[robhrzic]

Thanks for the kind words, txcowdog. I haven't got around to coming up with a way to make a mount for the LCD monitor yet.

I have been focusing on gettting the last few little pieces and parts for the control enclosure, and trying to get a new yoke made.

The yoke, as of last hight, has been "rough machined", and the large holes have been bored. Hopefully it will be completed by the end of the week, and I'll be able to really get going on the conversion process.

I'm still waiting on a couple of things that are on back order from www.alliedelec.com, also.

[robhrzic]

The Yoke is finally finished! Hopefully it'll be here by the end of the day.

Thanks again John, Larry, Chuck, Mark & Rob!

Today I got around to putting all of the holes into the steel enclosure box. I also test fitted all of the bulkhead connectors for the various inputs and outputs.

The "front" of the box has four large 3-pin connectors for the four servo motors and smaller 6-pin connectors (5 pins of which will be used) for the four servo motor encoders. All of the connectors have built in caps to protect the unused connections from dust and moisture.

The "back" of the box has a power switch, eight 3-pin connectors for four limit switches and four outputs, as well as a 2-pin connector for an e-stop
mushroom, and a 2-pin connector for the VFD. There is also a PC case style AC male plug for power.

The "top" and "bottom" of the box will each have two 92mm double ball bearing fans with filters. The bottom two will draw air in, and the top two will draw air out.

I am using Bob Campbell's Combo break out board, and I wanted to make sure that I had everything covered. I hope I'm not missing anything. I will not be using all of these connections now, but I am trying to "future proof" the enclosure as much as possible.

The only thing I seem to be missing is a contact probe input. Does anyone know how to physically interface a touch probe to Mach 3? In other words, where do I connect the touch probe so that Mach 3 can use it?

The contact probe itself has a small malle mini stereo type plug found on headphones. If I install a matching female mini stereo jack, where do I connect that on Bob Campbell's combo break out board?

[robhrzic]

Finally got the finished yoke!:banana: :banana: :banana:

Now I'll finally be able to put the mill back together, and hopefully start making some serious progress on the conversion.

Here are some pics of the new next to the old.

[robhrzic]

The new yoke is finally installed, and the table is back on the milling machine. Everything so far seemed to go back together smoothly. The X axis ball screw was easy to put in, because everything was out in the open.

The Y axis ball screw, on the other hand, was a major PITA, though. It was really difficult trying to line up the two 1/4-20 UNC threaded holes with the slots in the ball nut flange, while trying to line up the ball nut body with the yoke's bore. The jig ground bores were only about .0002-.0003 larger than the ball nut body, for a nice snug "slip" fit. I wound up screwing in a couple of long threaded rod pieces to use as guides.

I made sure to pump the lube handle a few times before I put the table back on, to make sure that way lube was getting to the ball nuts, through the new rubber hoses.

[elwoodbeauchamp]

Hello all,

I am in the States, and I have been mailing parts to Australia for a while now, (I'll gladly ship your items also)to different CNC machine builders and one is in the process of converting a knee mill, his first project. He is thinking computer for processor. I sent him a power supply, and a couple controllers. I'm sending him this Forum link so he can get info straight from the experts.

Can anyone provide a list of recommended items and other instructional material to help him get started on the right foot?

From what I have seen, there is a wealth of information and sources for someone taking on a conversion project such as a manual to CNC mill.

Thanks Gents.

Woody Beauchamp
http://goodthings.ecrater.com

[elwoodbeauchamp]

Hi robhrzic,

You have a good start on your project. Kudos. I have a friend in NSW who is just into the planning stages of converting his knee mill to CNC. Do you have any advice for us(he wants me to help find the items for the project and draw the prints as well as create the code to make a line of personal signature tooling fixtures.

I posted a general reply to the rest of the thread, but you have photos to "show me the money" of your progress.

Any advice, recommendations for mech. or elect. items/brands to get our project off the drawing board.

