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Member postings for blowlamp

Here is a list of all the postings blowlamp has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

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Thread: GETTING CNC WORKING
26/07/2011 17:11:14
He says he's in north Lincs.
 
Martin.
26/07/2011 15:42:59
As just a stab in the dark - is a limit switch triggered by any chance and you are using the correct printer port number within Mach 3?
 
Mach 3 needs to address the correct port, or nothing will move: Printer port info here: http://www.beyondlogic.org/spp/parallel.htm#4
 
My parallel port interface board (CNC4PC) needs a separate +5v power supply, which is taken from a spare USB port, or nothing moves.
 
Pin assignments need to be correct too, so make sure they are properly set as per the manual or whatever came with the machine.
 
 
Martin.
Thread: Problem with digital vernier
25/07/2011 14:50:55
Does it zero OK and what does it read at say an inch or two of slips?
 
 
Martin.
Thread: Getting your new mill home
20/07/2011 18:23:59
Yeah, a lovely bit of kit.
I witnessed similar scenes last weekend in Beeston.
 
 
Martin.
Thread: The perfect ME Lathe
20/07/2011 00:10:52
Billy.
The problem with a CNC lathe is that it's almost too easy to make complex shapes, that would otherwise take forever to do on our size of manual machine.
You could turn out ball-handles and Morse tapers by the million without even breaking into a sweat.
 
CNC really comes into its own on a milling machine and is perhaps the better parallel to your wife's automated sewing machine.
 
Not trying to hijack this thread, but here is a couple of videos of me going through the steps in CAD and CAM, of cutting a simple tyre with some writing 'embroidered' onto its sidewall.
 
Martin.
 
 
 
 
 
Thread: Proxxon machine tools
19/07/2011 10:55:40
Could you run to a C3 mini-lathe from somewhere like Arceurotrade or Chester etc?
The advantage is their popularity and range of accessories. Commonly available tooling is a plus point too.
 
 
Martin.
Thread: The perfect ME Lathe
18/07/2011 17:07:58
I'm in agreement with many of the suggestion that have already been made, but here's my list of desirables.
 
Variable speed, with a couple of pulley ratios for extra torque and quiet running. No stripping to replace the belt.
Easy provision for indexing the spindle to enable graduating etc.
Camlock spindle (or even 3 stud fixing if easily accessible), with big bore.
 
Lever operated (or rack drive) tailstock quill with camlock clamp of tailstock to the bed.
 
Electronic leadscrew/feedshaft that replaces the gearbox and change wheels, to allow for any thread pitch, plus power cross-feed.
 
Substantial Inverted (hardened) Vee-bed, designed as far as possible to shrug off swarf from the ways. Plenty of saddle surface area in contact with the bed for low wear.
 
Tee-slotted (along its length) cross slide with top slide that has a long travel, with nice, meaty gib strips - taper type if possible.
 
The Sieg C4 seems to be going in the right direction - if only it were a little larger.
 
Martin.
Thread: I need a mill ? Manual or CNC??
18/07/2011 12:15:15
CamBam is vastly more adaptable than Cut2D for similar money - not as pretty to look at maybe, but capable of doing much, much more.
 
Martin.
Thread: What happened to the Myford sale thread?
16/07/2011 19:34:46
Yes David. It's just another case of the productive working man being dragged down by the multitude of officials, pen-pushers and all the other 'qualified-up-to-their-eyeballs', hangers on.
 
 
Martin.
Thread: Bevel Gear
11/07/2011 09:52:27
If it's an indexing turret, why does it need to be geared?
 
Most skilled people I know would shy away from making a bevel gear, so it's manufacture should not to be undertaken in too casual a manner
 
Can you tell us a bit more about your device to give our collective brain something to ponder over?
 
Martin.
Thread: I need a mill ? Manual or CNC??
10/07/2011 00:06:55
You had better start learning CAD/CAM then Edmund
 
 
Martin.
 
Thread: No 4407 More Errors
10/07/2011 00:01:50
As a little test, I've roughly scaled the drawing to the 50mm reference line and overlayed a few arcs and lines with their actual dimensions and some are pretty far out, as can be seen in the picture.
 
The large arc is ok, but the smaller one is not so good when compared to the theoretically correct one I've put in.
The 21mm measurement is miles out, as is the 39mm one.
 
