Beauty in The Beast: Webb 5BVK Barn Find/Conversion

[Charlieman22]

Thanks John -
Similar world.
Rotary valve two stroke Vespa engines. started life ~ 150cc 6 HP but now live around 200CC and ~20-25HP.
The challenge is - the curvey nature of the case shape.
Have a look at the red lines below - its an example of areas that I want to trim/clean up - that have some S curve shapes.
I took the chance to post - to see if what I had proposed was actually a thing - that had a name - figuring if it did - I could research it on YouTube as well and see people doing it.
Long shot... IK.

 

[JimDawson]

For speed and simplicity - what I would LIKE to do - but thought I would ask about is this:
- Bolt cases to a heavy base that can slide on my table.
- Put 2 flute end mill in and spin at relatively high speed.
- Slide the base with the cases around BY HAND to trim back the edges nicely, tracing back to where they should be and giving a nice defined 90 degree edge back.

Fear of course would be the work being grabbed - slung - ruined - etc.
Is this madness - or is there such thing as "free handing" on a mill?
(teeth gritted for the responses. let them rain).
-CM

 

[Charlieman22]

Hahaha. Yep.

liked that better than the other option you had:
“Uh, that’s why you are making it CNC sparky”…

Ok. It’s NOT a thing.
Got it.
Everyone, as you were.

 

[Charlieman22]

Gents - hope this finds you well and enjoying the season.
Been some time since I posted... thought I would check in and set up my post for the near year.

Where we last left off - a few months ago...
- Was on the verge of going CNC.
- In the middle of negotiating for a controller from Asia - Jim found me a great deal on one domestically
- Some minor - but annoying runout in my spindle had me chasing options for rebuild
- I was trying to finish up my Vespa project so I could turn my attention to the mill conversion.

That last little bit - the Vespa project - sucked me in like a sink hole.
In addition - my paying job has annoyingly taken a great deal of my time.
Which is to say - too many projects/ little has been done on the mill.

Goal is to re-start the CNC project in mid Jan.
Thought I would bring the shopping list back to the forefront, and re-commence the hunting and gathering.

Side note: that Vespa project noted above forced my hand on using quite a bit of the mill and lathe (10ee)
Gotten a lot more comfortable around the machines.
The more I've used it - the more I'm excited about going CNC.

So with that - a big thank you to everyone that contributed to getting me up and running/knowledge base, this year.
Was incredibly helpful from moving to start up and use.

Below - the shopping list:

Happy New Year all!

QTY 1 I use these in all my machines, and have installed about 75 units over the last 20 or so years. This is the best deal I could find on eBay at the moment. I would make a lowball offer and see what happens, I have purchased these for as little as $100. These retail at about $2400.

Galil DMC-4040 motion control | eBay​

Used, working condition.
www.ebay.com
Galil DMC-4040, 4 axis motion controller

QTY 1 Power cable for above
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/2451350220/6564767
2 Position Cable Assembly Rectangular Socket to Socket 6.56' (2.00m)
Mini-Fit Jr 245135

QTY 4 Encoder connectors
DB15HD Slim Breakout Board with Screw Terminals - Winford Engineering
DB15HD Male Connector:
BRKSD15HDM-C

QTY 1 I/O connector
DB44HD Breakout Board with Screw Terminals - Winford Engineering
DB44HD Female Right Angle Connector:
BRKDD44HDFV2-R-DIN

QTY 1 I/O connector
DB44HD Male Right Angle Connector:
BRKDD44HDMV2-R-DIN

QTY 2 Cables for I/O connectors

44-Pin (HD44) Deluxe HD D-Sub Cable - Copper Shielded - Male / Female​

44-pin (HD44) Copper Shielded High Density Male/Female D-Sub Cables by Amphenol provide exceptional performance in commercial, industrial or enterprise applications where longevity and repeated disconnects are required. Our fully assembled Deluxe HD D-Sub Cable integrates copper tape + aluminum...

cablesondemand.com
44-PIN (HD44) DELUXE HD D-SUB CABLE - COPPER SHIELDED - MALE / FEMALE
CS-DSDHD44MF0-002.5

QTY 1 Not required but nice to have. I have this same one on my lathe and have beat the hell out of it, it is still alive after two years of abuse.

Universal CNC 4 Axis MPG Pendant Handwheel & Emergency Stop for Siemens US xs90* | eBay​

X,Y,Z,4th axis selector switch. - Required 5V+, 150mA, power for MPG. Support CNC system - User can wire this unit to the CNC system with easy. - x1, x10, x100 switch. - Magnetic base holder can place anywhere on the machine steel surface.
www.ebay.com
Universal CNC 4 Axis MPG Pendant Handwheel

QTY 1 Relay interface for digital outputs
Amazon.com
5V Relay Module with Optocoupler Isolation

QTY 1
Any Win7 or Win10 computer or laptop, I prefer a Mini PC. keyboard, mouse, monitor, and ethernet cable
Amazon.com : mini computer

 

[Charlieman22]

Update:
Plans got a little off track.
By which I mean - shortly after my last posting - I totally changed directions and decided to sell my home.
17 years/2 kids/dog/wife/garage/ full monty.
Took 5 months of all out effort to put it in the shape I wanted for sale.
Milling machine, with its home made feeding system documented in these pages - earned its keep - and then some.

At the center of the projects I tackled, rather than contracted, was a set of gates.
Two double swing driveway, and a pedestrian.
Fully automated, buried loops to avoid crushing of vehicles, etc.
Was quoted $70K (not a typo) in the free for all that was the Los Angeles market.
Decided to tackle myself instead; 1/2 out of spite.
Turns out those guys earn their money...
Who knew?