Thanks for "showing your stuff"
Woody

[davo727]

Hi, Hows the project going? I wondered what dia the ballscrews are? Also the wiring plugs on your enclosure- do they come as a set with both halfs and pins and stuff? Do you have the part number or name of the style plugs so I can narrow them down on the website and order. Thanks very much, Dave

[jdelaney44]

How y'all doing on the mill conversion? Like what I see so far.

John

[robhrzic]

I finally have a functional manual mill, again. The conversion to ball screws has been a major PITA! I had to make all of the pieces to put the handles back on from scratch, since the original grizzly components were different sizes than on the Hiwin ball screws.

I purchases a couple of safety hand wheels with folding handles, which I had to bore and ream to .6245 to fit on the screws.

I also had to make some custom "dial" adapters so that I could put the manual vernier dials back on the screws. I made them from some 304L stainless bar stock that I had laying around.

In order to thread the dial carrier and lock nut, I made a custom tap and die holder to fit my 1" Jacobs BB chuck in my lathe's tailstock. I made the die holder with a triangulated shank to fit into the chuck, so that the torque from threading the 1-1/4"-20 UNF thread does not turn the holder, and damage the chuck's jaws. The die size is 2-1/2" in diameter. I also made a special modular 1.020 I.D. tap holder to place into the die holder. I plan on eventually making different size tap holders to fit other sizes of taps and dies.

Yes, I know that I could have used the lathe for both the internal and external threading of these pieces. But, since I have never done and manual thread turning before, I didn't want to start experimenting right now. I'll have to find some time in the future to try that out on some other project.

I am very pleased with the fit and finish of the new stainless dial carriers and nuts. I was surprised it took about 30 minutes to machine the heavy course knurl into that tough stainless.

I also had to make some custom spacers to adapt the new hand wheels to the screws. The Y-axis has to have a really long spacer, since the Y-axis screw had a much longer journal than the original one. I didn't put a hand wheel on the left side of the table, since it will not be needed once the mill is under CNC control.

[robhrzic]

Since the mill is operational again, now I can finally start making the components for the CNC conversion. I've been busy finalizing the design of the components for the X-Axis drive. I've ordered some of the raw material, and started making chips!

I purchased the timing pulleys and drive belts from Stock Drive Products:

http://www.sdp-si.com/

I plan on using a 3:1 drive ratio initially. I am fabricating all of the mounts and brackets with enough room to allow for a 4:1 drive if necessary, by changing the motor pulley from a 24-tooth to a 18-tooth pulley. I think that my motors will have plenty of power, but I wanted to incorporate some adjustability in case I need to make some changes or upgrades in the future.

[robhrzic]

Got a few new toys recently. I bought a Phase II 10" Precision Horizontal / Vertical Rotary Table, an SPI 3D Indicator, a 12-Ton Hydraulic Tubing Bender, and a 12-Ton Shop Press.

I bought the shop press so that I can do the broaching that I need to do for all of the pulleys and such. I'm sure it'll come in handy for much more. I eventually plan on building a 75-100 Ton model myself for some decent forming and punching capability.

I got the tubing bender, in part, for bending the 2" EMT for the Monitor Support Arm. I guess I had to find out the hard way that you can't bend EMT in a hydraulic tubing bender. I need to go to plan "B". I ordered a 90 degree elbow and a couple of EMT couplings from McMaster Carr.

I plan on mounting the monitor on an arm that can be moved out of the way easily for setups, cleaning, etc...

I am using 2" EMT for the support arm because the I.D. is large enough to run the various power, VGA, serial amd USB cables that I am going to need to route to the control PC.

The monior will be "framed" with 3" x 3" x 3/16" wall aluminum angle, and will be mounted at eye level. It will be fully adjustable to allow tilting and pivoting as necessary. The back will be open to provide for access to the cabling, and allow some air circulation for cooling.

I am still contemplating mounting a hinged protective cover to the front frame for protecting the delicate glass touch screen surface from flying chips and debris.

