[Titaniumboy]

Do they have kits/plans where you machine 100%?

Here is the Ray-Vin bible for machining 0% AR-15 forged lowers. It looks like a LOT of work.

http://arlower.ray-vin.com/ar15/ray%...15%20build.pdf
Index of /ar15

[diyengineer]

That's good info there!!

[Titaniumboy]

Here is the Ray-Vin bible for machining 0% AR-15 forged lowers. It looks like a LOT of work.

http://arlower.ray-vin.com/ar15/ray%...15%20build.pdf
Index of /ar15

More good info:

Colfax Tactical Milling out the fire control pocket using a milling machine with digital read out (DRO)
http://www.colfaxtactical.com/downlo...%20a%20DRO.pdf

AR15 Drawing suitable for 8.5x11 paper
http://www.weaponeer.net/uploads/fil...own_Origin.pdf

Where the above links came from
How to build an AR variant lower from a hunk of metal - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Why the "bump" in the Fire Control Group pocket isn't needed
https://www.tacticalmachining.com/fo...php?f=10&t=754
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/a.../t-532511.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/outdo...t-milling.html


Hoss, thanks for the links for the reamers. Those are a bit rich for me at this point. I'll probably try out some lower cost HSS reamer sets from Shars or eBay and see if I get lucky.


Tactical Machining offers the two side plates for $48, and they have hardened drill bushings for the three side holes. This seems reasonable compared to the $90 jig which has the two side plates and three top plates. The top plates seem to be for people who are trying to "mill" out the lower on drill presses. We don't need no stinking top plates because we have milling machines!
Two Side Plates http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-...tes-gen-2.html
Two Side Plates with Three Top Plates http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-...jig-gen-2.html

[atalon]

HEHE figures they are out of lowers when I see it. For some reason I have not gotten any email for this thread in last couple days.

Just resubscribed to see if that fixes it.

[diyengineer]

I got the igaging scales and displays mounted. Just need a front scale protector. These are the stainless absolute ones off amazon. Was about $350 for the kit, pretty high quality. Now to make a hoss belt drive.

Attachment 272118

[hoss2006]

Oooooh so shiny and new.
Hoss

[1hander]

i know this is going backwards just a bit,,,im sorry for that...

i found what might be a problem and im not sure if i should leave it and see what happens or do something about it..

on both the X and Y axis... at the very extremes of travel it gets extremely hard...where i absolutley cannot move it with every bit of strength i have... i have to hit it with a deadblow to get it away from the tight spots.....

if i adjust it in the middle where it doesnt slap side to side and its tight but not so much thast i cant move it with some force applied....when it gets to the front, back and left right extremes it gets super stuck...hard..

this is without the ballsscrews installed at all...just gibs...should i leave it alone and run it or try to use some lapping compound and try lapping at the extremes..

just thought id ask the expert.

[109jb]

i know this is going backwards just a bit,,,im sorry for that...

i found what might be a problem and im not sure if i should leave it and see what happens or do something about it..

on both the X and Y axis... at the very extremes of travel it gets extremely hard...where i absolutley cannot move it with every bit of strength i have... i have to hit it with a deadblow to get it away from the tight spots.....

if i adjust it in the middle where it doesnt slap side to side and its tight but not so much thast i cant move it with some force applied....when it gets to the front, back and left right extremes it gets super stuck...hard..

this is without the ballsscrews installed at all...just gibs...should i leave it alone and run it or try to use some lapping compound and try lapping at the extremes..

just thought id ask the expert.

I would lap it, scrape it, or loosen the gibs. First, I would adjust the gibs to the tightest spot and then move to the middle and see how much slop there is before doing anything. Here is a good video about using a dial indicator to adjust gibs. It shows a knee mill but is applicable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqQ3HzoSnUc

Also, make sure the gib is locked because if it isn't it can move as the table is moved wedging it in tighter.

[1hander]

ill do that... ill start another thread ..no hijacking lol..thank you

[hoss2006]

Who said you were hijacking?
You should take the table off and inspect the ways too, unfortunately they've been hit or miss with some of the mills and letting a couple thru with shoddily machined ways.
Note alligator finishes.
Hoss

[lcvette]

I am just scraping in new Gibs for my Y and Z axis that I ordered from grizzly and have the same issue. I had addressed it before but the Gib was already to short after scraping. The new longer Gibb now creates a terrible bind at the front of the mill base exactly as you describe. So frustrating.

I am seriously contemplating converting to linear rails on the Y and Z axis to just be done with these shenanigans. But then that would probably open up a new can of worms... Ack

[ddexd]

Hoss,

Your surface grinder made it on HACKADAY on March 13th.

DIY Surface Grinder for making Precision Parts at Home | Hackaday

[hoss2006]

Hoss,

Your surface grinder made it on HACKADAY on March 13th.

