Last week I decided to get on with the project. I modified my original plan of using the JET Mill to drill all the way through the coupler. I now would just drill through the top and use that hole to guide me as I used a hand drill to finish the job.
I used a edge-finder(.2") to locate the side of the coupler. I had already measured the coupler's diameter with a calipers and found it to be 1.180" in diameter.
After locating the edge of the coupler, I moved the table in .690" and drilled a starting point using a center drill and then a 5mm hole into the top of the coupler. (I need to purchase a Spot Drill to use instead of a center drill)
I attempted to thread the coupler onto the Powerfeed shaft. It did not want to thread onto the shaft.
I removed the coupler and could see some burrs adjacent to the hole inside. I used a pick and cleaned the burrs out of the thread. I twisted a rag through the threaded hole a couple of times and tried mounting the coupler onto the Powerfeed shaft again.
It now threaded onto the shaft without issue.
Now it was time to attack the shaft with a hand held drill. I took my time and tried to keep the drill running true. I stopped and added cutting oil often.
After a bit of time the hole was completed.
I cleaned up hole and inserted the Spring Pin into the hole. I used Knipex Wrench Pliers to squeeze the pin into the 5mm hole. The parallel jaws of the Knipex did a nice job getting the pin most of the way into the hole.
Eventually - due to interference with the coupler - the Knipex's jaws were too big to seat the spring pin completely. I used a punch and a hammer to drive the pin the rest of the way into the hole.
A bit nerve racking drilling the hole freehand into the shaft but it turned out OK.
Except for tidying up some of the electrical wires, this completes the installation of the Z-Axis Powerfeed.
Scott
I used a edge-finder(.2") to locate the side of the coupler. I had already measured the coupler's diameter with a calipers and found it to be 1.180" in diameter.
After locating the edge of the coupler, I moved the table in .690" and drilled a starting point using a center drill and then a 5mm hole into the top of the coupler. (I need to purchase a Spot Drill to use instead of a center drill)
I attempted to thread the coupler onto the Powerfeed shaft. It did not want to thread onto the shaft.
I removed the coupler and could see some burrs adjacent to the hole inside. I used a pick and cleaned the burrs out of the thread. I twisted a rag through the threaded hole a couple of times and tried mounting the coupler onto the Powerfeed shaft again.
It now threaded onto the shaft without issue.
Now it was time to attack the shaft with a hand held drill. I took my time and tried to keep the drill running true. I stopped and added cutting oil often.
After a bit of time the hole was completed.
I cleaned up hole and inserted the Spring Pin into the hole. I used Knipex Wrench Pliers to squeeze the pin into the 5mm hole. The parallel jaws of the Knipex did a nice job getting the pin most of the way into the hole.
Eventually - due to interference with the coupler - the Knipex's jaws were too big to seat the spring pin completely. I used a punch and a hammer to drive the pin the rest of the way into the hole.
A bit nerve racking drilling the hole freehand into the shaft but it turned out OK.
Except for tidying up some of the electrical wires, this completes the installation of the Z-Axis Powerfeed.
Scott