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Author Topic: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?  (Read 269102 times)

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Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #380 on: August 13, 2016, 10:24:17 AM »
Got the panel finished, bench-tested, all passed 100% :)

Got the pendant rough-wired so i could bench-test the panel, seems functional.

All axes homed and jogged perfectly, no surprises, e-stop system seems to work ok.

Managed to lug the panel into the cabinet, nearly ruptured myself but it's in now and bolted down.

Tomorrow will be final wiring on the switches and limits etc, plus re-rigging the pendant for the next power-up test. Then I'll probably strip the pendant and send it out for powder-coating, or just spray it if impatience takes over ;)
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #381 on: August 13, 2016, 12:54:45 PM »
Looks very nice Dave.
What is the aux spindle for?

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #382 on: August 13, 2016, 02:29:45 PM »
Looks very nice Dave.
What is the aux spindle for?

Its a 24k rpm water-cooled spindle, great for aluminium and engraving etc, bridgeport only goes to 3000rpm.
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #383 on: August 13, 2016, 03:13:04 PM »
Ahh.  Makes perfect since.

Have you done much engraving.  I would love to make my own face plates using anodize aluminum.  I currently purchase them.  They are all custom and I spend probably 10k a year on them.  Love the work they do but hate the lead time.  Always wondered how to in-fill the engraving.  Have you done this?

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #384 on: August 13, 2016, 03:26:21 PM »
no, not that much really.

Full story is that i built a mini-mill for cutting aluminium parts and to learn CNC, plus the fun of the build ;) Then realised that it took up a lot of workshop real-estate so decided to convert the Bridgeport mill as it was under-used, the idea being that the one machine could do both jobs - heavy stuff plus small light stuff. If that succeeded I would then sell the mini-mill to recover some cash.

Thats the theory anyway ;)
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #385 on: August 13, 2016, 03:45:06 PM »
I get that.  Kinda how I got started and probably thought the same thing.  Years later, a big shop and always looking for a deal on another machine tool.

Offline Hood

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #386 on: August 13, 2016, 05:31:56 PM »
Looking good Dave and glad it is all working as intended :)
Still not my choice of control panel layout but I will say it does look better now it is populated and will look even better once painted/coated :)

Hood

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #387 on: August 14, 2016, 03:39:08 AM »
Thanks Hood, the good thing with the control panel is that I have plenty of spare cable-cores going back to the main cabinet and also its the easiest part to strip, rebuild or replace later on when i start to realise what is missing or in the wrong place :)

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #388 on: August 14, 2016, 10:41:03 AM »
Got the panel wired back up, all tested ok :)

Got a few bits to sort out, need a longer cable for the canbus to the MPG module, tidy up the cables once i figure out how it all goes in use, fit the chip guards to the drive belts and z axis, strip and finish the control panel.

Nearly there but moved on a lot in a few days :)

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #389 on: August 16, 2016, 02:27:03 PM »
Changed Mach down to V0.062 tonight, supposed to be best version, also got the Haimer 3d-taster zeroed, had to mark the spindle and mount as there is runout otherwise - this will need a bit of investigation, might be a burr in the R8 socket, might just be a poor 12mm Weldon mount that I have the Haimer mounted into.

Still testing the tool-length offset but it seems stable now I have sussed out how to do it;)