[widgitmaster]

Those look pretty cool Widget. Looks like she does most of the hard work ...

She gets all the money too!

[widgitmaster]

This afternoon I decided to clean up the shop, and make a few of the parts for the counterweight spring mechanism. The blanks were made in the lathe last week, so all I have to do is drill & mill some slots! So I propped both of the bottom plugs in the vise using tall parallels, set zero on the part center lines, and drilled the crosss holes on location. Then I setup a slitting-saw with an arbor, so that I can mill the horizontal slot. This ensures the slot is perpendicular to the holes!

[widgitmaster]

Now I need to make the upper chain to spring connector, again by putting both parts in the vise and drilling the through holes. Then I used a collet-block with an internal stop, to hold the parts in the vise for slotting. By putting a pin in the hole, I can align the hole perpendicular to the slot. Next I positioned the slitting-saw in the middle of the part, and cut the slot to depth

[widgitmaster]

Now I need to setup the little 3-jaw chuck, so i can mill a square on the opposite ends of the parts. The scroll-chuck has a 3/8"-16 sthead in the center of the base, which allows me to place a long screw and a lock nut. The screw will act as a stop, so all the parts come out the same!
After dialing in the center of the chuck, I dialed in the pin to make the cross hole perpendicular. This end will have a #35 master-link attaching the roller chain. With the ends milled square, I deburred everything and proceeded to assemble all the components. First the bottom plugs must be inserted through the bottom plate, then a 1/8" roll-pin is hammered though the holes trapping the spring in place. Then the pper connector is pined to the spring, andthe chain is attached to the upper connector with the master-link.

Inorder to pull the chains through the x-axis slide frame, I used some bailing wire. Then I put the ballscrew, ballnut and thrust bearing assembly in place. Next I fed the chain through the hole in the top plate with the sprockets, and tied the wire to a bolt temporarrily. Toorrow I will make the chain anchors, that attach the chain to the slide plate.

[widgitmaster]

So far this project has been running for 122 days!
I have posted 1029+ images!
I now have 3x 30-gallon barrels full of aluminum chips
I have acquired nearly all the electrical components and hookup wires!
The current cost is $6608.38 and I'm broke :drowning:
I hope I'm able to finish this beast!
Widgit

[CarveOne]

I try not to keep track of the expense details of my builds. I wouldn't have them if I did. Keep pushing to get this beast completed so you can make some money with it and help diminish the overall expense.

[LeeWay]

Yeah, same here. I do keep a general tally in my head, but not real accurate. I try to estimate it at the start of the built, but always go over.

You have a $30000 machine, I'd say. Minimum.

[bill south]

Widget;
Don't consider it an expense, consider it as an investment. In the end, you will have one of the best designed, best crafted machines which would proudly bear the name "kick ass machine".
Thanks for posting and thanks for answering the unasked question. Just how many pictures has this machinist taken???
Have a good weekend.
Bill

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Widget;
Don't consider it an expense, consider it as an investment. In the end, you will have one of the best designed, best crafted machines which would proudly bear the name "kick ass machine".
Thanks for posting and thanks for answering the unasked question. Just how many pictures has this machinist taken???
Have a good weekend.
Bill

[widgitmaster]

Oh I'm NOT going to abandon the project, It's just moving slower than I expected!
Thanks for all the encouragement, it does help the old man in the shop


After looking at the Ballnut's grease fitting hole, I can see there is nothing more I need to do to it! As the fitting will just be recessed, and the grease gun will simply fit in the hole!

[widgitmaster]

today I made the two chain anchors, which attach to the z-slide plate via 3/32" x 1/2" roll-pins. After pinning them in place, I raised the z-slide and marked the breaking point in the roller chain with a red pen. Then I pulled as much tension on the springs as possible, and put a pin through the roller chain to keep it from retracting. Now I can use the chain-breaker to remove the link, and attach the chains with the master links.
That's when I realized the master links were too wide to fit in the top plate's slot! So I found a better fitting set of links, and replaced the wide ones! Now I need to make an arbor to temporarily attach a small hand wheel to the ballscrew, so I can manually rais & lower the z-axis while setting the limit switch assembly!

