Machsupport Forum

General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) => Topic started by: mrmodfi on February 03, 2010, 11:20:56 AM

Title: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on February 03, 2010, 11:20:56 AM
Hello All,

   Here are some photos of the new tailstock I made for my 4th axis. Turning is very ridged with no deflection, as far as the mach up compression bolt I made. As usual, only time will tell with a new project. I plan to make a motor adaptor plate next, so I can mount a variable speed motor for better CNC lathe work. The best part of each component (4th Axis - Tail Stock - tooling plate) is that set up is a snap. Each, started upside down with a .260-W x .025-D channel that I mounted a guide block in. Then the base of each, was flipped over and the guide block seated into the center t-slot in the table. I located the center of the table (Y-axis) and the center of the base (X-axis) and completed the work. I drilled holes in the tooling plate for .125 pins. I can now load the plate, seat the taig vise up against two pins, and be within .0005 of square.     
                Thank you for viewing,

Ken Polley
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: Overloaded on February 03, 2010, 12:46:30 PM
Looking real good Ken !
Is the center spring loaded ?
Or possibly pushed forward with a screw from the back end ?

The more rigidity..the better.
Nice work,
Russ
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on February 03, 2010, 01:17:09 PM
Russ,

The center is spring loaded, but is very ridged. Of course I haven't tried to load it down with a heavy cut. The drill chuck / dead center that came with my Taig lathe also loads into the tailstock. I just adjust the top two 10-32 cap screws for a slide fit and attach the lever handle ( well, after I make it!). I will up date my progress on the lathe / 4th axis set up as I go along.
Than you for you comment,

Ken
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: RICH on February 03, 2010, 05:39:55 PM
Ken,
 One of the things i did in making up a tailstock was to make sure that the base was perpendicular to the table and centerline.
Same goes for the rotary mounting. This way is it quite easy to accurately and quickly allign the two.
Just a thought.  
RICH
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on February 03, 2010, 09:39:55 PM
Rich,

I covered that in my description. My milling plate, 4th axis, and tailstock have a guide block bolted to the under side that runs the length of each unit’s base, and slip fits the center “T-slot” of the table. I do not believe there is any way the 4th axis and the tailstock could not be in alignment with each other and the milling table. Look closely at the 4th axis photo; you will notice the guide block end in the center t-slot. It runs from front to rear of the 4th axis base plate. Even if a cap screw loosens, all the pieces are press fit into a .025 deep slot, which will prevent movement. As are the guide blocks.
    I tend to over engineer things, and yes it does take me longer to complete an attachment project. But from that point forward I become more efficient.

Thanks for commenting,

Ken
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: RICH on February 03, 2010, 09:46:33 PM
Hey Ken,
Like i say, can't read ....just look at pictures. ;D
Good job,
RICH
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: stjohn4 on September 02, 2010, 10:30:16 AM
Hi Ken,
awesome, can't wait to see the motor adaptor plate in situ!

many thanks,
Stjohn
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on September 02, 2010, 12:29:31 PM
Hi John,

I did make the adaptor plate, and it worked well. Sorry I haven’t posted pictures yet..... I bought a 4x4 quad in early spring and have been out in the mountains every weekend. So my set up set’s patiently waiting for winter. I'll take some photo's of the setup as well as the new vise I made at work.

Thanks!

Ken
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: stjohn4 on September 02, 2010, 01:08:31 PM
Hi Ken,
thanks for the reply, I look forward to seeing it. I am pretty new to playing with mach3, how did you setup the new tail stock in the software?

cheers,
Stjohn
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: stjohn4 on September 02, 2010, 05:01:32 PM
Hi Ken,
did you have any problems driving the extra weight from the tail stock motor? What axis motors are you using?

many thanks,
St.john
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on September 02, 2010, 05:27:48 PM
I'm not sure what you mean by driving extra weight? When I use the set up as a rotary/-indexing lathe, I use a NEMA 34 stepper (260 oz/in) with belt and timing pulleys. For now I use a motor from a rotary tool with gear reduction (belt and timing pulleys) to do lathe work. I will admit up front, I am not anywhere near my level in CNC lathe as I am in CNC mill. But that's only because I don't do it very much. At my day job, I design, develop, and produce proto type infrared cameras for a small company. I take the electronic components and draw them into my PC, and then design the housing and all the brackets, etc., around them. Then I just machine from my cad drawings.

Ken
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: stjohn4 on September 06, 2010, 07:29:25 PM
Hi Ken,
sorry, I understand now. It was not clear for me how you were driving the 4th axis. You are using a stepper motor for this contained in the housing I presume which does not weigh a great deal so that is clearly not an issue. At first from the picture it looked like you had a large DC motor driving it - my mistake.

many thanks,
St.john
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on September 07, 2010, 01:23:31 PM
Hi John,

Actually, the motor's bolt to the rear plate, (outside the housing) you just can't tell from the photo's. I plan on making a spindle brake inside the housing so when milling, the spindle will not move. Are you interested in doing some thing like this also?
Title: Re: Taig Mill Tail Stock
Post by: mrmodfi on September 14, 2010, 11:48:33 AM
Hello,

I have attached a few photo's of my 4th axis / lathe unit for my Taig mill. The variable AC motor is only temporary, to fast and not enough toque. But OK for the plastic an very light aluminum work I have done.

Ken