[CNCfun&games]

Wizard: 1.- You are correct, this Spindle Housing casting is for a new project we are exploring.
Could possibly be a universal Lathe or Mill thingie!

2.- Usually anything resembling mass production in sand casting is match plate.
If you look at the 1st page of this thread you will note the runners were actually
added to “my” match plate by the foundry.
The castings were hollow & required cores!
See my Pattern making Guide post #116, this thread
Post #120 shows some of our Patterns, Castings & where they were used.

3. 4 or 5 foundries around here, most grandfathered in, however no new ones!


Fann Blade: Looked at your Hurco retrofit thread – Keep up the good work!
A Lot of smart guys over there too….very helpful when you get in a bind!
I’ve retrofitted a Bridgeport Boss 4 and a 2J ……love the mighty Bridgeports!!



W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[FannBlade]

Thanks! I'm excited to get back on the project. I'm letting the concrete "acclimate" before I continue.

[CNCfun&games]

The suspense is over!!

….and a close examination is in process.

It appears the cores were located properly and the cavities they
created are cosmetically satisfactory and functionally acceptable!!!

The surface finish of the overall casting could be better but most
of those surfaces will be removed in the Blanchard Grinding &
Finish Machining process.

Take a Look.....

Blanchard Grinding next post.


W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[Zenji]

It certainly makes sense to cast rather than fabricate.

[wizard]

Thanks for posting.

The suspense is over!!

….and a close examination is in process.

It appears the cores were located properly and the cavities they
created are cosmetically satisfactory and functionally acceptable!!!

The surface finish of the overall casting could be better but most
of those surfaces will be removed in the Blanchard Grinding &
Finish Machining process.

Years ago I was working with a guy rebuilding some old machines. He went overboard with grinding and filling of the castings. By the time he was done the machine had a finish that would have put many show cars to shame. Sometimes a machine looking like a machine is a good thing. After all if you are afraid to scratch your machine it won't be used.

Take a Look.....

Blanchard Grinding next post.


W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

Wizard: I take your point on not going overboard on grinding and filling
I’m not advocating “putting lipstick on a pig”.

The bottom view of the Base for our Bridge mill is an example of a desirable “as cast” surface..
Attention was paid to block sanding the pattern on both top & bottom sides of the match plate.,
And the results were a pleasant surprise and makes painting soooooo easy.

Just added the Blanchard Ground Top View for fun.


W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

[wizard]

Wizard: I take your point on not going overboard on grinding and filling
I’m not advocating “putting lipstick on a pig”.

The bottom view of the Base for our Bridge mill is an example of a desirable “as cast” surface..
Attention was paid to block sanding the pattern on both top & bottom sides of the match plate.,
And the results were a pleasant surprise and makes painting soooooo easy.

Just added the Blanchard Ground Top View for fun.


W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

Nice! I still haven't figured out exactly what you are building here, however the workmanship is beautiful!

[CNCfun&games]

Zenji: I agree with you-There is some beautiful Fabricated stuff out there, but it's not my thing!!


Machining Completed!!

The Spindle Housing has been inspected and all critical dimensions were met.

Will install the 4.724 6 in. (120mm) Spindle and see how things look.!

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA.

[TOTALLYRC]

Looking good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CNCfun&games]

TOTALLYRC.......Thanks!!
Wizard...... "Nice! I still haven't figured out exactly what you are building here, however the workmanship is beautiful! "
Wizard.... Thanks for the comment on workmanship.

1.-We now have a machined Spindle Housing tooled and ready to go.
2.- We previously designed and built a 2 axis Gang Tool slide which was successfully installed on
a couple of stripped down Hardinge lathes.
3.- Now if we could build a cast lathe bed we might be able to put a nice Benchtop Gang Tool Lathe together.

Sounds like fun.........but we have 3 Bridge Mills in various stages of assembly with a higher priority...We'll see!

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

A few more details on the Benchtop Lathe Concept.....

Enclosed are photo's of the 2 Castings which make up the Gang Tool Slide Assy.

The Base Casting weighs 123 # and is the 2nd largest casting we have designed so far.
The X Axis Cover weighs 45# and supports the gang tool channel.

The two layouts are a couple concept studies.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[wizard]

Pretty interesting! Is this something intended for production? By production here, I mean manufacturing the lathes for resale. Just for the sake of completeness what sort of capacities are we looking at here?

A few more details on the Benchtop Lathe Concept.....

Enclosed are photo's of the 2 Castings which make up the Gang Tool Slide Assy.

You must be one busy pattern maker! By the way the castings look nice.

