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New Members - Please Read
#MISC
Welcome to Digital Hobbyist! Digital Hobbyist is a forum dedicated to enhancing the knowledge, and sharing examples of the work, of hobby machinists and toolmakers in the digital age. Examples might include retrofitting mini-mills or mini-lathes with Computerised Numerical Control (CNC), the use of 3D printers in home shops, especially as relates to machining, and performance enhancements of all shop equipment. We encourage you to participate by asking questions, commenting and adding your knowledge to the combined wisdom of the group! A few words regarding some housekeeping issues... Your first post will automatically be moderated so we can confirm that you are not a spambot, adbot, or similar automated system. Moderation will automatically stop after your first post is released by a moderator, which will normally be within 24 hours of posting, usually less. Where appropriate, it would be appreciated if you would use hashtags in your subject line so that other users can quickly locate all posts on a specific subject. Please see the Hashtag sticky for details. We hope that you enjoy your time on Digital Hobbyist, and we look forward to learning from each other! -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Hello, All, In order to aid in searching for a given subject, it would be helpful if you could please include one or more of the following hashtags at the end of your Subject line, if they apply. This list is current as of 10/25/19. #3D - Posts related to 3D printing #ARD - Posts related to Arduino single-board microcomputers #CAD - Posts related to CAD (Computer Aided Design) #CNC - Posts related to CNC (Computer Numerical Control) #CSS - Posts related to CSS (Constant Speed Control) in lathes #DRO - Posts related to DROs (Digital Readouts) #ESI - Posts related to ESI (Electronic Step Indexer) #GR - Posts related to Gear Reduction for the mini-lathe #LATHES - Posts related to lathes #MILLS - Posts related to milling machines #MISC - Posts related to miscellaneous subjects #MODS - Posts related to machine modifications #RELS - Posts related to RELS (Russian Electronic Lead Screw) Hashtags may be added quickly by selecting the appropriate ones under "Add Tags", the line now immediately following the Subject line. Please note that the Groups.io system imposes a limit of five (5) hashtags per Subject. More will be added as becomes beneficial. Please feel free to suggest any that you think are useful. Thanks! -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Cover Photo Description
From: John Lindo Good morning members. This month's cover photo shows a box that I 3D printed to hold my rotary table. As the box was too large for my printer bed, I printed it in separate parts with male and female tenons, then assembled it. Now the rotary table is fully protected, unless we are flooded out! LOL. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thanks -- John
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Congratulations!
Hi, John, Congratulations on setting up a new group to share your ideas, modifications, and successes! I am looking forward to learning a lot here. Best of luck! -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Thanks John
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It might be interesting with looser shop related discussions. I have learned so much from these forums. -- Clausing 8520, Craftsman 12x36 Lathe, 4x12 mini lathe, 14" Delta drill press, 40 watt laser, Consew brushless DC motors and a non working 3D printer
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Welcome to the new digitalhobbyist forum
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I really appreciate the interest shown in the last 6 hours of starting this new forum. Currently standing at 14 members, and most names I recognise from other forums. My intention is for us all to benefit from new affordable electronic assists in chipmaking, be it metal, wood or any composites, share ideas in our quests to produce projects and tooling in our hobby shops. This forum does not negate or ignore the need to apply manual machine practises in tandem and welcome any new innovation ideas, but there are plenty of other forums available for general hobbyist?s interested in machining. I specifically have set no No ground rules yet except the normal zero tolerance on subject matters of Race, Religion, Politics, Profanity and to treat others as you would expect to be treated. Disagreements naturally will occur between forum members, tempers may fly, but lets get going first and sort out things as we move along. Neither am I an autocratic or dictatorial person, and purposefully I have not signed off as Owner or Moderator of this new exiting forum, you all know who I am when joining. Moderation if necessary will be minimal, as we should all be capable of this task amongst ourselves. The saying is true, "you don?t know what you dont know " but lets get going and see how it all pans out. Newbies to our specialist niche hobbies are very welcome to join and will give them the courtesy they deserve, we all started by learning from somebody. Posts to be on subjects referencing our hobby machines,but if you happen to own a Bridgeport Mill or 9" Southbend lathe then this is not a problem, we should not limit posts?. as enhancing our hobbyist machine tools including 3D printers is what this digital forum is all about. Lastly, as you may be aware from other forums I have a record of posts referencing good sound work safety procedures and I will not be politically correct in my replies when reading or seeing unsafe practises. Again, very pleased already with the interest from a great bunch of guys signed up. So lets see what happens, the future is all around us at affordable prices. Thanks very much. John Lindo I will not let you down. John
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Welcome all.
