[widgitmaster]

I've been using this router for over two months now, and I have noticed a weakness or design flaw in the lower y-axis slides! I had made the entire router using IKO LWL12B linear rails, and its obvious now that 12mm is not strong enough for the X & Z-axis weight!

My solution is to remake the lower section and use THK HSR25CR linear slides. These 25mm slides are designed to take force in all directions, and have a nice grease fitting to lubricate them!

[widgitmaster]

After spending a few days in CAD, I came up with a simple solution. Then I placed an order for materials, and choose a 6"x6" aluminum angle with 3/4" wall thickness. This is much more economical than hogging out a large rectangular block of 6061!
The front & rear plates will be made from ALCAST-5, which is the Canadian equivalent of MIC-6 jig plate! The Canadian plate is much nicer material to work with, as it is not a chalky or powdery as MIC-6! It works much like 6061!

[widgitmaster]

Next I made a simple layout of the leg lengths on the aluminum angle, by adding .300" to each dimension. Then I pushed them through the vertical band saw, using lots of wax to keep it cutting smoothly.

With all the excess material removed, I now need to setup the mill for facing the outer surfaces to get an accurate 90 deg. corner!

By using two little angle plates, I dialed them in so they are parallel to the table's travel. Then I mounted my BIG Chinese 5" dia carbide face mill, I have found it works better if I take 3 of 6 inserts out!

[widgitmaster]

With all the outer surfaces milled flat and 90 deg., its time to mill the length of the long leg.
So I placed the angle flat on the table, with the short leg against the cast iron angles. Using a 1/2" end mill, I milled the length to print size, then I used a large 2-flute end mill with a .1 radius on the points to mill the step on the inside surface of each part.

That's enough for one day, as my hands hurt too much to continue!
Widgit

[widgitmaster]

This morning I finished milling the short leg on both parts, and decided to mill the two plates using the current mill's setup!

That went quick, but I was unable to mill the slots on the inside of the short leg to hold the linear rails. That needs to be done in a different setup!

[widgitmaster]

Now its time for the fun stuff!
In order to mill the ends of the rail supports, I need to rotate the mill's turret and extend the ram! So I placed my 6x9x12 angle plate on the mill's table, and clamped it slightly. Then I mounted my long side plate to the angel plate, and clamped the rail support in the corner.
This gives me a rough idea of how much travel I need, and where to position the spindle.
Next I tightened all the bolts on the mill's turret and ram, and removed the cast iron angle plate. Because the table is extended and the turret is rotated, the mill's head needs to be trammed in it's new position. So I used an indicator holder in the spindle and a 1-2-3 block.
The indicator must be perpendicular to the ram, not the mill's table!

Next I repositioned the cast iron angle plate, and dialed it's face parallel to the mills table. Now I can use a 3" face mill to cut the entire end surface in one pass. So I milled one end of each part.

[rowbare]

What drawbar said... It's great to see you posting from the shop again.

bob

[widgitmaster]

Thanks Bob!
This was a difficult router to build, as the Arthritis in my hands and knees makes standing and working painful.
But I'm addicted, and just cant sit still!

This machine has cast acrylic wire track mounting blocks, unfortunately I did not take allot of photos during its creation

Widgit

[widgitmaster]

This morning I milled the two plates to length, and started drilling holes! All the dowel pin holes in the corners are critical, as it sets the flatness, and squareness of the whole router! So I carefully spot drilled one screw hole, drilled it small, and followed it with a reamer. After measuring it, I made correction moves on the mill. When satisfied with the location, I moved over to the dowel pin holes.
Next I put a 1/4" reamed hole accurately on location for the ball screw bearing locations. This way I can dial in the hole and enlarge it later.

So far I have all the lower mounting holes drilled c-bored & reamed, and the holes for the stiffener rails located just under the ball screw. The motor mounting holes have also been drilled & tapped to fit a NEMA23 stepper.

Because I plan on making a sloped front control panel, with several buttons and an additional e-stop, I will be putting a 1" OD aluminum conduit to connect through the front & rear plates. This tube will also have small holes with rubber grommets so I can connect the two y-axis limit switches.

I have been looking all over the place for a Green START, Red STOP, anad Yellow PAUSE buttons! Finally I found them at GRANGER.com. Also, I have several small buttons for jogging each axis. Along with a HOME button.
Now, according to my research, I have 15 OEM-TRIGGER's which will require a 2nd LPT port. Then I can assign each switch & button to a function on the MACH3 screen.

