Chads new machine

[chad]

JDolecki, lol

After this project i would be lucky if i can get my partners to fund a pizza and beer night

Chad

[fer_mayrl]

Chad,
Amazing machine,
Did you mount the linear rails directly on the square tubbing? how did you make sure the surface was straight enough and flat enough as to the rails not to take the shape of the tubbing (crooked)
Keep up the good work
Regards
Fernando

[chad]

Well that is a good question.
First I started with the y-z plate and mounted that to the rail trucks then i bolted the rails to the tube, this auto-magically aligned the rails to each other based on the mount plate.  I then slid the plate down and tack welded the support bars as i went. As for the bars to the beam i started with the highest grade steel i could find, i then torqued the bolts to 80 foot lbs. The rails are 45mm hardened steel,very strong and ridgid. I was hoping the rails would make the beam conform to them, i think it worked. It travels very smooth with no apparent binding. If the rails have some hi or low spots because of beam fluctuations i should be able to shim it out. I am only trying to hold a couple of hundredths tolerance, there will be much more slop in the later fiberglass process on the parts.

Chad
 

[ynneb]

Can we see some closer pictures of the workings of the 4th and 5th axis.
Tanx

[JDolecki]

Any new pictures of that monster running?

[chad]

I will be cutting some stuff this week.  I will bring the cam down and try to get some pictures.

Chad

[fer_mayrl]

it would be great if you could take some videos too 

Regards
Fernando

[shawn_clmachine]

Chad this is an amazing accomplishment. I am proud of you.

[chad]

LOL , Thanks

It has been quite the project. Version one turned out ok. Still only doing 3 axis work. This winter we should be getting into the 5 axis stuff. We are saving money for mastercam . Also this winter I am going to rebuild the gantry and design a new much more rigid c and b head.

Chad

[chad]

Hi, Well i promised some pics last week but the big mill broke. The Milwaukee Router that we were using for the spindle gave up the ghost. We have ordered a HSD 4 horsepower spindle and another baldor vfd for it. The spindle should arrive tomorrow than i am going to fit it to the machine. For right now i am going to remove the c and b axis head, the new spindle won't fit in that one. I am have started on version two of the head for the new spindle.

Anyhow here are some misc pics. Including our mach controlled knee mill and the new toy, A Haas TL1 . 

I have also included some pics of the first part off of the lathe. It is the knee mill power-drill table height atpto-rama nipple. Nothing fancy but it works and i don't have to crank so much

Chad