DIY Surface Grinder for making Precision Parts at Home | Hackaday

Thanks for the heads up. The comments were hilarious. Only one guy understood it was just a fun project, I had no delusions that an X2 with an angle grinder bolted on would be as accurate as a commercial surface grinder. If I needed that I could have used one of the ones at work. The comments about a flycutter being a better tool, not if the part is hardened steel and only needs a couple thou removed.
Some did notice that was 8 years ago, neither the x2 nor the surface grinder attachment are still alive.
Hoss

[hoss2006]

The vacuum chuck works awesome.
Some stock I ordered never showed so I decided to surface some thicker plate to make parts this weekend, was a good first test for the chuck.
Will be nice to not waste stock for clamping area anymore and/or contour all the way around the piece you can't do in a vise.
I'm sure this will get lots of use.
I said $70-80 in the video for the vacuum pump but heck it was only $53.29 shipped.
Single Stage 3CFM 1 4HP Rotary Vane Deep Vacuum Pump HVAC AC Air Tool R134 R410A | eBay
Hoss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixvWrndZei8

[1hander]

man this is my favorite thread of all time...lol.. i have actually read every post ...of both this thread and the prior one....

your absolutely right hoss... luckily it caught my eye and i decided to check the ways as well...and boy howdyy was it bad...just the very edges...about 1/8 of the y axis ways were actually touching...the y and z were just as bad,..

after 6 hours of
lap,
dissasemble
clean
lube
reassemble
check indicator
lap

you get the idea...i ended up with a super smooth,pretty decently mated ways (about 90% mating of surfaces), and very well mated gib surfaces (close to 100% surface area mating)
it took me a bit longer to get to this point, i was milling oil grooves,drilling holes, and tapping for oil fittings...the ball nuts have proven almost impossible to mount a fitting to..also i milled back the center section of where the y ballscrew goes..about 2 inches it looks like...now i gotta find away cover to keep the crud out till i extend the bed out to 12 or so.

and of course i found the y screw is bent...gotta figure out how to straighten it...any suggestions would be well recieved..its very bent... like 1/4 inch wobble at the motor end..

your vids and posts give me the confidence to try this stuff ... cuz im swinging in the dark here LOL...

[vertcnc]

Nice vacuum plate. You could add a pneumatic filter or small vacuum chamber upstream of the pump to keep and chips or coolant from damaging pump.

[hoss2006]

man this is my favorite thread of all time...lol.. i have actually read every post ...of both this thread and the prior one....

your absolutely right hoss... luckily it caught my eye and i decided to check the ways as well...and boy howdyy was it bad...just the very edges...about 1/8 of the y axis ways were actually touching...the y and z were just as bad,..

after 6 hours of
lap,
dissasemble
clean
lube
reassemble
check indicator
lap

you get the idea...i ended up with a super smooth,pretty decently mated ways (about 90% mating of surfaces), and very well mated gib surfaces (close to 100% surface area mating)
it took me a bit longer to get to this point, i was milling oil grooves,drilling holes, and tapping for oil fittings...the ball nuts have proven almost impossible to mount a fitting to..also i milled back the center section of where the y ballscrew goes..about 2 inches it looks like...now i gotta find away cover to keep the crud out till i extend the bed out to 12 or so.

and of course i found the y screw is bent...gotta figure out how to straighten it...any suggestions would be well recieved..its very bent... like 1/4 inch wobble at the motor end..

your vids and posts give me the confidence to try this stuff ... cuz im swinging in the dark here LOL...

Good job!
There's a copy of a pdf here on screw straightening.
http://www.automationtechnologiesinc...raightness.pdf
Hoss

- - - Updated - - -

Nice vacuum plate. You could add a pneumatic filter or small vacuum chamber upstream of the pump to keep and chips or coolant from damaging pump.

Thanks, will do, might already have one.
Hoss

[1hander]

lmao... i cant help but laff right now guys... either i have a knack for this or im the luckyest sob ever....
after reading that pdf you posted...i used 4 pieces of delrin ... clamped two together and kachined a hole in the middle of their centerlines so i could sandwich the screw in between thhem... two sets of ythese tpo support each side..then mounted the indicator...i ended up using the plunger type indicator because the bow at its tallest point was .047...i coulda used it in a bow and arrow set...then used dykem to mark the highest spot as i turned it...

used a small block of hardwood to put between the spindle of the minimill and the screw,,,and went to work...holy cow this thing is stout and springy...had to really put all of my weight on it to push it past its yield strength.. after about 20 minutes of up and down i decided to give it a check...and tthe indicator spit out .0013..at its highest point...

lol....im not touching it anymore..

thanks for the info hoss...

heres to hoping my luck holds out...

rick

[atalon]

I am starting to get excited about getting phase 1 of my build done. I have all the mounts made and test fit. I have all the wood cut for the chip tray with the main plank between the mill and stand curing (the paint) for a day or two. The extrusion frame is due in Monday and already have all the hardware in. Just waiting layout to get the final measurements for the Lexan panels to pick them up.

[kopper36]

Hi Hoss,

Was wondering if I could get your input on something here since you've got so much experience with Mach3? I installed Windows 7 on the PC I run my G0704 with and just copied my setup file from the XP partition. Everything seems to be working correctly but now I am getting motor stalls during rapids. It's not a big deal since I can just keep using the XP setup but was wondering if you knew what might be causing that in W7. Thanks in advance for any info!