[widgitmaster]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I had made a nice little 4th-axis for this machine!
It uses standard tapered roller bearings, a corrugated belt & pulleys, and has an 85 oz/1n NEMA23 stepper!

Widgit

[CarveOne]

Well, wonders never cease! That one's really nice Wigit.

CarveOne

[ViperTX]

Eric, great looking work!

Is the collar on your 4th axis threaded....just wondering how you are preloading the Timken bearings?

I'm at the point where my Jet JMD-18 is just too limited. Is your mill a Birmingham 10x54? I have been looking at the Enco 10x54 variable speed mills, but don't know anything about how good they are.

Thanks,
Paul

[widgitmaster]

Hi Paul!
Yes, I used a 1"-12 split-nut collar. It has two 1/4" SHCS which allow me to snug it up and lock it down!
There is a 3/4" bore in the spindle! When I made this, my friend was making fishing poles and needed a bore through the spindle! So I made tow of them and kept one !

My mill is from KBC Tools, and has 26x13. Looks just like a Birmingham!

Widgit

[widgitmaster]

This morning I calculated ho much I need to remove from the ends of the rails, then I used a gage pin in the end hole and scribed a line on each rail end. The mounting holes are 60mm apart, and accurately spaced. By placing the height gage's scribe on top of the pin while the rail is on end, I could measure from the pin to the cut line.
Next I placed my abrasive cut-off wheel in the surface grinder, and mounted my little vise on the grinder's magnetic table. With the pin in the end hole, I could place the rail in the vise so the pin was against the side of the vise. This created a perfect stop, so each rail would get cut in the same place!

After cutting them, I used my large belt sander to clean up the burn on the ends. Then I used my small 1" belt sander to debur the edges on the ends, so the seals on the bearings don't get damaged when inserting the rail ends.
Two more parts finished!

[widgitmaster]

Next I drilled and bored the holes in the front & rear plates, to hold the wire conduit tube. Then I cut the tube to length, so each end would be .250" in a counter bore. Then I used a 1/8" corner rounding end mill in my boring head to cut a nice radius on the entrance side of each plate, this will protect the wires as they are pulled through the hole.

Next I turned the two stiffener rails to length in the lathe, and tapped each end to fit a 1/4-20 UNC.

Lastly, I bored the hole for the rear bearing, and pressed the bearing in the rear plate.

That's three more parts finished!
There are several threaded holes to go in the front & rear plate, another day's work!

Widgit

[widgitmaster]

This evening I turned one end of the lead screw, and added some legs with wheels! That way I don't have to bend over to work on it!

Widgit

[ger21]

On the large spindles with ATC's that I've used, there's a constant flow of air during the tool change to keep any contaminants from getting on the taper.

Most likely, there are springs that hold the tool holder in place, and the air releases it.

So typically, during a toolchange, you'd supply air constantly to the port that keeps it clean. For the other port, you's supply air to release the tool, and keep supplying it until the tool holder is removed. Then stop it, until you're ready to insert the next tool. At that point you'd shut off the air to both ports.

However, if you intend on just using it manually, you should be able to just supply air to both simultaneously.

And btw, it's probably not a good idea to keep shooting the toolholder out like that.

[widgitmaster]

This morning I decided to start on the two end blocks which attach to the Y-Axis linear slides. With two blocks of aluminum, I squared them on all six sides with the big face mill. Then I scribed some lines and decided to band saw off some of the excess material. After a lot of pushing and wax, the blocks are ready to be milled to size!

Total time 3 hr.

[widgitmaster]

Next I used the big face mill to cut the big step on each block, bringing the depth to print. Then I milled the corner using a 1/2" end mill.

Next I flipped the part over and milled the remaining steps with the same end mill. All thats left is to drill, tap & ream some holes!

Then I have to mill the connecting plate which gets pinned to these two slide blocks!

[widgitmaster]

This morning I drilled and tapped some holes on the outside of the two blocks, and drilled & c-bored the four holed needed to mount the blocks to the linear slides. The slides use M6 screws, so I found a reground end mill about .015" bigger than the M6 cap screw's head. Then I used it to c-bore the hole.
After a trip to ACE hardware for a handful of M6 x20mm SHCS, the parts now attach securely.

The other six holes were #10-24, and the two dowel pin holes were drilled .01" small. The dowel pin holes will be reamed upon assembly, as I need to align everything first. Otherwise there will be an accumulation of error from so may assembled parts!

There are two 1/4"-20 threaded holes and two reamed hoe to be drilled on the top of the parts for attaching the connecting plate. That will be done tomorrow, I hope!