728VT really unhappy!

[55fairlane]

Ok all here is the update.....my machine has been returned to PM and I will be getting a different brand new mill!
This may be a blessing .....I noticed a couple of anomalies.....as I would tighten up the bolts (that hold the machine to the base) the bolts felt mushy and the next day the bolts wouldn't be tight....plus when I was trying to shim the machine base , shimming did little.....well as you can see in the pictures there are convex shapes in the cabinet & you can see concave L shapes in the chip pan.
That sheet metal cabinet has no bridge strength....my cure is so e ¾ thick aluminum Plat I salvaged from something.....these will live between the cabinet & the chip pan.....

 

[GrifterGuru]

Nice solution. Are you doing something similar inside the cabinet as well?

 

[55fairlane]

Nice solution. Are you doing something similar inside the cabinet as well?

Yes....I have some 2 inch long by 1 inch wide by ¾ inch thick I am gonna drill & tap , these will become " T " nuts ....no need for 2 wrenches....should spread the load out nicely

 

[GrifterGuru]

Yes....I have some 2 inch long by 1 inch wide by ¾ inch thick I am gonna drill & tap , these will become " T " nuts ....no need for 2 wrenches....should spread the load out nicely

Sounds just the ticket to add some much needed strength where there is none.

 

[GB21]

Fill that thing with concrete! $5 a bag is a cheap upgrade. Mine is bolted to a 1000lb block of concrete and never needs realigned + the extra mass helps a lot. Here is a guy on youtube that has done it.

 

[55fairlane]

Fill that thing with concrete! $5 a bag is a cheap upgrade. Mine is bolted to a 1000lb block of concrete and never needs realigned + the extra mass helps a lot. Here is a guy on youtube that has done it.

I have considered that idea....... the Mazak lathes & the leadwell VMC have there bases filled with cement....it is a cheap & easy way to add rigidity & dampen vibrations

I need to get a milling machine back to determine what else if anything I need to do

 

[55fairlane]

Ok all, my replacement machine is here in town and will be delivered Monday. I'm having the machine delivered to the shop, we have a dock , Forklift ect...... but no Saturday dock hours...... so, stand fast more of the saga tomorrow night

 

[rogerl]

Did you get your new machine running? Was the alignment better?

Roger L

 

[55fairlane]

Ok all, here is an update, A) I am finally over my cold B) the day job has exploded (its chassis building season) C) the new mill......spent the better park of a week leveling the machine. I have .0003 (per 12 inches) of twist in 8 inches of Y travel. I added a couple hundred pounds of scrap to the bottom of the cabinet , got the tram dialed in and yes the mill cuts true,flat & square! My first test wast to square up some 1 x 1 steal scrap, I used a ⅜ Carbide endmill to check "step over" ...... everything seems to perform wonderfully!!
Pictures tomorrow

 

[55fairlane]

Did you get your new machine running? Was the alignment better?

Roger L

Before I leveled the machine I had .001of taper in 7 inches in Y & .0015 in X ......after I leveled the machine (.003 of shim left rear) & (.004 right front) , let the machine settle for 24 hours, I got the taper down under .0007 in 7 inches both ways.