The Base Casting weighs 123 # and is the 2nd largest casting we have designed so far.
The X Axis Cover weighs 45# and supports the gang tool channel.

The channel appears to be bolted on, is that the long term play here?

The two layouts are a couple concept studies.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

More info. On the Lathe Concept

Wizard: Travel on the existing slide is X= 11.5 in., Y= 9.5 in.

The Channels have been replaceable tool Steel for awhile.
This modification became common because a tool crash could damage
the whole x axis casting so the removable channel was introduced.

We will probably build a couple Lathe's just for fun. The base
will require some cogitation to determine if it should be one piece or
a cast base with a sheet steel apron.

The next order of business is to finish the 3 Bridge Mills that have been gathering
dust these many months.
The Bridge Mill configuration is very strong and I'm anxious to test it in the various
bearing iterations under power.

[wizard]

More info. On the Lathe Concept

Wizard: Travel on the existing slide is X= 11.5 in., Y= 9.5 in.

The Channels have been replaceable tool Steel for awhile.
This modification became common because a tool crash could damage
the whole x axis casting so the removable channel was introduced.

We dealt with that problem some time ago by glueing the tool post on with epoxy. Of course that was on a diamond turning lathe where cutting depths where only a couple of microns.

We will probably build a couple Lathe's just for fun. The base
will require some cogitation to determine if it should be one piece or
a cast base with a sheet steel apron.

Put it into production! I hate to ask how much it will cost though.

The next order of business is to finish the 3 Bridge Mills that have been gathering
dust these many months.
The Bridge Mill configuration is very strong and I'm anxious to test it in the various
bearing iterations under power.

Yes finish them up! I find the designs interesting to say the least. I don't like the cutout gantry beam but that is a minor quibble.

[CNCfun&games]

[ I find the designs interesting to say the least. I don't like the cutout gantry beam but that is a minor quibble.[/QUOTE]

WIZARD:
The first CNC Bridge Mill I constructed in 2001 incorporated
the cutout gantry beam and it provide to be quite
effective in protecting the ballscrew and double nuts from contamination.
It was retired about 2 years ago for retrofit, only because the old DOS Computer
died. The round motors were replaced with the new square motors and a Gecko 540
quad drive assembly was installed. It should be running soon.

On moving Gantry Router the same Beam Configuration was used but the cutout was
rear facing. It will see alot of Corian and wood products so the ballscrews will require
extra protection and also a vacuum pickup.

The bridge mill configuration is very strong and I'm anxious to test it in varying
iterations under power.

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

Work Resumes on the Bench Top Bridge Mills

Thanks Fann Blade!!

Finishing 2 of the 3 Bridge Mills which are partially assembled is
the next order of business. One with a Cast Iron base, the other
with one of the 18” x 24” surface plates we purchased some time ago.
Travel for #1 is 12” x 12” x 6”, travel for #2 will be 12” x 18” x 6” or
About the same as one of my Bridgeports,,,,,pretty good for a
Bench Mill form factor. Might end up a nice 2nd. OP mill afterall !

The steel Z axis parts will have to be collected for inventory purposes,
and several missing parts machined, before the 2.2 kw spindles can be
mounted.

Let the FUN begin.

W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

Work on Z axis patterns resumes.

A decision to incorporate the two 3 HP 25000 RPM spindles into
the Bridge Mills now in work will require finishing the patterns started many months ago.
The fixed element of the Z axis can be still be fabricated from CRS but the spindle support
will be cast because it will conform to the large Diameter of the spindle body thus saving
about 1.5 inches in overhang..

For maximum Strength these are Steel & Cast iron machines!
Should be fun!


W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

After locating the Spindles for the two machines currently in assembly,
the overall dimensions were checked against the drawings and the existing
patterns for conformity. It's been about 2 years since all the components
were gathered in one place and I needed to visualize my current position &
where I was going! Linear rails, ball screws, mounting plates, couplers.....the works
needed to be brought together for both machines!!

More work than I anticipated...no critical shortages so far....

Hope to show some real progress soon!

W. Smith Mission Viejo, CA

[CNCfun&games]

Several Accessories for the Bridge Mill are under investigation.

Bought a couple of castings from Grizzly
They are the rotating column support for the G8689,-LMS3900 or the Seig X2

Thought they could be the basis for a nice 12" Trunion table.

So here goes……..the meandering around again

W. Smith, Mission Viejo, CA

[ZipSnipe]

hey Smith good to see your still kicking!!! Great progress since the last time I checked this thread!!!