Re: Extending cross slide travel -- what is the currently accepted best method?
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Anyone have some good illustrated tips on using a steady rest? Step by step from the very beginning?
I have tried but never got it really centered.
Ralph
On Sun, Mar 20, 2022 at 3:09 PM j_r_abercrombie via <j_r_abercrombie= [email protected]> wrote: On Sun, Mar 20, 2022 at 10:29 AM, mike allen wrote:
I think you can also use emery cloth turned inside out.
Good suggestions, thanks. I did some reading/watching just now and well-oiled emery cloth inside-out, with the cloth sliding on the workpiece was one solution. I think a bushing of some kind, clamped to the work -in a non-marring way - might be the solution for delicate workpieces like anodized or blued pieces. Gunsmiths deal with this issue when working on blued rifle barrels.
A lot of the machinist comments online mentioned bearings marring the work because it was easy for metal particles to get rolled on to the workpiece, so that's something to protect against with some sort of shield.,
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On Sun, Mar 20, 2022 at 10:29 AM, mike allen wrote:
I think you can also use emery cloth turned inside out.
Good suggestions, thanks. I did some reading/watching just now and well-oiled emery cloth inside-out, with the cloth sliding on the workpiece was one solution. I think a bushing of some kind, clamped to the work -in a non-marring way - might be the solution for delicate workpieces like anodized or blued pieces. Gunsmiths deal with this issue when working on blued rifle barrels. A lot of the machinist comments online mentioned bearings marring the work because it was easy for metal particles to get rolled on to the workpiece, so that's something to protect against with some sort of shield.,
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you can wrap the work piece with s piece of cardboard like from
the bottom of a tablet & the adjust the fingers to fit the
cardboard . I think you can also use emery cloth turned inside
out.
animal
On 3/20/2022 5:06 AM, Craig Hopewell
via groups.io wrote:
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On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 07:08 PM, Johannes wrote:
I dont like this steady rest, I am sure I am
doing something wrong, it always destroy my metal rod.
Has someone have success with this solution?
?
&johnnes
?
I also must be doing something work.? ? And I have modified the
rest with ball bearings.? ?The work was anodized aluminum tube
which was well marred by the effort.? ? Very carefully fitting
duct tape can help.? ?I don't have much need for the rest so not
much of an issue.
The slots do need to be modified to gain back some lost capacity -
but not all the loss can be regained.
--
Lone Tree, Colorado? ?USA
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Re: Extending cross slide travel -- what is the currently accepted best method?
There's one small thing I neglected to mention regarding my cross slide anti-backlash modification.? I put a short set screw in the now-unused middle screw hole to keep swarf out of there.? It also could be used as a place to put in a drop of lubricating oil, if one finds the need to do so.
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Re: Extending cross slide travel -- what is the currently accepted best method?
Yes, the spring slips over the leadscrew.? I repurposed the old nut block, but did run into a problem.? I cut it on my mill with a slitting saw, but when I installed the nut in my vise I "squished" it a little bit so it didn't fit on the lead scew.? I bought a left-handed tap from LMS to re-do the threads and that worked OK, but it did make the mod cost a bit more than I expected it to.?
I bought the spring from McMaster-Carr, P/N 9434K72.? It compresses down to? .13" wide so the gap between the nuts has to be a little more than that.
Mark
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Re: Different Prices - such a range!
The LMS Bed Extension kits (P/Ns 1928- 14" and 5000 - 16")? have the better pivoting hinged motor mounts.
ralphie
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On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 07:08 PM, Johannes wrote:
I dont like this steady rest, I am sure I am doing something wrong, it always destroy my metal rod.
Has someone have success with this solution?
?
&johnnes
?
I also must be doing something wrong.? ? And I have modified the rest with ball bearings.? ?The work was anodized aluminum tube which was well marred by the effort.? ? Very carefully fitting duct tape can help.? ?I don't have much need for the rest so not much of an issue. The slots do need to be modified to gain back some lost capacity - but not all the loss can be regained. -- Lone Tree, Colorado? ?USA
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Re: Different Prices - such a range!
