# Rockwell mill lubrication upgrade



## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

A thread in which I pull my mill apart and make it, hopefully, better.

Goals:
Install new swarf covers
Add pressure lube to everything
Re-do the flexible swarf guards
Install DROs on Z and quill


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Progress! Locked out the glass scales.
You can see where I plugged the hole in the back of the knee.

#%^^ the swarf guard was bent, not broken. Ugh. At least my new ones fit!
Spoiler alert: I discover WHY it got bent later on ;-)


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Kinematic location for the Y axis DRO, so I can take that bracket off and replace it.

In case you wondered what the bottom of the spindle looks like.

Flip it over, drag it out...


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Now, how to lift the knee...

Maybe a lifting eye in the roof?


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

I'd like better hefting... I added five threaded holes above the mill for future hefting joy. It's really tight quarters for an engine hoist, and mine is a ridiculous PITA to dig out.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Strapping that sucker down helped 
Fyi, step drills work really well on cast iron!
A short projection 1/8" not tap is vital for this sort of work.
I drilled a matching (oversized) hole in the gib to let oil through.
I wasn't 100% sure which surface was really sliding, so I went overboard and put in 6 oil ports! I know y'all are not surprised...




Yes, the 2x4 is ridiculous ;-)




Fun with fiddly hand drilling...




And... all done!




Since I wasn't 100% sure which surface was contacting, I lubed all six surfaces separately!  The gib has a matching hole to let lube through.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

And the knee is back on! Scary progress! I pumped oil through the holes before I put it on and did it again afterwards. Happy happy!  I picked it back up later to put on the knee screw lube collar.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Oh, and here's the core holes in the back of the knee. If you ever are in a position to see them on -your- mill, plug them! They let chips get on your bevel gears!  Bridgeports have the same holes.  I had a ton of chips trapped inside my knee, as did the latest Rockwell owner!  I used some sheet gasket and liquid nails 20 years ago...  I also foamed it to create a pocket to trap grease on the gears.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Second axis done!!!
Some super deep holes. Unfortunately, the last one needs even deeper ones!


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Metal acupuncture? That's all three axies lubed. I've printed a distributor for the knee screw and drilled to run some tubing to the x and y screws. Next up is the big swarf guards.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

I finally found out why my swarf guard plate got bent!
I bone headed it.
The guards are very slightly asymmetric. If you put them on backwards, the top one can pop up inside the saddle casting and get hooked. Grumble.
Here's the correct orientation.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Got the saddle back together. Then, I found I hadn't tapped TWO holes. Take it back apart... tap... reassemble.

Next up is bent copper oil lines to the screws.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Mmmm! Copper, brass, and cast iron 

And the rolling shutter rolls! Fyi, I had to totally dissect it to kill the latch down mechanism, and then rebuild it better, faster, stronger... Mwah, ha, ha!


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

17 lube points!

Got the table back on, and both DROs working (whew!).

Head is stabbed.

Next up is the long DRO cover and cable tendering.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Things I have left:

Cover for the long scale
Cable tendering
Fix light blocking guard on outer ring light
Add oil connection for the spindle
Front flexible swarf cover
Z axis DRO
Quill DRO
Build up way oil and spindle oil lube pump assemblies
Put the power feed back on
Design, fab, and install limit switches for the power feed, maybe even improving the wiring a bit, so its not in a plastic bag  

You may have noticed that the list is longer, despite having accomplished some stuff:

Drilled, tapped and grooved for 17 oil points
Dreamed up and installed rolling shutter swarf guard
Solved damaged sliding swarf guard problem and installed replacements
Cleaned out a surprisingly small amount of chips!


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## Aukai (Sep 8, 2021)

Very adventurous undertaking


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 8, 2021)

Thanks!  I had been putting this off, as it was kind of scary, and I was nervous about the scales working after disconnection!  I figured off season for First Robotics and a 3 day weekend with no real plans was my "get my rear in gear" notification!


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## woodchucker (Sep 8, 2021)

edit: never mind, I read later.


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## Firstram (Sep 8, 2021)

Nice work!


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 9, 2021)

Long axis cover on!
Any suggestions on getting this sucker out? I don't really want to drill and tap, but I could. I've put a picture of the other side..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










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## jwmay (Sep 11, 2021)

How did you get it out? I was considering putting in oil cups, but I'm afraid I'll damage something trying to get the gits out.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 11, 2021)

Ball Oilers out... broke down and.pulled the drive and quill. Added three more lube points!
Got the initial mounting on the quill DRO.

I tapped one 5/16", but that made so many chips I decided I had to pull the spindle.

I just used a punch to drive out the other one. They don't line up, of course!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			











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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 11, 2021)

Oil cups would be good on the side ones, but you need felt to keep it from all running out when the quill is down.

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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 12, 2021)

Z axis DRO added. I used a flexure between the knee and the read head.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 13, 2021)

Adding power for the new axies and the ring light. One switch to rule them all!

Noodling on the front cover... zip ties for springs?

And, a "aw, #%^&" note; the lock hits a lube port.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















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## Firstram (Sep 13, 2021)

You could grind a smidge off the lock to clock the lever to a more favorable location.


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 13, 2021)

As I was telling Doc Nickle, I also bent that screw severely a few years back. I really just need to make a longer one that clears ;-)

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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 14, 2021)

Argh. My fleabay pump brick needs to be cleaned out so it pumps right. Hopefully I wont have to re-sesl the whole thing.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 18, 2021)

Cleaned out and got all 20 pumps cycling. Whee. I love the parts washer...
Mounted them, next.up is a spaghetti farm!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 19, 2021)

I've got oil drooling out everywhere now 
Cables and hoses, rendered, Gibs adjusted, vise lined up, head trammed!
The only outstanding thing is upgrading the power feed with some actual switches...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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## Firstram (Sep 19, 2021)

Very nice!


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