Anyone Familiar With Tree 2uvrc?

BobSchu

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I bought a Tree 2UVRC and it came with some very old school CNC controls converted by Tektronix. The controls are so old school they will go to the dump, but the Invertors, DC transformers, drive motors and encoders, and original controls are in fine shape, as is the machine- which has been stored for at least the last 20 years and has had very little use in the Tektronix prototype shop.
My plan is to remove the CNC equipment and return this machine to manual controls- hand wheels and cranks. I believe the "C" model has spindle drive but I just got it home and haven't had a chance to check it out closely yet.
My question is, would anyone here know what I need for hand wheels and cranks for this machine to return it to manual control? Also, where to source them?
I would like to keep the drive motors and encoders to possibly convert it back to CNC at some future time (which will probably never happen) so I am wondering if there is a market for these items? I have found several more of these converted machines on ebay and craigslist so this isn't a unique machine, but probably fairly rare. At least the motors and encoders should be useful on other machines?

Sorry for the rambling- I'm pretty excited to find this machine for a steal of a price to add to my shop. My Smithy 1220 XL just wasn't cutting it any more. A new VFD and a little wiring in my shop and it will be up and running.

Bob
 
Look for components that would be used on a Bridgeport type of mill for handles, dials, etc. Forget the dials, just put crank handles on the mill and install a digital readout. Remember with ball screws, the machine will react differently with milling operations than with Acme threaded screws with bronze nuts. May have to install tensioners so the screws do not over ride itself. Ken
 
Sorry for the delay. I'm in the dark on the tensioners? Where would I get such a thing and where/how would I mount them?

Thanks,
Bob
 
I know I mentioned using a tensioner on the ball screws. They used to be popular 35 years ago. And I haven't played with any of that stuff since then. I would say just make sure you lock your slides and that should keep the slides from moving when you don't want it to.
 
The Tree 2UVRC is the heavier duty casting and pedestal of the 2UVR. The C knee is a big box way, as opposed to the 2UVR dovetailed ways. The heads are the same, I think the 2MH. Do you have any pics of the machine? If the servos, amps, and control still work fine, you may be better off keeping them intact, or at least upgrading the control. What type of control is on it? I have a Tree Journeyman. It was the first iteration of Tree going CNC (on NC actually) and was a 2UVRC with servos on the X & Y Axis and a cassette tape reader on the back of the machine. Two big cabinets sat on either side of the pedestal, and the right cabinet had a control pendant on it. My control was shot, and at the time (and due to my impenitence) I thought the servos and amps were no good. I converted it back into a purely manual machine, and had to build an X-Axis screw extension to mount a handle on the right side of the table. Looking back on it, I wished I had kept the servos and amps, along with the E-Stop, etc still in the machine so I could have rigged up a power-feed system. Right now it is hand-powered for everything. I have had no issues with the ballscrews (which are better) back feeding on me yet. Parts can be had through ZPS, a Czech company that bought the rights to Tree old inventory and support for their manual as well as CNC machines. I think they were making Trees' castings towards the end. Talk to Monica or Bob. They have all kinds of parts and have been a HUGE help to me. Also check out the Yahoo Tree Group. Lots of info and pictures of the different parts, including all the manuals. A major thing to check on your machine is the spindle run-out, and the "roller bearings" that engage the spindle with the gearbox. The originals were round and have eccentric pins which adjust the slop in them. They had a tendency to either pound dents in the spindle drive, or shear the eccentric pins giving you lots of rotational backlash and slop.

Here's my little thread over at PM when I first got my Tree and started rehabbing it.

Check Practical Machinist for Tree 2UVRC. Lots of info and my thread I cant link to until I post more times.
 
kc130,

Hobby Machinist appreciates your help here, but lets keep Practical Machinist out of this forum. If you want to mention this to anyone here, do it in a private message to them. Thank you,

Ken
 
kc130,

Hobby Machinist appreciates your help here, but lets keep Practical Machinist out of this forum. If you want to mention this to anyone here, do it in a private message to them. Thank you,

Ken
Yikes, this is THAT kind of gatekeeping forum. Just signed up here, but I'll be deleting my account. Big old yikes
 
No, it's just that PM is generally VERY hostile to anyone who is not doing industrial class work.
This forum is friendly and inclusive! Radically different feel!

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