Thanks, Bill!
I am an occasional CSMEE member, and have directions.
--
Lone Tree, Colorado? ?USA
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Re: Different Prices - such a range!
Craig, and anyone else in the vicinity of Denver Colorado, you might care to attend the meeting of the Colorado Model and Experimental Engineering group this next Saturday from 12:00 on. Mail me for details and directions. And Craig, I would be pleased to discuss Atlas 618¡¯s as I have had one for a number of years.?? Bill in Boulder CO ? Sent from for Windows 10 ?
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Re: Extending cross slide travel -- what is the currently accepted best method?
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 08:27 PM, Mark Kimball wrote:
I threaded the two nuts onto the feed screw, with a light spring in between them to remove the slack as needed
That sounds like an excellent solution to removing backlash. Does the spring have the leadscrew 'inside' it - i.e. is it slid on the leadscrew between the two nuts?? Did you cut down the two halves of the 'old' nut block to give enough space for the spring, by sawing out the spot where the setscrew used to bear?
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Re: Different Prices - such a range!
On Sat, Mar 19, 2022 at 05:38 AM, Craig Hopewell wrote:
The mount mount is a feature of lathes with the brushless motor and direct spindle drive vs geared headstock.
Thanks. That may well be true now; up-to-date info is better than my 'old news'. My older MicroLux 7x14 has the pivoting mount for its brushed motor, which powers a 2 speed geared spindle.
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Re: CNCZEUS is now Open source
Yes, LinuxCNC, formerly?EMC.? You don't have to use the graphical interface.??
All modern CNC controllers are g-code interpreters.? ?If you learned about CNC years ago or even today you'd learn about?g-code.? Not much has changed.? Ok what has changed is the way we write g-code files.? ?People used to hand-code them.? They still do for simple stuff.? ? But for 3d organic shapes, you need 3D CAM software.
LinuxCNC has about a half dozen different userinterfaces, you can pick, or make you own. or just start the process from the command line.
But if you like, there is nothing wrong with antique technology.? I actually?on e another list that take about vacuum tabe?based electronics design.?
On Sat, Mar 19, 2022 at 3:56 PM JEJump < jejump@...> wrote: Googling LCNC doesn't return much.? Are you referring to LinuxCNC otherwise known as EMC2?? I know that's really versatile software like Mach III/IV, but I've just never been a big fan of the graphical interface CNC controls.? I'm sure they're wonderful, but that's not what I want to use.? It doesn't resemble the controls I learned to program on as a young adult and I don't feel a kinship (if you will) with any of those systems.? Besides... I think for me, It's equally as much about the challenge of creating/modifying? the BASIC code.
Jj
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Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California
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Re: CNCZEUS is now Open source
Googling LCNC doesn't return much.? Are you referring to LinuxCNC otherwise known as EMC2?? I know that's really versatile software like Mach III/IV, but I've just never been a big fan of the graphical interface CNC controls.? I'm sure they're wonderful, but that's not what I want to use.? It doesn't resemble the controls I learned to program on as a young adult and I don't feel a kinship (if you will) with any of those systems.? Besides... I think for me, It's equally as much about the challenge of creating/modifying? the BASIC code.
Jj
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Re: CNCZEUS is now Open source
If you are looking for OpenSource CNC that will do things like drive 4 or 5 axis mills and tool changers and does not need you to change the source code to add functionality,?then you'd be looking to use LCNC.? ?It can run on old PC hardware?or a Raspberry Pi4 or the like.
Key feature:? Not need to modify the source code, it already does what you want.
To keep the discussion on-topic for this list, I have this running on a Harbor Freight Mini Mill.? ?It is not hard to add to the basic mill.
Why would you want this?? Because it allows parts that can not otherwise be made, with rounded compound curves and 3D shape.
