New Toys!!!

Hahahahaha... a happy day!  Any trip to Mike's shop at Fook Hai Building is like an excursion during my childhood days.

I went there today during my lunch around 2pm to pick up those Sherline stuff I ordered (boring bars with inserts, highspeed pulley, and some T6061 aluminium stocks).  Ended up also picking up the ER16 spindle, which I've comtemplating to buy.  You see, I've a set of metric and imperial ER16 collets which I'm using with the MT1 holder.  Was warned by many about having the tool extended too far out of the spindle resulting in flex during cut as well as run-out created by stacking.  Maybe it is just excuses I'm using to justify my purchase.  Anyhow, I bought it.  I've also wanted the ER16 setup for ease of swapping tools.  The only few things I've that can't be used on the ER16 are the chucks and the flycutters.  I'll find a solution for these shortly.

Some pics of the stuff:

The 80 and 55 degree boring bar set

1000rpm High Speed Pulley. I need to figure out how to set the preload in the spindle to avoid problem faced by a newly acquainted friend.  The little packet on the top right of the pulley are the thrust collars and screws for mounting the handwheels for manual work.



The ER16 spindle.

 While I'm in Mike's shop, I picked up the thrust collars, mounting screws, and leadscrews sleeves from him.  After upgrading my mill with parts from A2ZCNC, I've almost everything to make up another mill (5410).  The only thing I am short of are the thrust collars set and the saddle for the z axis column.  I would probably need a spacer, which one was ordered from A2ZCNC through Mike.  I'm so glad that Mike has decided to carry A2Z stuff.  I'm interested in their milling clamps but couldn't bear to dish out the money due to their price.  But I'm sure they'll find their way into my tool drawers somehow...

Today, I've also made a new friend.  Terence bought his mill from Mike less than a month back.  He is into electronics and had milled a PCB using his new machine.  We've so far gathered 4 guys locally who are into the same hobby and will be planning for our 1st meetup at Kelantan Lane for Laksa and TCSS after the lunar new year.  Really looking forward to the meetup.