[Micro Rotors]

Hello all,

I want to do a tune up on my HF X2 as I have a few thing going on. I want to get this thing converted to CNC, but before I do I want to make sure she's worthy of the job. I bought it back in August 06 at a very nice deal. I was given a VERY GOOD deal since I complained they didn't have any clamping system for sale. I was told if I paid $435.00 they would through in the 2 year unconditional replacement warranty. So I jumped on it! :wave:

Anyhow, I have used it a few times and I noticed a few things that I want to address so I can see if it will need to get replaced or modified.

1). I can wiggle the table on the Y axis in the middle of the Y travel but it does not at the ends of the Y travel.

Is this normal? I think it's in excess.

2). The fine tuning wheel, it has a rough spot on it. When I turn it, it always has a tight spot in the same place on the wheel. It seems like it has a bent shaft or something. I removed the cover and it has 2 shafts with a u-joint so I know the shaft(s) are not bent.

What could cause this?

Is there a tutorial on ripping this machine apart and doing a complete tune up on it?

Are things to look out for, and mandatory modifications or tweek's?

Another thing, are there any recommendations on the controller?

Whats the better one or differences between Xylotex v HobbyCNC?

Does it really matter?


Thanks in advance
Bill

[Micro Rotors]

Boy, 34 views ... and no one has anything to say?

[S_J_H]

I would suggest joining this group if you have not yet done so.- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GrizHFMinimill/ That is a very good source for info and modifications to the x2. The xylotex is a drive system. The controller is software like Mach3. I think the xylotex is a good system. I have no experience with Hobbycnc though. Steve

[Micro Rotors]

Steve,

Thanks for the link. I am joining now!

BOY... What a gold mine!

Bill

[mugabe]

Yet you can add my problems as well to the list - spindle playing and rail problem . Yet one side of vertical axis rail was not properly finished so i had to use compound to make surface feel similar to normal side .

No i think that this one could be better :
http://www.optimum-machines.com/prod...rio/index.html

or similar one BF-16 not listed on optimum site could also be worth than X2 which is for same price as X2 in our region . I could be wrong of course .

[mugabe]

X axis slide also is not straight . Just measured by laser level (mounted laser level to the table and moved table from left to the right monitoring the laser point on the wall 1.5 meter apart from mill) - 2 mm vertical shift of laser light one distance 1.5 meter and about 10 mm horizontal shift. Can someone comment on this ?

[philbur]

Use a dti.

Regards
Phil

X axis slide also is not straight . Just measured by laser level (mounted laser level to the table and moved table from left to the right monitoring the laser point on the wall 1.5 meter apart from mill) - 2 mm vertical shift of laser light one distance 1.5 meter and about 10 mm horizontal shift. Can someone comment on this ?

[mugabe]

Hi Phil

I am newbie in machinery. Could you please explain what the dti is ?

Edited ...

I suppose you mean some kind of measuring tool. But i see no reason to mistrust the laser level - it has strong magnets on the bottom and no laser probe movement is experienced when sliding x axis. Measurement result is permanently repeatable with gibs tightly adjusted on x axis .

OK finally found - Dial test indicator . I will test and report results here .

[mugabe]

I mounted the dti's magnet to column and put probe to the horizontal side of the table. dti did not show much difference for whole travel about 10-20 microns. So where is the fault ?And why laser point shows different thing ?

OK, i got where the error was . It was my fault . Thanks Phil for the insight .

[nine 16]

On laser levels, they do not all come off the shelf well calibrated.

My Black & Decker laser level needed to be adjusted. Since it didn’t cost too much I did not mind opening it to access the adjustment weights.

Here are two quick ‘n dirty test to determine if the laser is shining level.
1-Place the level at the measured center of a couple of posts (or any vertical elements in your home or wherever.) The further the distance between the posts the better, but not more than the distance you can see the projected laser. Shine the laser on one post and mark the spot, then swing it 180 degrees and mark the spot on the other post. If the laser projects a horizontal line, use the center of the line to mark the spots. This will result in your having created two spots that are at the same elevation. This is true even if the laser is pointing slightly up or down.

Next, set the laser up alongside one of the posts. When you shine the laser on the two posts, you may notice the distance between the laser and the spot on one post is different than laser/spot distance on the other post. Adjust the internal weight until the two laser/spot distances are equal.