On Sat, Mar 19, 2022 at 1:29 PM JEJump < jejump@...> wrote: Hi!? I know this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to the poster that made me aware of an open-sourced CNCZEUS machine control software.? I'm a computer programmer and CNC programmer from WAY back and I've enjoyed making changes to the CNCZEUS software for the past couple of weeks.? It compiles with POWER BASIC for DOS, and PB version 3.5 is now free to obtain from PB's website if you register a free account (<- important step. Must be registered, might need to send a request for the free software also?support@...).? My programming experience is with QBASIC and I still know it well, so PB was an easy transition.?
I've seen other DOS based CNC systems that were hobby-level and open-sourced. Most of them were written in C.? I always thought that one day, I might expand on learning more about C programming and add things to those systems that would make the system behave more like a "REAL" CNC or like FANUC controls I cut my teeth on in my early 20s.? For example, most of these DOS hobby systems (including CNCZEUS) don't support a communication outward to another control process (like a PLC or as FANUC terms it, PMC) to support adding a tool changer. automatic lube pump control, tool builder control panel, etc.. I've already figured out how I'm going to do this in 'ZEUS.
Changes I've made (I started with the mill software):
Added a G04 timer countdown display in the MSG window.
Added the ability to turn BLOCK DELETE on/off using the "/" key on a US keyboard.
Added a wait for M-FIN on a Tn M06 line (n = whatever tool number) and the wait is shown in the MSG window.?
'Esc' key = RESET.? 'Home' key = rewind. I added: pressing Esc two more time to rewind the program to the beginning (Home key still functions as original).
Anyway, I'm having a blast playing around with the code.? I want to get it all working on a real CNC machine, but that's distant future for me.? Here's the computer hardware I want to run it on:
This device is targeting the Arduino programmers, but I've purchased a number of these already for dedicated systems running software I created for DOS using QBASIC and assembly language.? I'll have to change the printer port assignments in CNCZEUS to be something completely different, but looking into the code, that seems like that will be an easy change.
I'm quite excited about this!? I want to share my code changes, but I guess I need to read the license thoroughly first and stay within the legalities regarding such.
Thanks again,
John
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Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California
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Re: CNCZEUS is now Open source
Hi!? I know this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to the poster that made me aware of an open-sourced CNCZEUS machine control software.? I'm a computer programmer and CNC programmer from WAY back and I've enjoyed making changes to the CNCZEUS software for the past couple of weeks.? It compiles with POWER BASIC for DOS, and PB version 3.5 is now free to obtain from PB's website if you register a free account (<- important step. Must be registered, might need to send a request for the free software also? support@...).? My programming experience is with QBASIC and I still know it well, so PB was an easy transition.? I've seen other DOS based CNC systems that were hobby-level and open-sourced. Most of them were written in C.? I always thought that one day, I might expand on learning more about C programming and add things to those systems that would make the system behave more like a "REAL" CNC or like FANUC controls I cut my teeth on in my early 20s.? For example, most of these DOS hobby systems (including CNCZEUS) don't support a communication outward to another control process (like a PLC or as FANUC terms it, PMC) to support adding a tool changer. automatic lube pump control, tool builder control panel, etc.. I've already figured out how I'm going to do this in 'ZEUS. Changes I've made (I started with the mill software): Added a G04 timer countdown display in the MSG window. Added the ability to turn BLOCK DELETE on/off using the "/" key on a US keyboard. Added a wait for M-FIN on a Tn M06 line (n = whatever tool number) and the wait is shown in the MSG window.? 'Esc' key = RESET.? 'Home' key = rewind. I added: pressing Esc two more time to rewind the program to the beginning (Home key still functions as original). Anyway, I'm having a blast playing around with the code.? I want to get it all working on a real CNC machine, but that's distant future for me.? Here's the computer hardware I want to run it on: This device is targeting the Arduino programmers, but I've purchased a number of these already for dedicated systems running software I created for DOS using QBASIC and assembly language.? I'll have to change the printer port assignments in CNCZEUS to be something completely different, but looking into the code, that seems like that will be an easy change. I'm quite excited about this!? I want to share my code changes, but I guess I need to read the license thoroughly first and stay within the legalities regarding such. Thanks again, John
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Re: Different Prices - such a range!
