Awkward X, Y Axis Locking Screws ... A Fix ?

[Subwayrocket]

While the Z is out in the open, i've found the X and Y axis locking screw handles to be a bit awkward.
I had bought new bolts and had planned to weld wing nuts on the ends but when I removed the x/y lock bolts and unscrewed the handles off of the bolts , I thought the little screws might aid me in just welding the wing nuts on to them. When I screwed them in they felt pretty solid so I tried one. Surprisingly they hold the wing nut on pretty well. Finger tight on just one of them stopped me turning the X axis hand wheel. So here it is , it's pretty simple if anyone else does not care for these locking handles.

 

[lpeedin]

Here's what I did. The cap head hex screws are pressed into the knobs for the X axis. For the Y there's a 1/8" spring pin in the knob/ bolt.


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[lpeedin]

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[Joe_B]

 

[Hawkeye]

Joe, I've been thinking lately that I should make a new locking system for my RF-30. You just served it up on a platter.

Thanks.

 

[Subwayrocket]

That's some nice work there Joe B . I didn't even mind the getting my hands dirty part, it was simply just a chore to tighten the kind that came with my machine .

 

[Muskt]

I like your idea for the locking device--Way Cool!!

Could you elaborate a bit on the silicon pad heater on the base of the mill?

Jerry in Delaware

 

[Joe_B]

I like your idea for the locking device--Way Cool!!

Could you elaborate a bit on the silicon pad heater on the base of the mill?

Jerry in Delaware

Hi Jerry, you are very observant. That heater is part of a rust prevention system I designed for my machines. What it does is to keep the castings at a temperature that is 5 degrees above the dew point. It uses a humidity sensor and an arduino to control things. It works great, I have not had any rust on my lathe or mill since I put this system in.

Joe

 

[pugslyyy]

Hi Jerry, you are very observant. That heater is part of a rust prevention system I designed for my machines. What it does is to keep the castings at a temperature that is 5 degrees above the dew point. It uses a humidity sensor and an arduino to control things. It works great, I have not had any rust on my lathe or mill since I put this system in.

Joe

That's pretty slick. I've done some arduino builds so should consider something like that. My shop is under the house so in the summer months humidity is a huge issue - I pull a gallon or 2 of water out of the air every day with my dehumidifier.

 

[Joe_B]

Well, if you know arduino, this is an easy one. You need a DHT sensor and a remote temperature sensor. The heater is driven from a solid state relay. You can calculate the dewpoint from the DHT sensor. Then all you need to do is turn on the heater when the casting temperature drops to 5 degrees + the dewpoint. As long as you keep the castings 5 degrees above the dew point, condensation can never form. Look through some of my doodads video's, I had a kill a watt meter on it for the first year and it only cost me a couple of bucks to run it all year.