Tig welded steel frame cores, clad with wood, swung on custom hinges - courtesy of the 5BVK...
Came together just like my drawings - only a bit heavier in person...

Which brings me to this moment.
4 days before closing.
Life in boxes.
Trailer rented for yet another machinery load & haul.
Small house near the ocean rented.
Only...
No machines allowed in its garage!

So I gave up and put all my tools in storage.

Kidding!
Have been hunting a long held dream - a small industrial space.
Last week, found a gem near my new home - with space for both storage and workshop.
Family owned facility.
Others doing similar stuff.
Seems like a good fit.

Which brings this long winded post to the question at hand.
New space has "208 three phase".
I am currently running my mill on a VFD off 220 single phase.
Naive about how to best approach (suspect I am going to need a new VFD).
Reaching out to the crowd for some advice on how I might approach most efficiently.

Exhausted.
Excited.

Thanks in advance for any that weigh in.
CM

Trial by fire learning to operate the machine.

Not so bad fit up of the electronic strike for pedestrian gate - imperfections evident...



Bit of fancy welding for some "hidden" hydraulic hinges that gave everything a super high end feel


Internal frames before I clad with wood. Driveway versions got so heavy - took all I had to maneuver & mount



Finished product came out nicely. Not everyone in my neighborhood has a mill... actually, no one in my neighborhood even owns a lawn mower... Am sure they thought I had lost my mind - which was ok with me - as I fit and re-fit the frames until they were just as I wanted. Will drag this mill with me to my grave. Amazing tool.



The dream. 1300+ sq. feet of space to set up shop. 20 min from my new digs. Will need a clean up and some better lighting - but this is an absolute luxury compared to the garage I was shoe horned in previously. Need to think about layout, air, and power.



Electrical boxes

 

[JimDawson]

Well that's a bit of a change.

Very nice work on the gates.

As far as the 208 3 ph, hook it up and go. It will work fine.

 

[Charlieman22]

Chuckle. Yeah - there I was - sizing up a machine restore and CNC conversion - and the next thing I knew - I was fabricating gates.
Thanks for the good words.

Far better a response on power than I was bracing for.
The space is just so good - figured this would be the - "oh - you need 220" moment.

Will have to go back and look - but seems like outlets on wall looked like regular 110.
I will put a multi meter to them and take a closer look next week.
Owner was clear tho - "3 phase 208" - so perhaps not.
But the certainly weren't the fat 3 prong 220 outlets of my garage.

Is this really no more than changing the plug on my machine?!
Current VFD is for single to 3 phase.
Would I be getting rid of the VFD?

 

[extropic]

Beautiful gates and congratulations on the new shop space.

Looks like about 12 foot ceiling height. For dead (don't need it often) storage, think volume, not area (floorspace). You can line some of the walls with pallet rack and get what ever apparatus (mobile stairs, manual pallet stacker, electric pallet stacker) to lift what ever you're storing up there.
That approach leaves the floor space almost unimpaired. Use same lifting apparatus as a work platform when adding electrical/lighting/air. You're a relatively young man but electric pallet stacker is the way to go. No matter how smooth/flat/level the floor is, a 2000 pound load on a push-around pallet stacker is no fun. Come to think of it, just moving the push-around stacker is no fun.

Lighting: LED obviously. Put up enough receptacles in the ceiling to add fixtures wherever you want. I've seen comments on H-M suggesting 4000-5000K color and 40-50 lumens/sf is the right ballpark. I think @rabler mentioned fixtures with selectable color.

Do you have a drive-thru door? If not how wide is the widest door?

Here is a graphic of best practices for air piping layout. PVC is a safety no-no. I use copper/sweat in my shop. I don't think it would meet industrial code for fire safety though (solder will melt). Brazed copper should be AOK. Black pipe is the industrial standard but a PITA, IMO.
Top zoot plastic coated aluminum systems are available but too expensive for my taste. Put the compressor as far away as you can from your primary work areas for for obvious reasons. On top of the pallet rack with a drain accessible would be my choice.

 

[extropic]

PS: you could use a pallet stacker as a lift/work platform for your Vespa interests also.

 

[Charlieman22]

Extropic - thank you!
(Put a number of your tips and tricks in to practice in my gate build).
Diagram on compressor is enlightening - had not considered any of that geometry prior.

Ceiling heights might be as much as 14' in the work space.
Current lighting is atrocious as you've spotted.
I think LED's in that color range would be ideal.
Will definitely be part of the plan.
Good light is such a game changer for a work space.

Noise can fatigue and wear you out - so I like where you are going with the compressor thinking - and its going to save me steps.
Perhaps it would even warrant a small enclosure - its the bane of my existing in present garage.
Locating it remotely is 10/10 suggestion.

My mill, as some will recall - came with a coolant tray for the base.
I've had it leaning up outside the garage - because it was impractical to set up in my garage like that.
Taking it CNC with the tray in this larger space feels much more practical as a configuration.
I can actually imagine running coolant with it in this space.

The door is roll a roll up - wide enough to just drive the whole damn truck and tailor in.
What a pleasure that will be after the shoe horning I had to pull off getting it into my garage from the driveway.

Excited to get back to the machines - with a space that will allow nice work to be done.
Considering a rolling gantry crane - to allow bigger projects.
Haven't yet determined racking plan vs storage needs. To come.
Tks.