Power Drawbar

[fretsman]

Thank you, Al, much appreciate the info you have shared!

 

[joedexter]

Great job, do you have air muffler on cyl? How do have it regulated, I see some have problems making them work. I have most of the items needed just iffy I guess on doin the build.

I want to build a power drawbar. Am concerned about removing a collet if it sticks as they occasionally do. Any problems with that?

 

[keeena]

I want to build a power drawbar. Am concerned about removing a collet if it sticks as they occasionally do. Any problems with that?

I was curious about this as well before I installed mine, but is a non-issue. Between the impacting as well as the constrained upward vertical travel of the air impact: it dislodges collets/shanks reliably.

It is worth making sure your R8 alignment pin is in good shape and adjusted well; for a while mine was not projecting out far enough and would occasionally jam up for some styles of collets/shanks.

 

[joedexter]

I was curious about this as well before I installed mine, but is a non-issue. Between the impacting as well as the constrained upward vertical travel of the air impact: it dislodges collets/shanks reliably.

It is worth making sure your R8 alignment pin is in good shape and adjusted well; for a while mine was not projecting out far enough and would occasionally jam up for some styles of collets/shanks.

Going to use a pneumatic butterfly valve (HF), for awhile to evaluate. Then plagiarize one of the many examples.

 

[aliva]

I've never had a collet stick and I also removed the alignment pin, nothing but a pain. If it shears then you have a stuck collet

 

[Janderso]

Nice clean installation.
I would love to have one.
I bought the same unit, went to install it and discovered my 8 foot ceiling was too low.
Dang it. My mill is a beast.

 

[pontiac428]

Jeff, you might have to try one of the turn-key Kurt units or similar. They are typically shorter than the motor can on the mill head. At one point, I was looking into them, even Travers had decent prices on special. A few hundred bucks and ready to go, vs. making a project of fabricating one.

I didn't think the power drawbar would add all that much to my work flow, but I really like it. Changing tools is as easy as it could possibly be without going hands-free (and by that I mean M06 hands free).