2-We now know that the center of the horizontal laser line (if your unit projects one) is projecting level, but that does not mean the projected horizontal line isn’t tilting a bit (if the part of the line to the left of center is up, the right side will be down, and vise-versa.) To check for tilt, point the laser at the distant post, rotate the laser to the right so the left end of the projected line is on the post and measure the distance from laser line to previously marked spot. Now rotate the laser a bit to the left so the right end of the projected line is on the post and measure the distance to the spot. Adjust the (other) weight until the measurements are the same.

Once you have corrected the tilt of the laser line, go back just once more and readjust if necessary the trueness of the line using the first procedure.

With my Black & Decker I was able to correct quite a bit of poor factory settings. Originally my projected horizontal line was about 1” low at 25’, and the line tilted a little. Now the line tilts much less and the 1” is down to about 1/16” (the diffusion of my laser light made it difficult to correct it much more. We last used it to level a 75’x75’ floor and it worked great. Not bad for $60 or whatever it cost.

So no, do not automatically trust a laser.

[mugabe]

Thanks for information . I think if laser level is properly adjusted it can be used for much more precision than highest precision water level . And price of course is less .

Regarding your adjustment procedure i think the surface where adjustment is done must be truly flat and horizontal
(at some extend of course ) otherwise same elevation marks wont be same .

[philbur]

What's the "level" reference for a lazer level.

Regards
Phil

Thanks for information . I think if laser level is properly adjusted it can be used for much more precision than highest precision water level . And price of course is less .

Regarding your adjustment procedure i think the surface where adjustment is done must be truly flat and horizontal
(at some extend of course ) otherwise same elevation marks wont be same .

[nine 16]

Yes, the surface the level is placed on is important. I guess that most laser levels are like optical auto-levels in surveying, that is, the laser/lens assembly is essentially a wire-suspended pendulum that relies on gravity to achieve verticality And, since the laser projects at 90 degrees off vertical, the system also establishes horizontality. (Ok, now I'm just making up words.)

I used a liquid-type bullseye level to set up the tripod-mounted laser. I also repeated processes 3 or 4 times to help confirm technique and conclusions. What kept me from getting more precise with that Black & Decker was the laser beam itself; at 50-75' the beam would have opened up to a dim, poorly defined fuzzy 1/2" thick line.

[mugabe]

What's the "level" reference for a lazer level.

Regards
Phil

I put it wrong first time . Yes it was placed on the table but it was not parallel to axis motion , therefore , when moving towards the wall due to little angle between laser direction and table movement i got shift (how stupid i am) ). Next time to get rough view of the alignment i put the laser to table vertical side closest to the column horizontally (it has magnets so attachment is quite good) and adjusted parallelism of laser to ground by water levels on the laser . Then i got laser direction in parallel (roughly of course) to the table motion and noticed that table was not as bad as i supposed .

[philbur]

If the lazer uses "water levels" to set the reference how can it possibly be more accurate than a machinists precision level.

Regards
Phil

I put it wrong first time . Yes it was placed on the table but it was not parallel to axis motion , therefore , when moving towards the wall due to little angle between laser direction and table movement i got shift (how stupid i am) ). Next time to get rough view of the alignment i put the laser to table vertical side closest to the column horizontally (it has magnets so attachment is quite good) and adjusted parallelism of laser to ground by water levels on the laser . Then i got laser direction in parallel (roughly of course) to the table motion and noticed that table was not as bad as i supposed .

[mugabe]

If the lazer uses "water levels" to set the reference how can it possibly be more accurate than a machinists precision level.

Regards
Phil

I meant once laser level working surface been calibrated to laser ray . (straight parallel to laser ray) For example, we can set table surface level more precise than with machinist level.
Let put 4 rods spaced 90 degrees from each other take table as center of circle moving the laser light and noting the light points on rods . Then we can check levelness of the noted points using plastic transparent pipe filled with water where on side of pipe to be attached to one road another is to compare the rest roads towards referenced. By increasing distance from table to the roads we can achieve better precision than leveling with machinist water level . Let say this http://littlemachineshop.com/product...ory=1310310429
gives 0.42 mm per meter accuracy . If course thickness of most lasers are not perfect , but in theory we can find either better lasers or use paper with concentric circles written on it for better laser point location . Of course this process is more tedious than using precision water level.