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Author Topic: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?  (Read 269118 times)

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Offline RICH

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #720 on: February 13, 2018, 11:58:43 AM »
Maybe consider using a dental round bur. They come in different sizes and for fine engraving I use FG1/4 ( .5mm dia).
Do a search as you can find some paces that sell them in lots of ten @ around $1.50 each.

RICH

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #721 on: February 13, 2018, 01:51:40 PM »
Thanks,

my main issue with rotary is that the material is not machined and there is no option to  machine a totally flat face on it, Its the side of some aluminium angle which usually appears concave slightly.

With the drag tools being spring loaded i would hope they work better?

Offline RICH

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #722 on: February 14, 2018, 07:42:46 AM »
Dave,
The ball rotary burs I use have 6 cutting edges on the 0.019" diameter. They machine the material.
Drag seems to not work well  at very small size in terms of quality of the engraving.

Depends on what you want in the end and surely a spring loaded drag tool will do depending on the size and quality of the work to be done.

RICH  

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #723 on: February 14, 2018, 07:58:34 AM »
Thanks Rich

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #724 on: February 15, 2018, 02:07:01 AM »
Back to the main topic ;)

I have a possible option on a QC30 spindle for my mill, I have been weaned off the idea of TTS tooling by a friend so need to move to an ATC suitable spindle that has repeatable tooling - QC30/BT30

Can anyone verify this is a sane move :) IIRC the QC30 will accept BT30 holders without the locking ring (its missing anyway) ??

Also IIR you can pull the spindle on a BP out from the nose without touching the head??

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #725 on: February 15, 2018, 04:22:35 AM »
In reply to myself, yes you can pull the spindle easily but only if the screw holding the Z drive adaptor does not protrude into the spindle cavity in which case it blocks the top bearing and the Z drive will need to be stripped.

Question - can i re-use the bearings on my R8 spindle on the QC30 spindle??
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #726 on: February 15, 2018, 05:47:49 AM »
Only if you can remove them by pressing on the inner race. If you have to press on the outer race, the pressure will damage the bearings.


Mike
We never have the time or money to do it right the first time, but we somehow manage to do it twice and then spend the money to get it right.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #727 on: February 15, 2018, 05:55:55 AM »
I was advised if you heat them gently they should drop off.

Without stripping it, i don't know if the inner race is accessible due to the spindle nose.
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #728 on: February 15, 2018, 04:40:57 PM »
Theoretically if you can get the inner race to expand faster than the spindle then yes they should drop off.
I will take a look at my spares and see what I can see.


Mike
We never have the time or money to do it right the first time, but we somehow manage to do it twice and then spend the money to get it right.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #729 on: February 16, 2018, 03:53:31 AM »
Spindle is here :)

Looks good and apart from being a bit dusty the bearings might actually be worth refitting after a clean and lube, just to see if they will run, they feel ok.

So, with the QC30 nose, the locking collar is retained -can this be used to press off the bearings if heat fails??