Igaging DRO - Z Axis (Partially Done)

I've been thinking about how to install the digital scale from iGaging since I received them last week.  Jimmy, aka Sherlineuser on Sherline group, replied in his email to me that he will send me more photos of the mounting point when he returns home this coming Thursday.  The itch is so great that I decided to give it a shot on my own, with the help of some photos posted by Jimmy on the group.

It has to be Christmas night that I matched 2 brackets that came with the scale that may just do the job.  I was a bit hesitant at first to start work as I need to put 2 tapped holes on the mill; one at the column base holding the Z axis bed and the other on the saddle.  The brackets supplied have slot holes that allow some adjustments.  These holes will provide me a certain degree of error show I screw up the hole location while drilling.

I started by fixing the 2 brackets together and on the reading head.  The screw used are a little too long but they're the only ones that I've that can fit into the holes in the bracket.  They will be chopped shorter later.

Getting my daughter to hold the assembly to the mill, I marked the spot to drill as accurately as I can.

Centre drilling the spot to prevent the drill wondering off.  You can see that I'm still not very good with the drill press - the hole is a little off.

Hole drilled with #21 to about 8mm deep.

Using the drill press to start the tap. I'm using the Lupromax Tapping Compound recommended by Chan Man Lee's sales staff.

The #10-32 tap was released from the drill chuck and a tap holder installed.

I freaked myself out when I realized that the tapped hole is too shallow for the shortest cap screw in my box.  2 washers are now filling the gap.

As I was dismantling the Z axis assembly to access the saddle for easy drilling, I realized that there may not be sufficient "meat" on the saddle to drill and tap the #10-32 hole.  I may get too close to the dovetail of the saddle and hit the gib or the hole may have too thin a wall at one part.  This stopped me from proceeding any further for fear of serious mistake(s) when the mind is tired.

While writing this blog, I started thinking about how I can solve this problem.  The only way I can think of at this moment is to use a smaller screw size and drill closer to the top of the saddle where the gib exits.  This is the part where the gib is the thinnest and the dovetail smallest.

I'll sleep on it and see what comes out in the morning.

Its 1.10am now.  Time to hit the bed.

Blessed Christmas.

BlogPress is still down...

I've just wrote to BlogPress developer to enquiry if they've sorted out the issue on IOS 5.01. Sad to be told that though they've gotten the reply from Apple review on their updating of the app, there is still a bug to sort out. The app has now been taken off the App Store pending the bug fix.

Hope BlogPress can get things straightened up real soon.

I downloaded a few blogging apps these few days. None is as easy to use and support multiple photos. BlogPress allows photos to be inserted at locations of my choice and not having to meddle with codes - a feature that I don't find elsewhere.

Blessed Christmas to all who are and have been following my posts, though right now I do not have much successes in completed projects. With God's blessings, this will come to pass.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Proxxon PD400 To Arrive Next Thursday?

Mike whatsapp me yesterday that the lathe I ordered sometime in September may reached our shore next Thursday. It is now ready and is over at the port in Germany waiting for Mike's forwarder. If the forwarder didn't manage to get the lathe out by 2.30pm yesterday, it'll have to be after Christmas.

The specs of the lathe, taken from Axminster's website:

Model: PD 400
Centre Height: 85mm
Cross Slide Travel: 85mm
Distance Between Centres: 400mm
Taper Headstock: 3MT
Height Over Cross Slide: 58mm
Spindle Bore: 20.5mm
Nett Weight: 45kg
Overall L x W x H: 900 x 400 x 300mm
Power: 550W
Rating: Trade
Spindle Speed: (6) 80 - 2,800rpm
Taper Tailstock: 2MT
Thread Pitch Range: 0.2 - 3.0mm (10 - 48tpi)
Top Slide Travel: 55mm

Frankly, the excitement I had when ordering is now very much muted. The wait, to me, is rather long. Let's hope it's worth the while.

I'll do up an instalment on unboxing when I get it. Meanwhile, I have to find a suitable workbench for it.

iGaging DROs Have Arrived!

While I was trying to figure out how to make my set of Sherline's parallels more parallel with its matching pair, my helper came into the shop saying "postman, postman...".  I ran out of the shop like a little kid running to receive his new toy and signed off for 2 boxes containing the DROs and an envelope containing the Mitutoyo Edge and Centre Finder.

I've always wanting to have linear scales on my mill and lathe but wasn't sure how I should install them.  Sherlineuser of the Sherline Group uploaded some pics showing his installation on both his machines and that blown me away!  After receiving some advice from him, I quickly ordered 5 sets from Quint Graphics through Amazon.com.

Some pics taken showing off my new toys:

Don't understand why some pics where shown upside down but here are the 3 packages I received this late morning.

First, the Edge and Centre Finder.  This was indicated as Mitutoyo but nothing in the packaging or on the tool has any marking to show that except the invoice. The Edge and Center Finder has a 3/8" shank which fits my largest endmill holder.

The 24" scale came in a long box wrapped in bubbles.  This will be for the Z axis of the lathe.

The iGaging DigiMAG, as indicated on the box.  All features listed here.

Its specs as given. Accuracy indicated as 0.05mm per 6" and repeatability of 0.025mm.

The content of the 24" scale. The 4 sets of 12" scales have the same content except the bracket marked with the red circle.  4 3V CR2032 batteries are provided though only 2 are required in the DRO.  Good stuff!!!

The DROs group photo. The scale shown is the 12" version with the bag of mounting hardware and batteries.