I know we don't scale from the drawing, but it should bear a closer resemblance to reality than this one appears to.
 

 
Martin.
09/07/2011 15:39:28
I get that angle at 77 degrees by tracing over it.
 
Martin.
Thread: Emco Mill bent spindle mystery
08/07/2011 15:28:39
Posted by Ian P on 08/07/2011 15:10:13:
 
 
...I was unaware there was an antipodean version of the mill, but its not impossible...
 
 
Ian
 
 
I think John means that the bearing arrangement is upside down to how it should be, for best effect.
 
I must agree that it is a poor design thought.
 
Martin.
Thread: Best way to improve fit of main spindle quill in casting (long)
07/07/2011 19:38:07
Posted by Ian P on 07/07/2011 18:52:02:
 
 
Yes the horizontal sawcut is towards the bottom of the bore, same as in the picture. I do not have anything I can accurately measure the upper part of the bore ID but it is definately worn to an unacceptable extent, so it needs bringing to the correct ID whether its parallel or not.
 
Ian
 
Ian.
 
From what you say, it's beginning to sound like it might have been inaccurately machined at the factory.
 
Before doing much else, it would seem sensible to establish for sure if it is worn or just oversized from new.
 
If it turns out that you've got a perfectly circular and parallel bore that is merely too big, you're risking quite a lot by attempting to sleeve it and this is why I say have a look at making a new quill to fit.
At worst, it would only be a waste of your time and a little money if it didn't work out.
 
What kind of bearing arrangement does it have - is it a needle-roller lower bearing by any chance?
 
 
 
Martin.
 
 
 
 
07/07/2011 11:52:33
Posted by Ian P on 07/07/2011 11:21:28:
 
Its not really usable to my satisfaction, mainly because when the quill is clamped tight enough to remove play, it is not parallel to the Z axis column.
 
Ian
 
Is that looking from the front or the side and does the quill move freely?
I'm just trying to get feel for where the alignment errors are.
 
Martin.
07/07/2011 10:51:52
Is the machine usable (to your satisfaction) with the quill clamp nipped down enough to remove play, but still allow free movement, i.e. does the bore return to a true circle?
 
If it does, then I'm thinking you could leave it in this semi-permanent state and make some other arrangement to lock the quill when you need to.
 
It would save a lot of work and could be used as a means of taking up any wear in the future.
 
 
Martin.
06/07/2011 22:08:55
Posted by Ian P on 06/07/2011 21:38:50:
One other point, I think making a new quill body is going to be harder than modifying the hewad casting, apart from having to get the two bearing seats at opposite ends of a tube in perfect alignment, there is the problem of cutting the rack for the pinion.
 
Ian
 
You've done the hardest part in making the spindle, in my opinion
 
Clock your new quill in the four jaw and run the free end a fixed steady to machine each bearing seat, whilst maintaining alignment.
 
There is a few ways to do the rack depending on the equipment at your disposal.
 
You could use that between centres boring bar in the lathe to cut the teeth with a bought or home made fly-cutter (form tool).
 
You could use the milling machine itself - rough the teeth with a small end mill and finish with a suitably shaped D-bit type of cutter
 
You could use a shaping machine.
 
Get a friend to do it
 
 
Martin.
 
 
 
06/07/2011 19:00:08
Is the bore of the casting worn, or was it machined oversize - maybe even bored with the clamp bolt nipped down, thus making a tapered bore?
 
Anyway, if the bore is oversize but parallel, I'd be inclined to look at making a new quill rather than sleeving the casting. Fitting a sleeve could be hard to do and have it stay in position, if it's got to be split for the purpose of clamping.
 
 
Martin.
Thread: New Viewer for MEW
03/07/2011 14:43:04
I'm on Windows 7 64 bit, but using Internet Explorer 9 in 32 bit mode without a problem to view the sample Digital Issues.
 
Foxit PDF reader is good and free if anyone is looking for such a thing.
 
Maybe it might be worth updating video card drivers from the manufacturers website to get the latest and greatest version and see if it helps?
 
I don't think Windows Update always retrieves the newest versions and I've had problems in the past that, in my case, have been sorted by going to the nvidia website.
 
Martin.
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