Tramming and round column mills

[pontiac428]

Great idea with the flashlight and scope. It is pretty cheap to put together, it is not overly complicated, and it seems like it will do what you need it to.
Most importantly, the simple setup requires no more cost or effort than the round column "problem" deserves.

 

[Bruce Billett]

Great idea with the flashlight and scope. It is pretty cheap to put together, it is not overly complicated, and it seems like it will do what you need it to.
Most importantly, the simple setup requires no more cost or effort than the round column "problem" deserves.

I like the way you put that last part!!

b

 

[Bruce Billett]

Here is what I do. I will mount a dowel pin in the chuck and fully extend or retract the quill depending on which way I need to go. Then I mount a block to the table so it just touches the pin on the left side. I note the x position on the DRO or the dial. Next, I move the head. Next I adjust the quill and rotate the head so it again makes contact with the block and I tighten the head. Finally, I change the dial or DRO to the same reading as before the move. This gets me to within a few thousandths. If I need to be more accurate, I use an edge finder to re-reference the x axis. Because the y axis is essentially perpendicular to the head rotation, it is virtually unchanged.

RJS:
This sound intriguing. However I fear I don't understand what you are trying to say?
Forgive me if I sound ignorant, Mostly because I am. This sounds like your trying to recenter the head after moving it? While this may works if your using a drill chuck most of my issues stem from trying to change a collet or put in a ream that is too long to fit without moving the head to get it in. That messes up the idea of putting a dowel pin in at the very least with the collet as it would then be the wrong size to fit? Am I missing something?
In any event, thanks for the reply, I'm going to look into your post further.

b

 

[RJSakowski]

RJS:
This sound intriguing. However I fear I don't understand what you are trying to say?
Forgive me if I sound ignorant, Mostly because I am. This sounds like your trying to recenter the head after moving it? While this may works if your using a drill chuck most of my issues stem from trying to change a collet or put in a ream that is too long to fit without moving the head to get it in. That messes up the idea of putting a dowel pin in at the very least with the collet as it would then be the wrong size to fit? Am I missing something?
In any event, thanks for the reply, I'm going to look into your post further.

b

If you are using collets rather than a chuck, you would probably want to have a pin permanently mounted in a end mill holder. When I need to change a collet, I just move the table so I am clear of the work. With a DRO, this is trivial. More of an issue if you are positioning by the dial.

The need to adjust the column height comes up when I have a great difference in tool lengths as in a spotting drill and a reamer and I don't have enough z axis travel to accommodate both. Needless to say, I try to set my head height so it will work with all the required tooling. It certainly got easier when I started using collets rather than a drill chuck.

I also started using my Tormach TTS tooling on the mill. It uses ER20 collets in a chuck that has a 3/4" shank that mounts in a 3/4" R8 collet. The shank length is only about 1`.4" of clearance for a swap. The other advantage of the TTS system is accurate z axis registration si that zsroing out the tool height with every tool change isn't required. (you do have to have multiple TTS tool holder to take advantage of this feature)

 

[Bruce Billett]

The laser dot on a far wall has come up as a means tramming a vise. The problem is twofold. One, the beam divergence is proportional to distance so the there is no advantage to going out a further distance. The subtended angle remains the same The secind issue for using it for column rotation is that you will need to mark a line that is parallel to the mill column.

RJS:
Once again I beg your indulgence should I not be understanding something.
As I understand tramming, it is the process of setting the axis of the spindle perpendicular to some plane? In the case of the vice, setting it perpendicular to a vice surface, either by adjusting the vice "level" Sorry don't know the correct word for it. or moving the spindle axis. I am unsure how one could accomplish this by bouncing the laser off of a wall without some sort of prism? Even then? I don't even like the idea of edge finding with a laser Tried it and it sucks! I am going to for my next project try using a laser collimator to tram my mill and vice not overly confident it will work due to the distance issue, strongly suspect it will be good enough for a round column mill if it does then I'll try to refine it should I be able to figure out how to make the collimator myself.

. It will be fun trying. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

b

 

[Bruce Billett]

Great idea with the flashlight and scope. It is pretty cheap to put together, it is not overly complicated, and it seems like it will do what you need it to.
Most importantly, the simple setup requires no more cost or effort than the round column "problem" deserves.

Pontiac,
Forgot to mention. Thanks a lot for the encouraging words. Means a LOT!!

b

 

[Bruce Billett]

If you are using collets rather than a chuck, you would probably want to have a pin permanently mounted in a end mill holder. When I need to change a collet, I just move the table so I am clear of the work. With a DRO, this is trivial. More of an issue if you are positioning by the dial.

The need to adjust the column height comes up when I have a great difference in tool lengths as in a spotting drill and a reamer and I don't have enough z axis travel to accommodate both. Needless to say, I try to set my head height so it will work with all the required tooling. It certainly got easier when I started using collets rather than a drill chuck.

I also started using my Tormach TTS tooling on the mill. It uses ER20 collets in a chuck that has a 3/4" shank that mounts in a 3/4" R8 collet. The shank length is only about 1`.4" of clearance for a swap. The other advantage of the TTS system is accurate z axis registration si that zsroing out the tool height with every tool change isn't required. (you do have to have multiple TTS tool holder to take advantage of this feature)

Thanks. Never heard of the TTS system. I'll look into it.
Again, being new at this it also never really dawned on me to look far enough ahead to try and leave clearance for a swap like that. I guess a lot of that comes from a fear of extending the quill out too far and compounding the tools inherent error. Yea, I know. Its round column what do you want?

b