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Author Topic: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?  (Read 269129 times)

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Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #300 on: July 12, 2016, 02:02:20 PM »
You could always fit a SSD if you're worried about hard disk life.

Coincidence - i was just looking into that !
Seems one of these should do it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zheino-Solid-State-Desktop-Laptop/dp/B011KY4XFM/ref=sr_1_50?ie=UTF8&qid=1468332364&sr=8-50&keywords=sata+ssd

Offline Hood

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #301 on: July 12, 2016, 02:42:37 PM »
I don't think you would have an issue with the HDD, all my machines have them in the main cabinet or the control panel.

Here are a few pics I found, Chiron is the first, mobo HDD, MPG and Extra I/O module etc are in the control panel.
The others are plasma, Bridgeport and Beaver.
Hood
« Last Edit: July 12, 2016, 02:44:51 PM by Hood »

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #302 on: July 12, 2016, 02:51:20 PM »
Nice, thanks for that.

When mounting the MPG module remotely, what sort of cable is used to extend the CANbus?
Is it a serial lead wired 1:1 etc or something exotic?

Offline Hood

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #303 on: July 12, 2016, 02:57:21 PM »
I just used some shielded cable and soldered on DB9 plugs, the manual should give the pinouts but as far as I remember it is just 1:1
Hood
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #304 on: July 13, 2016, 08:34:50 PM »
Hi - My first post - so this might not be the right place - for which I apologise in advance, so here goes I use an Elliot knee mill daily for work and have slowly converted it to CNC - ball screws one day when mill not used - then X under Mach3 then Y and then the quill - so I could continue to use the mill  partially manually and learn Mach 3 etc as I went along  - this has worked really well as I don't really want the mill for fast  / production type CNC work but for cutting complex curves and similar that manual milling with rotary tables and dividing heads had just become a real pain. For a bit of history /  reasoning behind this I am a self employed engineer who grew up on punch cards, Unix, VB etc and restore vintage cars / manufacture parts so CNC is really a time saving and helpful step forwards for me I simply write the G code into Mach as I go to produce some fantastic parts - leave the machine running and go and make something else on the lathe's whilst I wait for it to complete ! Mach is great for retro fitting a mill and has been done very simply with Nema 34 steppers.

I am now developing a fourth axis for complex cam follower profiles and the like which I have made on a small mill in the past which  I had also converted for 4 axis CNC - so yes by all means retrofit a knee mill but a bed would have been more rigid - the Elliot is much more rigid than a Bridge which gives me great cutting with hard steels and a superb surface finish.

Now a problem has crept in - if I leave the mill standing but all powered up under Mach then the X, Y, X and 4th axis often start counting on their own ! into the millions but none of the axis are moving until I quit Mach then restart, home everything to zero the millions stored and start again - this is now becoming a real pain as I develop the G code as " going along " if it happens at that point all is lost ! Please help me - someone must know what causes this ?

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #305 on: July 14, 2016, 02:14:55 AM »
Hi Jim, as you guessed its not quite the right place, I would ask a Mod to move your question to a new thread - you will get a better response that way.

I have seen your issue on one of my Mach installs but only after pressing the reset button to put Mach into reset, i did a new install and it seemed to help.

People will need to know your install - Mach version etc to offer help.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #306 on: July 14, 2016, 10:33:59 AM »
VFD control ?

I currently have my fwd and rev signals wired through two relays using the built-in VFD control supply to control itself.

Is this worth it or should I bin the relays and connect the VFD ground to the CSMIO control ground and go direct from CSMIO output to VFD input?

Its a little layer of isolation but also mechanical complexity if not needed.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #307 on: July 16, 2016, 11:01:33 AM »
Z axis coming along nicely - finally got the parts machined on the mini-mill ;)

Last step will be the link from the Z-nut to the quill.

My first thought was to machine up a lump of steel that will fit round the nut, then weld it to the original BP part - this would make building it simpler as i can fit it up on the mill clamp the tow together and then remove to make the weld.

Maybe plasma-cut the part from 10 or 12mm plate.

Sound like a plan ?

Offline Hood

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #308 on: July 16, 2016, 01:52:50 PM »
VFDs are notoriously noisy especially if it is a Chinese one, so I think I would personally keep the relays.
I machined a part, sort of like a rounded Y shape and just had it bolted into the original hole in the quill, will see if I can find a pic or at least a 3D Image of it and post.


Hood

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #309 on: July 16, 2016, 01:58:06 PM »
Thanks Hood - these are both good branded name VFD's but i might still keep the relays, no harm in a little extra isolation.

I have a pic that shows a little of your part, my reason joining two was that the original part is a very tight fit and was hoped to give me the most stability at the weakest point.

Still be good to see ideas though.

I will have a play tomorrow with the plasma and see what comes out. I still cant assemble as i don't have a fixed bearing block yet - was sent the wrong one :(