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 10:04 AM, <j_r_abercrombie@...> wrote:
?The motor on mine is on a pivoting 'hinge' mount, which seems much more solid than the two bolts in slots style I see in Youtube videos. It also has a 'real' half-nut setup with two half nuts. Things like that aren't usually listed in the specs, so probably one needs to 'trust' that the sellers of higher priced lathes like LMS and MicroMark have specified better features from the Sieg factory. It's a bit of a gamble.
This is what I meant by "features" vs "quality".? ? And as in the quote immediately above, it's still "bit of a gamble". The motor mount is a feature of lathes with the brushless motor and direct spindle drive vs geared headstock. Buying a $1300 LMS or MicroMark does not remove the "gamble" quotient. -- LMS 5100 Lathe LMS 5500 Mill Lone Tree, Colorado? ?USA
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Re: Extending cross slide travel -- what is the currently accepted best method?
A secondary nut at the back of the cross slide would work, but you'd need to make something to mount the nut. I've done something like this two different ways -- one for my mill and one for the cross slide on my lathe.? My mill separate-nut approach uses a steel plate bolted on to the right side of the saddle.? The plate has a hole for the feed screw to pass through, and the separate nut is threaded down the feed screw until it fetches up against the plate.? Adjusting it removes the backlash, and to fix it in place I use a piano-wire finger that fits into a hole drilled in the nut.? Here's a photo of it:  My anti-backlash scheme for the mill is very similar to the approach Sherline uses on their mills.? I saw it and adapted it to my mill so can't claim originality, other than adding something like it to my Sieg SX2 mini mill.? My upgrade has been working fine for several years.? With it I can perform climb milling so it really does take care of backlash. For my lathe cross slide I took a different approach (sorry, no photos for this one).? I cut the bronze nut in half along its width (right between the two threaded holes in the nut), then made a shim to get the nut heights to match the feed screw height. This way the nuts can be hard-mounted to the cross slide using the preexisting holes in the cross slide (this is a LOT better than the funky 3-screw OEM method).? I threaded the two nuts onto the feed screw, with a light spring in between them to remove the slack as needed -- to do that, one of the mounting screws is loosened so the spring forces the nut away from its neighbor, then the screw is re-tightened so the system can handle cutting forces without significant deflection.? This can be done from the top of the cross slide so it really is easy-peasy. I like the spring-adjustment method because all the threads will bear evenly on the screw.? A nut that is split lengthwise and tightened down will only engage the screw on either side of the split so wear is concentrated there.? My scheme is based on the spring-loaded anti-backlash ACME screws I've seen...but it should be much "stiffer" because the nuts are fixed in place when in use. Right now there's enough clearance in the nut mounting holes to accommodate the needed displacement but it wouldn't be difficult to machine a slot for more adjustment range.
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On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 06:08 PM, Johannes wrote:
I dont like this steady rest, I am sure I am doing something wrong, it always destroy my metal rod.
Has someone have success with this solution?
Low speed and plenty of lubrication seems to work for me with the steady rest, and I don't leave the lathe running if I'm not cutting. I bought that LMS bearing set but I don't think I will use it, as I couldn't turn larger diameter work with those bearings on the end of the brass pieces. BTW, the bearings in the LMS 'kit' are R3-ZZ bearings; they are a press fit on a 10-32 cap screw.
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Re: Free Machining pdfs Available Online
On Fri, Mar 18, 2022 at 01:31 PM, Bruce J wrote:
I have been able to find a number of the Workshop Practice series as used books for quite reasonable prices
I've bought quite a few $$ worth of hobby machinist books in the past few months - some were good, some (in spite of positive comments on the internet) were not very useful and a waste of money. At $20 and up with shipping, it can add up. If I find any of those .pdf books interesting/useful,? I'll consider buying a paper copy. I much prefer paper books to e-books; it is a PITA getting .pdf files loaded into my iPad.
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Ralph Lehotsky