2016 POTD Thread Archive

[jmarkwolf]

Installed a power table feed on my Bridgeport mill.

I've been collecting ideas, for awhile now, for fabricating an x-axis power table feed for my Bridgeport. Can't justify the cost of a Servo model, and not sure I wanted a cut-rate model.

I was in the local Production Tool the other day and saw that they had an "Align" table feed on sale for $295. I'd never heard of "Align" before, but figured with the full backing and force of Production Tool it would at least be "returnable" in the event I didn't like it. Plus I wouldn't have to pay any shipping "either" direction.

I didn't have the materials in my scrap box to fabricate one, and by the time I bought the materials, power supply and the motor to fabricate my own, I'd have a significant portion of the same $295 into a home brew, so I "sprung" for Production Tool unit.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was manufactured in Taiwan, and the fit and finish is quite good. All the pieces fit my 9x42 Bridgeport table perfectly.

The only significant detractions I found are:

1. The installation docs are spectacularly worthless. I found only one Youtube video regarding this unit and it's in Taiwanese, with a few brief "English sub titles".

2. You can't know if the shim stack is the proper thickness until the last step, when you draw the nut down on the handle. If it's not, you have to disassemble, and add/remove shims, and reassemble. Not a big deal, really.

The beautifully machined brass shaft adapter is a very snug fit on the woodruff key, and since my first attempt at my "shim stack" is incorrect, I'll have to get my puller from my hangar for my disassemble "cycles".

Pics below.

 

[roadie33]

Installed a power table feed on my Bridgeport mill.

I've been collecting ideas, for awhile now, for fabricating an x-axis power table feed for my Bridgeport. Can't justify the cost of a Servo model, and not sure I wanted a cut-rate model.

I was in the local Production Tool the other day and saw that they had an "Align" table feed on sale for $295. I'd never heard of "Align" before, but figured with the full backing and force of Production Tool it would at least be "returnable" in the event I didn't like it. Plus I wouldn't have to pay any shipping "either" direction.

I didn't have the materials in my scrap box to fabricate one, and by the time I bought the materials, power supply and the motor to fabricate my own, I'd have a significant portion of the same $295 into a home brew, so I "sprung" for Production Tool unit.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was manufactured in Taiwan, and the fit and finish is quite good. All the pieces fit my 9x42 Bridgeport table perfectly.

The only significant detractions I found are:

1. The installation docs are spectacularly worthless. I found only one Youtube video regarding this unit and it's in Taiwanese, with a few brief "English sub titles".

2. You can't know if the shim stack is the proper thickness until the last step, when you draw the nut down on the handle. If it's not, you have to disassemble, and add/remove shims, and reassemble. Not a big deal, really.

The beautifully machined brass shaft adapter is a very snug fit on the woodruff key, and since my first attempt at my "shim stack" is incorrect, I'll have to get my puller from my hangar for my disassemble "cycles".

Pics below.

View attachment 124309 View attachment 124310 View attachment 124311

Sounds like you should do a video as you do the install to document it for the next guy or gal that is also frugal.

 

[rick9345]

Have used many of the knock off’s, all work for power,but slow feed ,fine control hit or miss. Shifting forward reverse during rapid traverse will strip the plastic gear(inertia),easy cheap to replace.Keep a spare (gear)around.

 

[Ripthorn]

Started putting together the guitar with all the parts I made. All the hardware you see is made by your truly:

 

[cathead]

So I got some andirons from a friend to repair. The broken parts are cast iron. I was going to weld them back together with some nickel 99 rods. As I prepped them I noticed hair line cracks all through them. I figured they would just break again in a new spot. I decided to just make some new ones for him. I ordered a 3/4 x 3/4 piece of 1018 off the interweb and got to it.

I used a torch to heat it up and make the bends.

Making some progress.

All done and ready for the fire place.

After a couple hot fires, the place where the logs sit will have a curve in them. I built a fireplace grate and that
was my experience. My recommendation would be to add another support on each leg under where the logs sit.

They look really nice and are probably solid brass. I found a pair once in an old
dump locally and they were so black that one couldn't tell what they were made of.
After scratching them with a knife, I found they were indeed brass and took them home
to clean them up and but them in my fireplace. I still have them, not as ornate as
your photos but pretty decent.

 

[chevydyl]

That git-tar is looking gorgeous man, nice friggin job. (My mom loves it btw, she is a proud owner of a '56 Gibson LP, my grandpa bought it new, he played in a bar in homer alaska with singer Jewels dad a couple times the story goes)

 

[TOOLMASTER]

Not sure how mid neck tuning will be..

 

[f350ca]

Read you can make anything on a shaper except money. Setting this up and cutting the keyway probably took an hour but was a lot more fun than using the broach I don't have anyway.



This is the first keyway I've cut with this shaper, and the bar and V block I made. The logan did a good job but this was so undramatic, not a hint of chatter and feed as hard as you want.





Greg

 

[roadie33]

Good job. You gotta work with the tools you have.

 

[dlane]

Think I like shapers now !