[widgitmaster]

Well, I got allot done today! First I drilled out the hardened steel welded plugs from the z-axis limit slide bar, then I made a set of custom plugs out of cold-rolled steel. This time I brazed them in place, instead of TIG welding them! After brazing, I milled off the excess material, leaving a nice flat surface. Then I drilled & tapped two M4 holes in the center of the pins. The last operation is to mill the pin to height, and deburr everything.

[widgitmaster]

Now that the limit slide bar is finished, its time to add the two return springs. I removed the X-Axis slide frame, and placed it in the vise. Then I set zero to the centerline of the frame and the slot in the frame. Then I installed the slide bar, and attached a spring to the post. Then I placed a long 1/8" diam dowel pin in the drill chuck, and put the other end of the spring on the dowel pin. Now I can move the dowel to stretch the spring. The trick is to keep the spring under pressure, when in the retracted position. According to the DRO, that distance is .774" So I removed the dowel pin, the spring, and the slide bar. Now I can drill & ream a .1240" diam hole .774" on either side of the slot. Then I pressed short dowel pins in the reamed holes, and attached the two springs. With the springs installed, the slide bar's post stayed in the middle of the slot.

[widgitmaster]

With the Z-axis limit bar finished, I can start on the back of the X-axis slide frame. There is allot of parts to make, so I decided to dismantle the gantry and reassemble it backwards. This gives me access to the X-axis pinion drive components, and all the electrical boxes that are on the back of the slide frame.

[Titaniumboy]

Widgitmaster,

I know you don't get a lot of replies in your build file, but I can say with certainty that there are a lot of us following this with rapt attention.

Keep up the impressive work.

Titaniumboy

[widgitmaster]

Widgitmaster,

I know you don't get a lot of replies in your build file, but I can say with certainty that there are a lot of us following this with rapt attention.

Keep up the impressive work.

Titaniumboy

Thanks Titaniumboy!

[widgitmaster]

This project has slowed down, as I have so many other commitments to deal with!
Yesterday I milled up six little plates 1/8" thick, and dropped them off at the welder. Then I spent a couple hours grinding, filing, and sanding all the welds smooth!
Now I have a custom little box for the x-axis limit pin, and the z-axis limit's micro-switch. Then I'll make up another round cover plate, and put the x-axis motor socket in the middle!

[bill south]

Dat's one purty box Widgit!
I for one don't mind you slowing down a bit! Just digesting the work you're presenting takes a little time for us mortals. Soooooooo, that being said, just take your time and thanks for the ride! Heck, I remember that back in the day, following a thread where someone was building a router with MDF and ACME threaded rod was exciting! We sure have come a long way in the last 10 years or so thanks mostly to folks like yourself!!!!!

Bill

- - - Updated - - -

[widgitmaster]

Dat's one purty box Widgit!
I for one don't mind you slowing down a bit! Just digesting the work you're presenting takes a little time for us mortals. Soooooooo, that being said, just take your time and thanks for the ride! Heck, I remember that back in the day, following a thread where someone was building a router with MDF and ACME threaded rod was exciting! We sure have come a long way in the last 10 years or so thanks mostly to folks like yourself!!!!!

Bill

Thanks Bill!
Hopefully this old machinist will be back in the shop by Monday, where i'll make another box to be welded!
Widgit

[CarveOne]

Breaks in the action are sometimes necessitated by fatigue, or life getting in the way. My own rebuild project is on hold while trying to meet other obligations that were promised months ago. Widget has been going hot and heavy on this project for a long period now. Your peanut gallery of friends will be here when you get back on track to finish it. You are really going to enjoy having a machine that doesn't limit your project sizes.

[widgitmaster]

Here is a preview of the two boxes, and where they will fit to the x-axis slide frame.