New 2 me Tree Mill, lots of questions

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.
Wow! This is a lot of great information and I appreciate it. Will get back here after I can visualize this on the mill.
 
Wow! This is a lot of great information and I appreciate it. Will get back here after I can visualize this on the mill.
Is it the same bolts to remove the head as it is to rotate it? How difficult is it to separate the head?
 
Is it the same bolts to remove the head as it is to rotate it? How difficult is it to separate the head?
Separation is real easy, better have it supported BEFORE loosening the bolts, because it is coming off fast.
 
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.
You were right. I didn't think about how I was going to provide distribution out from the phase converter.
What do you recommend for an inexpensive solution that can support 2-6 circuits?
 
The square D brand three phase Q0 220 volt load centers have much less expensive circuit breakers. They are also the most common and easier to find used. When you have several machines, this is actually the least expensive way to go as you save a lot not putting in oversized wiring and not needing a fused disconnect at each machine.

not a great price, but here's one:

Beware of how they count, this 12 space box will supply 4 machines (12=4*3)

I found 24 space boxes, used pulled out and with breaker for under $100

<edit> Zoro has same box for $188

<edit 2> heres a deal on a bigger box
 
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The square D brand three phase Q0 220 volt load centers have much less expensive circuit breakers. They are also the most common and easier to find used. When you have several machines, this is actually the least expensive way to go as you save a lot not putting in oversized wiring and not needing a fused disconnect at each machine.

not a great price, but here's one:

Beware of how they count, this 12 space box will supply 4 machines (12=4*3)

I found 24 space boxes, used pulled out and with breaker for under $100

<edit> Zoro has same box for $188

<edit 2> heres a deal on a bigger box
Excellent. Thanks for the examples and for explaining the 3 poles and how to count for 3 phase breakers. When I look for 3 pole breakers, is each of the poles a separate breaker and then I link them together, or are they specifically pre-manufactured to be 3 pole breakers?
 
Things are coming along with the rotary phase converter and the milling machine. I decided to keep it simple for now and add a load center when and if needed.
 

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