Newbie Questions Re X2 Mini Mill

Thanks to you all for the very helpful input, gentlemen!

Roy, I have some Fluid Film spray at the shop, actually. I saw it for the first time at our local Lowes recently and used it on our Ironworker, and it has worked very well so far in keeping the surface rust at bay. I'll give it a go on the mill.

Larry, thank you for the invite to the Central Florida Group, I'd love to be a part of that!

I haven't had time the past couple of days to get back to the mill because of deadlines at work, but once I get it trammed I'll be set to start experimenting. I had bought a Grizzly dial indicator set on Amazon for about 25 bucks, but I guess I need to get a shank adaptor so I can attach it to a drill chuck or end mill collet. It's the kit that comes with a magnetic base and the column part of the armature is too tall to fit into the arbor. I was thinking of cutting it down but I'd rather not. We can use the kit in the shop for other stuff, I'm sure.

As for my bank account, yes.....money goes out, but cool stuff is coming back in return, LOL!

I ended up buying a power feed for the X axis before buying the belt drive conversion kit, but the belt kit will be the next upgrade.

Thanks again, everyone -- hopefully I'll be milling within the week :)

Meredith
 
Howdy all, a quick update on my progress -- I got the power feed working just fine -- I found a kit on Ebay for $159. I ordered the Igaging AccuPro DRO's and have begun installing the Y-axis one. It's going very nicely so far. I watched a series of videos on Youtube that were posted by a guy named Gregory P, and his approach was a great help in getting me started.

I think I have a broken gear inside the head, however.....I had been running practice passes in Low gear until the other day, when I decided to try the H setting. The machine was off when I switched from L to H, as the instructions said to do. I had put the drill chuck in and had a hole saw in it. I turned the mill on and brought up the speed--so it ramped up fine, and then it stopped. I shut the mill off. I turn it back on again. It does the same thing again. I turn it off again, switch back to L, and it runs fine. It still runs fine in L. I thought perhaps I had broken the plastic gear that sits on the very top, so I removed the motor housing to check. That gear was fully intact.

When I turn the arbor by hand, I feel a slight resistance, like the gears aren't meshing inside, perhaps? But it still works just fine in L. I don't know if the gear was already damaged, but I had already decided on ordering the belt drive conversion kit. So that's on order and when it arrives I'll put it on. Can I safely assume that once the belt drive is done, the plastic gears will no longer be part of the equation? I sure hope so.

Anyways, that's where I'm at. I'll take some pictures when I get it all set up. I am enjoying the problem solving aspect of it all right now, that's for sure.
 
I have the belt drive kit, have not installed yet but it came with a decal to place over old one for spidle speed.
 
It came with the air spring already, luckily. Today after work I finished getting the X axis DRO installed. The Y is next. Belt drive kit should arrive Wednesday. Not sure how to upload photos on here. I copied the link to the picture I posted on FB but it doesn't show up in preview....hmmmm
 
It came with the air spring already, luckily. Today after work I finished getting the X axis DRO installed. The Y is next. Belt drive kit should arrive Wednesday. Not sure how to upload photos on here. I copied the link to the picture I posted on FB but it doesn't show up in preview....hmmmm
 
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