The scales are longer than what I need.  Sherlineuser said that the scale can be cut to length on the bandsaw.  I'm planning for the installation right now and am rather careful with the process before drilling and tapping holes on my machines.  Just dropped a mail to Sherlineuser asking him for pics of his mounting points.  Hope to receive a reply soon.  This upgrade will help me greatly as I often get distracted while counting handwheel turns and catering for backlash.

The other items I ordered in the past few days:

- Nano-Tram for Sherline from Dan Kenner of Accudyne Corp.

- a set of 10 pairs of thin parallels (3" long) from Little Machine Shop

- a 6" Hermaphrodite Caliper from Little Machine Shop

- a Spillmaster Container from Little Machine Shop

- 4 books and 2 DVDs from W. R. Smith on clockmaking

- INCRA 3" Precision Tiny T-Rule

- iGaging 6" Inside Caliper from Quint Graphics

- iGaging 4" Steel Double Square from Quint Graphics

All the items except the books and DVDs from W. R. Smith should reach the VPost consolidation center in Portland Oregon next week.  They'll probably reached me early next year.  The books and DVDs will only be sent out when Mr Smith received the USD bank draft I sent him.

Plus the gift I bought for my wife and kids, I've spent quite a bit this month, not counting the cost and expenditure of the recent Taiwan trip with the family.  I've also bought myself a massage mat from Ogawa to smother my neck and lower back yesterday.  It seems necessary after playing on the walking course in Malaysia earlier the same day.  This is the first time I played on a walking course.  The turf-mate the caddie was on seemed tempting after the first nine...  This means that I need to start getting back in shape after laying off for some years...

Now for some rant:

I'm so far satisfied with the service from VPost though occasionally their postmen would just leave the collection slips under the door though I've someone at home (I may need to make a big "PRESS THE DOOR BELL!" sign for them).  It is rather troublesome for me to make time to drop by Sengkang's Post Office to collect the parcels.  This round, the Dykem layout dye I bought for marking seems to be stuck in their US consolidation centre.  I paid for the shipping together with the DROs and the Edge Finder.  Yet I don't see any update on their tracking screen for this item.  Nobody there even bother to call or write to me to highlight any issue.  My mail to them seemed to end up in twilight zone.  I'll lodge a complaint if I don't hear from them by Monday.

Its 1.30am now.  Time to hit the bed.  Otherwise, I'll be nodding at everything my Pastor says during service.

Have a blessed Sunday.

The Millie: Cylinder Mount - Another Failed Attempt

I spent quite a few hours on and off in the shop preparing the stock to redo the Cylinder Mount for the Millie.  I drilled the 2 1/16" holes through rather than just breaking through the 1/8" holes from the sides of the Mount.  When I was about to complete the job, I made the same mistake of drilling through again!!! What a fool I am!!! I was enjoying the drill cutting through the brass like it was cutting through butter not realizing that the mistake was committed only after going through the second hole... sigh... Got to start over again...  What a waste of precious shop time!

Anyway, some photos taken during the session.

Right on target!  I'm so glad!

On target again!  I'm feeling good...

Making the counterbore using a 3/16" endmill after drilling the 3/32" hole.

The 2 bigger holes done. The 2 1/16" holes will be next.

This was where I screwed up.  The 2 small 1/16" holes are no supposed to be through holes...

Quite some time was spent trying to prepare the brass stock to achieve certain level of accuracy.  This, from what I see from the plan, is not required as the dimensions of the stock are not critical.  I did it nonetheless to see how close I can get as a form of practice.  Besides, I was working only to 0.01mm (10 microns?).  Wait till you see the measuring done with the micrometer; the numbers wouldn't be that nice...

Anyway, I've to start over again with this...

W. R. Smith's Books & DVDs

Dear all readers,

Is there a US person who has a PayPal account and can help me purchase some books & DVDs from Mr W. R. Smith?  His website is at http://www.wrsmithtelegraphkeys.com/books.htm. Payment can only be done via personal check or in cash (USD only).

I'll make the payment via PayPal first and upon receipt, the kind person will then make the payment.  The shipping address will be to the consolidation center in Portland Oregon (VPost.com.sg).  I'll also take care of the fee charged by PayPal.

Thank you for reading.

Regards,
Wong

Video on SFM - simplest I can find

I was away with my family in Taiwan for the entire first week of my leave.  No time yet to be in the shop.  What I bring back from the trip? Sleeping on the coach from point to point, toilet breaks, and the jokes from the tour guide... sigh...  That's the pain of traveling around the country in 7 days...

Anyway, I found this series of videos from CNC Geeks on YouTube.  One of the videos talks about Surface Footage; a subject that I've never really understood.  I like to share it here:

http://youtu.be/9VGSlJU53ng

I should be back in the shop these couple of days.  The golf game with my business partners has been tentatively planned to be on Friday.

This December, I'm back to my spending spree.  Ordered 5 sets of DROs from Quint Graphics via Amazon.com, a Mitutoyo Edge and Centre finder, a bottle of Dykem Layout Fluid, and now about to order a Digital Inside Caliper, some books and DVDs from Mr W. R. Smith on clockmaking.  I've also ordered a new Tailstock for my Sherline lathe as the current one is drooping when its spindle is extended.  No time to fix that on my own and so the new one.

I'll finish off the current project (Millie) and go back to machining the Z axis mounting to adapt the A2ZCNC leadscrew this week (hopefully).

Will keep you folks posted.

Have a blessed December.