[txcowdog]

I was looking at this item on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/LCD-TV-Universal...QQcmdZViewItem to use as a mount or to put on the end of a longer swing away mount. This piece adds swivel and tilt to the lcd and it is only $10

[robhrzic]

txcowdog, I was originally looking at something similar to this, but I would still have to find a way to attach it to the LCD. Since my LCD is an "open back" industrial model, it does not have any standard VESA hole pattern or mounting capability. That's why I've decided to make my own "frame" and swivel / pivot mount. I also like the added protection that a tube provides to the various cabling.

[robhrzic]

I bought a 24" digital caliper on ebay for $80. I can't believe what a great price for such a large, all stainless steel digital caliper.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=350012948183

I have finished some of the pieces for the monitor support arm, as well as most of the X-axis drive assembly. I found a 2" EMT 90 degree elbow, and a couple of 2" steel couplings on the McMaster Carr website, for the monitor support arm.

http://www.mcmaster.com

Finally got to use my rotary table to machine the X-axis motor mount plate. Next, I need to set-up the 4-jaw chuck in the lathe to drill and bore the 2.200" hole in the lower monitor support arm base. Then the monitor support arm will be ready to mount to the machine.

[robhrzic]

Got the base of the monitor support arm finished. Used the 4-jaw chuck and a 1" inserted boring bar for the large 2.200" hole in the mount blocks.

[robhrzic]

Monitor support arm is finally all finished and installed on the mill. I ordered an extra long (15' long) shielded VGA cable, power cable and DB9 serial cable for the touch screen from http://www.cablestogo.com

I took off about .007-.010 from one face of a 3/16" wall a 3" x 3" aluminum angle to square it up with a flycutter, so that I could make a precise square frame for the LCD. I then milled the radius off of both sides of the aluminum angle edge, to get a square edge/corner. This made the aluminum angle a finished size of 2-3/4" x 2-3/4". Had to clamp and support the long pieces with a series of 1-2-3 blocks to cut down the vibration.

I them milled the 45 degree corners using a 7/8" diameter x 3-1/2" long 2-flute HSS endmill on the rotary table. This made a for a really nice and super square frame for the LCD.

This was my first attempt at TIG welding aluminum with my Hobart Tigmate welder. The welds don't look as good as I'd like, as I need some practice, but I think it'll hold together.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/products/tig/tigmate/

I used 1/4" diameter aluminum rivets to fasten the aluminum LCD frame to the mount plates. This will allow for easier removal and remounting if I decide to rotate the LCD on the mount in the future. I had wanted to mount the LCD in a "portrait" orientation, originally, but I can't seem to get this LCD to rotate the display 90 degrees.

I hooked up the PC temporarily to see what it'll look like when it's all done. So far so good!
:banana:

I haven't decided on whether or not to paint the frame and arm assembly. I kind of like the raw aluminum look of the wire brushed finish.

[txcowdog]

As nice of a monitor arm as that is, that was a considerable effort to get there. One hell of a nice job.

[robhrzic]

txcowdog, yes it was a VERY considerable effort on my part to make this monitor support arm. I know I could have purchased a suitable counterpart readily and for relatively little $$.

I wanted to fabricate it, so I could justify all of the tools and equipment that I have been accumilating over the past couple of years. Besides, it feels good to actually "turn handles" again after being stuck in an engineering desk job for the last 9 years.

At least the raw material did not cost me anything, except for the EMT elbow and couplings, as I had it laying around.

Anyhow, to me, that's the major motivation for doing a project like this. To be able to say that "I did that", instead of "I bought that".

[robhrzic]

I've been trying to get ready to mount the X-axis drive, and see if it'll work. I've just made the final pieces, the covers, and am finally ready to install the drive assembly.

I also completed "Phase I" of the controller wiring. Turned the power on, and I was happy to see a bunch of green LED's turn on. More important than that, there was no "expensive" smoke.

I am getting 55 VAC from the transformer. and 81 VDC from the power supply, according to my multimeter. So far, so good. Now all I need to do is install the sub panel into the enclosure, and finish wiring all of the inputs and outputs. Then I can connect it to the PC, and try it (X-axis) out.

[txcowdog]

Are those Gecko Vipers I see there? Very nice attention to detail. This is a beautiful build.