[Mavyryk]

Greetings everyone,

For my first post to this great site/forum I would like to ask if anyone has extended the Z axis on the their Taig mill.

I have a 5 axis system with a trunnion table that has a rotary table in the center. Very cool setup, see this youtube video for reference:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0-tXDEvAqg"]YouTube- New CNC Trunnion Table can be 4th or 5th Axis made by HTS[/nomedia]

My research to-date has indicated their are 2 ways to do this..

- manually move the spindle higher on the existing mounts. Pros: somewhat easy and free. Cons: I have to move the spindle depending on whether or not I'm using the trunnion/rotary table = hassle

- actually extend the Z column, buy a longer ball screw, and literally rebuild the Z axis so it has a longer movement path. Pros: Do it once, longer Z axis. Cons: Expensive and I don't have the expertise.

I've talked with the folks @ Taig and Paul @ Deepgroove1 (whom is great to do busiiness with) so far.

Anyone have recommendations or additional thoughts?

Thanks,

Brett

[chris123]

Would it be possible to just not remove the the trunnion/rotary table, when not using it just clamp it fixed

[Mavyryk]

I didn't state this issue correctly, which the trunnion and rotary tables on the work surface, it eats up about 2-3" of the Z axis clearance.

My current plans are to just raise the spindle as needed for extra clearance.

It would be nice for someone to do what is available for the Sherline mills, a Z axis kit. In my "dream kit" it would add 3" to Z travel....and clearance.

Brett

[awerby]

[QUOTE=Mavyryk;816273]Greetings everyone,

For my first post to this great site/forum I would like to ask if anyone has extended the Z axis on the their Taig mill.

I have a 5 axis system with a trunnion table that has a rotary table in the center. Very cool setup, see this youtube video for reference:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0-tXDEvAqg"]YouTube - New CNC Trunnion Table can be 4th or 5th Axis made by HTS[/nomedia]

[That's an interesting unit; have you got it working yet? What program are you using to generate 5-axis code?]

My research to-date has indicated their are 2 ways to do this..

- manually move the spindle higher on the existing mounts. Pros: somewhat easy and free. Cons: I have to move the spindle depending on whether or not I'm using the trunnion/rotary table = hassle

[It's not that hard. You just need to take out the screws holding the z-axis to the column, and move the whole assembly up a notch. It gives you another 3 inches or so of clearance.]

- actually extend the Z column, buy a longer ball screw, and literally rebuild the Z axis so it has a longer movement path. Pros: Do it once, longer Z axis. Cons: Expensive and I don't have the expertise.

[Do you actually have a ball screw in your Taig? It would be easy enough to replace the Z axis leadscrew with an X axis screw, if you gave it more travel. But constructing a longer Z axis box ways assembly as good as Taig's would be something of a trick, though not impossible if you're good at this sort of thing and have a well-equipped shop. Failing that, just resign yourself to unscrewing the Z-axis and replacing it higher up each time you change your setup; it takes what, about 3 minutes?]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[Mavyryk]

Thanks for catching my error, yes the Z axis "lead" screw. I'm selling one of my killer CNC 5 axis routers and it has ball screws, had it in the brain when typing.

I think the 3 minute solution is going to have to work for now.

BTW, like you site, cool stuff!!!

[Odin]

Do you actually have a ball screw in your Taig? It would be easy enough to replace the Z axis leadscrew with an X axis screw, if you gave it more travel. But constructing a longer Z axis box ways assembly as good as Taig's would be something of a trick, though not impossible if you're good at this sort of thing and have a well-equipped shop. Failing that, just resign yourself to unscrewing the Z-axis and replacing it higher up each time you change your setup; it takes what, about 3 minutes?

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

See the thread above this one in the forum- I was about to do just that- unbolt and rescrew the Z axis ways. So it can be done? 3 minutes- you don't reindicate it??

We are all having the same problem at the same time! Even I have nearly the same thing- a rotary table with something on top of it, and need more clearance to drill a hole.

[awerby]

but the bolt holes keep it pretty much in the same place. If you're going for ultimate precision, though, a tram check would be a good idea.

As for the thread above, the original poster said he had a CNC mill. That makes the project a lot simpler. If you need to do this on a manual mill then yes, a lot of blocking-up and head-scratching is required. But with CNC and some software, you can let the computer do the brainwork.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[Odin]

but the bolt holes keep it pretty much in the same place. If you're going for ultimate precision, though, a tram check would be a good idea.

As for the thread above, the original poster said he had a CNC mill. That makes the project a lot simpler. If you need to do this on a manual mill then yes, a lot of blocking-up and head-scratching is required. But with CNC and some software, you can let the computer do the brainwork.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

Thank you for the advice very much. It is good to know I can even do this- I didn't know before I bought the Taig that I would run into this problem, but I also didn't know I could even unbolt the Z way! It is awesome to see that it can even do that. In your experience, how high can it be moved up and still stay rigid enough to use?

[Odin]

Anyone? It just seems too good to be true. I can unbolt the z axis way, and rebolt it up higher on the column?

Who here has indeed done this before, and how high up can you move it safely? I would think even a bit would add much more vibration. What is the practical limit for this with the Taig Z axis? How many bolt holes up would someone who's tried it say is the limit?

I recently bought a Starrett #20 12" master square that squares up the entire Z axis as is now very quickly. It doesn't have to be Starrett, but I highly recommend to those here who square up their Z axis frequently to buy themselves a good 12" square. Saves me tons of time over indicating the table in each time.

[kanton]

There is another thread "Taig Z Axis Extension and Bracing" here: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/taig_m...n_bracing.html .

[Odin]

Yes, I am aware of that thread, because if you look, I have already posted there.

Neither thread seems to have any concrete response from more than one person to answer the question. That is why I bumped this thread, hoping someone who knows better will answer.

I will be calling Taig Tools directly this week and see if I can get answers directly from the people who make the mill. Surely they know, and when I have an answer, I will post in both threads.

[awerby]

You lose a little when you move the Z-axis up one set of holes, but I've done that and still had good results with 4-axis milling. I wouldn't go further than that, though, without some extra bracing. I suppose you could weld another piece of square steel tubing to the existing column, but you'd have to be careful in installing the box ways so as not to throw it out of tram when you attached them.

Andrew Werby
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