end-float. You will need to remove the quill itself (complete with spindle) if you want to either repack or adjust the bearings.

When I fitted a raising block to my machine I removed the quill / spindle to reduce the weight of the turret assembly. The quill itself is easy to remove, and in an article that I wrote regarding the raising block I said....

" The first major item to be removed was the quill, complete with spindle. To do this simply remove the depth stop threaded rod and nuts. Within the depth stop is a capscrew that attaches the stop to the quill - remove this and the stop. To release the quill itself, wind it downwards using the downfeed lever until the quill disengages from the drive pinion, taking care to provide support as it is released. One word of warning here - control the return of the lever rather than just release it as the return spring is quite strong and will hurt if the lever hits you". Please note the warning - it is a strong spring and it does hurt if the lever hits you.

Hope this helps - good luck.

Rex

Your comment regarding reverse - I very often tap down to 6BA (M3) under power using forward and reverse 'jog' on the VFD. Holding the tap in a drill chuck saves fitting the tapping head, although care is needed with blind holes and small taps if you do this.

Roger

Maurice

After pestering Roger Warren of Warco on a number of occasions - unsuccessfully - I decided to make my own 4" raising block for my VMC.

I described this in MEW issue 215 onwards. It can be machined (with care) on a Myford Super 7, although you will need a threaded 4-jaw chuck to manage this. As well as drawings, the article details the machining process used (with photos of the set-ups). It also emphasises the care required when machining such a large lump of cast iron.

The raising block has proved to be very successful in use, really changing the machine for the better, with lack of headroom never now being a problem. The only problem that I have experienced is that when raising the knee to the maximum as a test, the vertical leadscrew became disengaged, and it's not easy to re-engage - so beware.

Hope this helps.

Neil

"Not here - do you use compatibility mode in IE?"

I had the website set to compatibility mode in IE - have just removed it and select & copy works perfectly ok.

Many thanks for that, Roger

I have something further to add ...

When I try to highlight text or a web-address, I find that everything is highlighted except what I actually want - a kind of 'negative' highlighting, and of course I can't then copy it. (Windows 7 / 64 bit using IE 11).

This method works ok on all other websites that I use, so I can only assume that the facility is either blocked or there is a fault with the website. Does anyone else have the same problem?

I bought my copy from Paul the CAD, but the activation code he gave me didn't work. When I phoned him he referred me to Avanquest who gave me a new code over the phone, Might be worth a try. Good luck.

Hi Paul

I had the same problem with gas supplies - rental was becoming very expensive from Air Products for my occasional usage.

If you're in the south-east you might like to try Adams Gas based in Margate - **LINK** or one of their local stockists. Welding gases at around £36 per fill (for 9 litres) and a £55 deposit (you get it back when you return the bottle). No annual rental charges or handling fees. Very good value for low or occasional usage.

If you're not in the south-east then I believe they have a network of stockists covering other parts of the country, and if not suitable then I'm sure that there are other suppliers around with a similar service.

Good luck

Graeme W - interesting thought, but I can only comment on my own experience.

In his workshop manual book (p 213), GHT says "An interesting feature of the proposed gear drive is that any increase in the resistance to movement of the work through the rolls is accompanied by an automatic increase in the pressure between the driving rolls" I can only think that in my case I started off with too much pressure and that the resulting resistance further increased the pressure between the rolls and resulted in deformed edges.

You have probably avoided the problem by reducing the pressure from the top roll, whereas I've not increased the pressure by removing a gear - same result.

I have a set of geared rollers made to the GHT design, and have experienced the same effect as Mick has described. The solution here is to remove one of the gears, hence disabling the gear train and reducing the pressure.

Roger

Another vote for Newton Tesla. I've now upgraded 3 machines using their products and found them to be very helpful and supportive.

I started off with a Warco MInor (read 'small Major' before upgrading to a VMC.

The VMC is a far superior machine, such that although I still have the Minor it has been relegated to the very occasional drilling duty. As others have said, the round column is a real pain when you have to adjust the height range. When comparing the two, the Major has a larger table, more traverse and a greater distance between spindle nose and table. Depends on how large a table / traverse you need. The downside of the VMC is the smaller spindle nose to table distance, but I overcame that problem by making a 100mm spacing block - machine transformed! It's certainly worth comparing the specs for the two machines.

Advantages of the VMC are the knee (far superior to the round column), the availability of R8 taper (much better that a Morse taper) and three phase versions. (I ordered mine from Warco with a 240v three phase motor as a special, and then fitted an inverter - infinitely variable speed control at the turn of a knob without the need to change belts all the time).

Hope this helps - good luck with your deliberations.

I've turned acrylic using an hss toolbit in my spherical turning attachment to make a lens for an optical centre finder. Found that material tended to 'pick-up' badly if it gets too hot, After some failures (experimentation?) I found that a fine feed, fairly low rpm and coolant gave a clean cut. I used WD40 as the coolant, and it seemed to work ok, with a much better finish than when machined dry - and no 'picking-up'.

This was followed by polishing with wet and dry of around 800 grit and then Solvol Autochrome metal polish. The metal polish transforms the finish and visibility through the lens.

Hi

I fitted a system from Machine-DRO to my Y-axis - brackets all made from 6mm thick aluminium angle. The scale is fitted directly onto the knee casting and the reading head is fitted to a bracket system attached to the saddle.

The stop 'finger' is fitted to the rearmost bracket and there is a new stop bar fitted directly onto the knee with its own brackets.

Have loaded some photos into an album.