looks good TomS, and that's a heck of a lot better backlash too!
Thanks. I wasn't sure how it would work out. Your design was the push I needed to move forward.
looks good TomS, and that's a heck of a lot better backlash too!
Nice work Tom. Mine is done similar to cs900 and has worked out okay. At some point I was planning on making another out of steel. I like your additional bolt idea. Most of my play comes from the dovetail. Once I get settled into the new shop I have plans to counterbalance the head and add linear rails to the sides of the column that will engage the dovetail plate to take the tilt load off the dove tail. That is assuming I have any money left after the move and remodel.
Looks like a medieval torture device there.Thanks Jay. I had an engraving job that that required very accurate Z axis positioning. The Z axis had been giving me fits for quite some time so it was time for me to do something about it. It worked out great!
I was also experiencing column flex (I was able to push up and down on the head and watch the DI move +/- .010") and came up with the Rube Goldberg contraption in the picture below. It's not pretty and didn't solve the flex issue because it wasn't the column flexing but the base that the column bolts to. However, by turning the upper bolt that retains the vertical bar I was able to adjust the Y axis head tram. No shimming required.
Good luck with your move and remodel.
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Looks like a medieval torture device there.
That is interesting about the flex at the base. I will have to look into that at some point.
We took our first load to the new place last week. Many more to go over the next year and a half. Not really looking forward to moving my machines.
Ha. I just picked up a pair of something similar to those.The base flexing was a surprise to me. I am wondering what effect it has on the Y axis dovetails.
Have you seen or used these? The movers had my lathe and two mills loaded in less than an hour.
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Ha. I just picked up a pair of something similar to those.
I purchased a 14' cargo trailer a few weeks ago to move our things as we make trips back and forth to work on the property. Last week I had a 1000 lbs in the bed of the truck and 3600 lbs in the trailer which was no where near full. Everything I own seems to be heavy....LOL
Tricky part is getting the machines in and out of the trailer. I plan on bolting 4' long 4x4's to the base of each machine for stability. Thinking about mounting an electric winch in the trailer and getting some ramps. I still have a year to figure it out.