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I agree that X & Y are the first thing to do- even for machining simple things like circles and them no being oval.

Once I was below 0.1mm (4thou) backlash on X&Y I found that the issues tended...

You are totally correct Blacki. No twisting moment from the single ball screw. Where can you get the parts? Ebay- from China. These parts are pretty standard. The nuts that rotate around a fixed ball...

I haven't finished it all yet- only the big components. I'm actually busy using the machine to make stuff.
The big problem with the Z is the drift as it goes up and down and its backlash as it...

I would be nice if a simply mod could get it to be under 0.001.

Now that sounds a bit like a race car driver who wishes that there was one simple mod they could do to make their car win!
Sadly,...

Yes, my solutions are a bit over-kill.
I don't feel they will suit everyone- nor should they.

I can't get any discernible movement on the X axis when I push or pull on the casting with about 15lbs, on the Y I get +- 0.03mm.

I'll say given every possible error that's about 2 thou on the Y...

I just double checked my gas strut and it is 222N or 50lbs.
I'll see if I can guess 15lbs and get back to you

Are you suggesting resting the dial indicator against something on the table of the machine then pushing on the quill casting in the X direction to measure the deflection, then turning the indicator...

Yes, bolted top and bottom.

My set-up is particularly challenging in that it sits on a wood floor and against a wood wall.

Makes the whole thing wobbly.
I liked the heavy C section as it adds...

I mounted a big old C section across the back

http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy137/juliancwilson/concretebench_zps59747a56.jpg

Good work uber.

I too felt I needed to improve my machine.

But even after I had the sad feeling... I still felt that the machine was right for me.. because it is small for its functionality (I...

This picture will help I hope.
You are absolutely right uber, I wanted the top hole just as close to the lock handle as I could- its a compromise- I would have preferred to put it above the lock...

Holes are tapped M8 and the counter bores are 19mm dia.
They are set 60 degrees apart (30 degrees each side of the centreline.)
The bottom one is 12mm from the bottom of the casting, the top one...

Hi Wrecker, that's a bit of an optical illusion I'm afraid.
When I dismantled my quill I machined a pair of set screw holes on each side.
Hmm, that's difficult to explain- hopefully this view from...

Oh Smallblock.....IF you're so smart YOU tell me what COLOR the zip tie should be!

It's not a decision you want to rush into.....Perhaps I should make my own?

Good work Black.

I'm still plugging away at my machine project, I'm building a new bench for it at the moment.

My Patriot works pretty good now and I use it often to make things, so my machine...

I've finished the plates for my Z axis upgrade.
The plate that mounts the bearing blocks will be painted.
The other plate hangs on the bottom of the quill.

Just a quick memory jog where I'm...

As for the Y axis.

First I machined a new plate to mount to the table, designed to accommodate my new shaft bearing.

It has a bigger opening to the top to provide better clearance so that I can...

I added a wooden block to the end of the slideway when I removed the Tailstock.
This simply holds the bracket for the bellows- so they don't keep falling off the end.
...

Ah, I understand better now- if I used my setup as a dividing head- would the stepper have enough power and the belt enough strength to hold the chuck rigidly enough to get good machining finish.
...

Hi Small, its been a long time since I posted anything on here- but I have been doing things. Last night I did a little thing... my chuck gang sort of makes the tailstock redundant so I made a little...

Yes Small, I painted the castings when the machine was apart.
I didn't touch the sheet metal, only the castings.
Dark blue and orange.
Silly really, but as I made some steel parts I needed to...

I simply bolted the assembly together and using a drill in the lathe chuck I drilled to 12.5mm then finally reamed to 12.7mm to take the chuck arbours.

For the end pinch slots I used a 75mm...

I made the mount bar from a chunk of 40mm x 40mm steel held in a vise.
I machined the T slot keyway along the bottom then the screw holes and their counter-bores, finally I put the chamfer cuts...

When I tram the mill I bring the bridge UP to the position I want, then I use the lock at the tailstock end to fix the bridge.

I then move the headstock end of the bridge up about 4mm- the lock...

Your belt tension should not be causing any quill rock, as the pulley rides on that ball bearing which is attached to the casting, and the belt tension should not be able to deflect the pulley and...

Jlm, yes I have the exact same problem.

I notice it most when the Z axis changes direction the Quill definitely moves in its casting as the offset load of the ball screw is reversed.
I can...

Black. Yes, good idea- but my welding eq. is probably limited to ¼” steel so I gave up on fabrication.

Sometimes I feel you guys are so far ahead of me in skills and facilities- I’m picking it...

removed- double post sorry guys

Hi again Small- another good idea from you- those TTS style are tool holders are really attractive to me.

But there is no one selling them over here and just no way to pull them in cheaply from...