I am still trying to find my way around the .io forum, so please forgive me if I have not answered all requests to join and replied personally.the last count of new members is 38, in 1 day, very pleased. I should be fully "savvy" oops within a few days.Where's Charlie L I cannot believe I have received the interest from so many a lot of old various forum members I have known in the past, and between us all we can sort out most if not all digital problems of fixing this or that to our hobby machines.I am very humble when I write this.Thank you for your support, I will not let you down. We also have the advantage of Mr Charles Levinski being on board with us and has taken on the duty of moderator.USA side.Brilliant. Charlie, as many may know has been a close associate of mine for over 8 years, and is a co author of many articles in HSM and Digital machinist that I have written. I respect his knowledge of electronic equipment and he will be great resource for futuristic projects in the future, also he is a meticulous machinist with a Real Bull lathe and mill.Currently he is putting putting the wraps (wiring that is) on a full embracing ELS system. Watch this space. I intend to send regular brief updates of .io group information on how we are growing as a family. I will shy away from regular post interventions as that is what a forum is about, bouncing ideas off each other. At the same time I will help where I can and answer as any other group member questions reference digital or manual operations of our toys. Thanks John
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Joining the group
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Hi Guys - Joining the new group and saying hello :) Lewis New Brunswick, Canada
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ELS Costing
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#RELS
The subject of the cost of the ELS system came up before I joined and was indicated at $400 - $800. Just for interest my feeling is that the cost in the UK is more like ?150 - ?200. This is based on making everything that you can make and buying the rest of the items at the best price. Typically the Mega 2560 can be bought at ?35 in the UK but if you are prepared to wait it is ?7 from China. The same goes for the Joystick, Buttons, display, encoder. Drives and motors are sometimes better purchased locally. Enclosures can be made. Richard
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Thank you very much for joining this forum.
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As I am only part of the team of hobbyists that have formed this group, we already have some very respectful members that I have had the pleasure to have known for many years. Just looking at the current members list it contains some brilliant practical machinists,including electronics experts.3D printer CNC, ELS and so on. and if any questions are asked in reference to the "digital age" of updating our hobby machines, I am confident you will get ontime dependable answers and solutions from practical hands on members. If any major issues occur of which I do not foresee, please do not hesitate to contact me directly, I have sufficient confidence that we as a group can sort problems out, I am not the best of being PC, and if you feel I need to be corrected and brought into line then tell me please. We are a large family, possibly envious of some families as we share the same goals and interests. Currently all new members are not moderated, but possibly it maybe necessary to send some "hello" post as a hand shake. so as you will be able to enjoy and view all posts. The team are still finding our way around the groups .io .but so far very impressed. Always seemed the "yahoo groups" that we were a pain for them in the latter years, but original concept was good, and basically a one off. The object of this forum per month will be a different main "digital age" topic, there?s such a vast spectrum of goodies to chose from, but this does not mean other our hobby subjects from members, questions and answers will not be dealt with in a timely manner. It?s a new age, new day, so forward and onward. Thanks -- John
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Hello, All, While it's not absolutely necessary, I feel that gear reduction on the mini-lathe makes it more like, as my friend Barry once described it, "a big boy lathe". This is especially true when used with ELS, which can take good advantage of the higher torque. I implemented one of John Lindo's gear reduction systems, which he was kind enough to build for me, back in 2015. You can see it in the photos below with the cover and much of the headstock gearing system removed, as well as fully assembled. This has proven to be very useful, enabling significantly heavier cuts, which translates to fewer repeated cycles for a given operation. Just a thought regarding modifications that can make a real performance difference in the mini-lathe... -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Fw: [Download eBook] Digital Foundry 3D Printing - Delivering massive time and cost savings
#3D
Guys, This download is mostly promotion of their product line but seems to contain some interesting info on SLA 3D printer technology. FWIW https://www2.3dsystems.com/e/1004/tent-EMAL-Digital-Foundry-DGEN/83hgxm/1045574168?h=VKgBgtbA9yHZTk2m1GibcqEpayYCHd5qB2ILqCiA8-M Prasad
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I have this sign hanging in my shop. It's worked so far... no dead visitors! -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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John Looking forward to posts on your ELS project.. Thanks Prasad
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Hello, All, We seem to be talking a lot about ELS, so I thought I would mention something about rigidity. John has found that the better the lathe rigidity, the better the ELS performance. I know, you are going to say, "Hey, that's true with manual machining! It's not a special requirement of ELS or CNC!" This is true, but apparently it's even more important with automated operation. This is because most of us quickly learn the quirks of our machines, and can compensate for weaknesses quickly. I have heard various stories of professional machinists in the primarily manual days who would know that to take off an extra .0005 inches, they would have to press on their tailstock just so, or hold onto this lever during part of the operation. If I see an uneven cut, I can immediately check to be sure my carriage is sufficiently rigid and adjust if before I continue. Unfortunately, the dumb computers that run automated systems don't know anything about that, and so can't compensate this way. There are several modifications worth making for both automated and manual operation. These are also quite important with a gear reduction unit, as you probably implemented the GR unit to make heavier cuts, which puts more load on the lathe carriage system. 