New 2 me Tree Mill, lots of questions

twhite said:
That looks like a fine place for the mill.

Can you move the ram back all the way and not hit the wall. Not that you will ever need to move it back that far. Just in case.


Cutting oil is my blood.
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Probably can but the main goal was to get it back as far as possible. Unfortunately or fortunately the electrical door forced me to space it off the wall more than I hoped. I think about the same spacing I would need if I wanted to move the ram all the way back. Happy mistakes, gotta love em.
 
With the Y axis all the way back can you still move the X to both ends?
 
Anyone know how to remove the head so I can replace the broken bolt? I was thinking I can rig something so I can use the table to support the head and then move it out of the way using the knee, x and y.
 
Take a look at this vid



Cutting oil is my blood.
 
Karl_T said:
You can get into creeping elegance here. That converter can have a 60 amp circuit to it. And then supply a whole shop in the future. Problem here is you need far smaller circuit for the single tree mill.

If you are thinking ahead to a full shop, I'd suggest a 3 phase sub panel. These can go real cheap if you scrounge for used. Put a 60 amp circuit in your main load center to this panel. Then put your converter on a 40 amp three phase breaker. Put your tree on a proper breaker, Not sure of your FLA here - 15amp??

Now you are all set to easily add more machines in the future.
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Sounds like great advice but I'm not planning on any more 3~ machines and everything from here on out will be surface mounted so I can add on if needed. My lathe was converted by means of VFD and if I buy anything next it will be a CNC mill that might replace the Tree, unless I fall in love with it.
 
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Re; removing head.

If it were me I'd make up a wood frame to hold the head, then move it around as you suggest with the table and knee. Kind of like this with 2x4s:

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Karl_T said:
Re; removing head.

If it were me I'd make up a wood frame to hold the head, then move it around as you suggest with the table and knee. Kind of like this with 2x4s:

View attachment 494536
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I was thinking the same. TWhite posted a video above showing how someone turned the head horizontally and supported it in that position. It seemed to allow better access to the top of the motor and probably more stable and easier to support as well. Downside is it's a lot further distance to the table and the video didn't show how they got it in that position. I'll need to look for a precursor video.
 
When I took the head off of my Tree for moving I drained the oil first (you will want to do all of the oil changes anyhow) and then flipped it all the way upside down. This puts the heavy end at the bottom for best possible stability. Put an eye bolt in the chuck and lifted it with the shop crane, moved it with a furniture dolly, I think it is under 300 lbs. Just make sure that you have the collet nice and tight on the drill chuck shank, and the drill chuck shank nice and tight in the drill chuck, and the drill chuck nice and tight on the eye bolt. You do not really have to take the head all the way off, You just need to pull it out far enough to change the bolt. You may be able to just set the head upside down on the table, by raising or lowering the knee, and then use the Y axis to move the head out from the machine. I would put a couple of ratchet straps to make sure the head can not tip off the table.

The bolts have a square head made to work in the curved T slot. You might have to make or modify a bolt once you see the head.


To rotate the head, loosen the 4 bolts, (In your case 3) there is a 1/2 square shaft sticking out the top of the ram that is a gear drive for rotating the head. The nod drive on my machine has 2 broken gear teeth (before it was mine) and it is a lot less weight, so I am not sure that the gear teeth can handle the full weight of the head when it gets way out there. I always use my hand to help support the weight while moving it, especially when going back up.

I have been able to find Tree manuals on ebay.
 
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