1. Replace the carriage gib strips with an improved system 2. Replace the compound with a riser plate 3. Improve the cross-slide gib adjustment system There are other mods that, IMHO, are worth making, such as changing to tapered roller bearings, but I think they have been discussed ad infinitum, so let's focus on these three. I have made all three of these mods, and I can say that they do make a big difference to rigidity. (I abhor people taking credit for someone else's work, so I have to point out that items 1 and 3 were John's design. Item 2 I designed myself, as I recall.) I've attached photos of these changes below, and will discuss them in more detail in future posts. The carriage gib strip replacement was the most complex, and the most different from the numerous other fixes commonly available online. A few words about the carriage gib strip replacement, which I refer to as a "tensioner". First, a modification is made to the carriage that allows the gib strips to be adjusted from above. The existing holes are tapped through, and several new ones added. Set screws (grub screws, if you are from the UK) are added with a nut attached permanently to the far end. I silver soldered mine, but any technique that fastens them permanently is fine. These are threaded in from below with the nuts down and the hex cutout up, and now you can adjust from above. It seems that locking nuts are not needed here, but Loctite or fishing line in the hole can give some additional anti-vibration protection if you find it's needed. This change alone allows the existing gib strips to be adjusted with much less difficulty than the originals. The tensioners themselves differ from the usual solutions because they contact four areas of the way undersides; i.e., they are not continuous. The problem with the continuous strips that come with the lathe is that the underside of the ways is not perfectly flat. Even if they were, the ways wear because the carriage spends most of its time near the chuck. The tensioners have a half countersink on the end opposite where they contact the way underside. A set/grub screw with a conical tip fits this countersink and is used to do the rough adjustment of the front or back two tensioners. The final adjustment is made by the set/grub screws with the nut pulling up the ends of the tensioners where they contact the way underside. Hopefully this description will supplement the photos. -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Gear reduction 7 x 12 Real bull lathe Part 1.
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#GR
Please watch the link. It?s a video that i took of me machining using my first gear reduction unit fitted onto the lathe. An aluminium 125 mm dia billet being bored out to 17 mm deep and attached to a faceplate. 35 mm eccentric to the center line. 2 mm deep cuts using a standard carbide brazed boring tool. Please note the chips being released and please listen that the machine is not losing speed or is bogging down. This was my second GR bracket being manufactured, and naturally the first bracket I machined on the lathe and took some time and patience as naturally the torque from the stock lathe was minimal. I hope to follow up with some more photos and information this weekend ref the GR and how the Weiss mini CNC mill has now vastly improved the time to manufacture this bracket. Hope of interest Thanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ancIoRSF2RI -- John
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My friend recently had the handle break on his saxophone case. The case being some 25 years old. He was informed by the by the guy in the local music shop it could not be repaired. and needed a new case.Approx €85 . With a 3D printer and CAD, 1 hour print time, I used PLA.good as new. Typical handle where the lend clip into the support lugs, just expand the handle out and it springs back and locks in. Thanks -- John
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Constant Surface Speed for mini-lathe
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#CSS
Hello, All, A few years ago, John and I came up with a Constant Surface Speed (CSS) unit for use on the Real Bull mini-lathe. I believe it would work on the Sieg, but haven't been able to verify that. John wanted it to be very simple to connect electrically, so the implementation had only three connections that had to be unsoldered and then soldered somewhere else, and all three were on the speed control pot. You can find instructions on how to install and use this system in the "Files" section. Basically, the box and a sliding potentiometer replaces the speed control pot. When you switch to CSS mode, the speed control pot is replaced by two adjustable pots that allow you to set the starting and ending speeds, and a sliding potentiometer that moves with the cross-slide. This automatically increases speed as the cross-slide approaches the centerline of the spindle. This uses no microprocessor, etc... it is an old-school hardware mod. I hope this is of interest to the group. -- Regards, Charlie New Jersey, USA
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Robert Furmanak
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#GR
#3D
Members, have we struck gold or what.? Robert Furmanak, we have been friends for over 6 years. We lost contact as he moved from PA to FL.a few years ago. He was my mentor to allow me to move forward on the Gear Reduction for the Real Bull lathe. A brilliant electrics and practical engineer. Robert designed and put together the original gear reduction for the Sieg type lathe.differences were I needed a idler gear for normal anti clockwise motion, he did not need this, also the method of attaching the GR bracket to the end of the motor is different. Sieg versus real Bull lathe motors are different. He happens to have most of the information and I am in the process of preparing to 3D print of the Sieg bracket. His knowledge of 3D printing, I did not know about. WOW. Anyway, I am sure we are starting to add on some big guns to the forum. For example, Richard UK has assisted me in installing Power feed, ELS, CNC to the mill and lathe,another what I call a genius. I am in the process of welcoming Robert into the digitalhobbyist family, I am sure he will assist when his time permits. Almost got the GR Real Bull off the3D printer, some tinkering required. We need to discuss sharing and file transfers. Lets as a group see if can come up with common denominators. Thanks -- John
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