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Author Topic: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?  (Read 270449 times)

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Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #670 on: January 28, 2018, 09:13:07 AM »
I've now split the code - the M6Start drops the knee 50mm to make tool change easier when going from short to long, the M6End then does the calculations and sends the knee where it needs to go.

It's conservatively set at 400mm/min at present, i couldn't see the point of working the bevel gears too hard, time is not my enemy on machines.

Offline TPS

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #671 on: January 28, 2018, 01:35:22 PM »
glad to read, that i was able to set the "correct Trigger".  ;)

Thomas
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #672 on: January 28, 2018, 01:40:52 PM »
glad to read, that i was able to set the "correct Trigger".  ;)

Thomas

Not as glad as i am ;)

That line was there when i started so i presumed it was some sort of vital Mach jiggery-pokery and left it there - proves what they say about presumption ;)

Offline TPS

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #673 on: January 28, 2018, 01:44:30 PM »
I measure all my tools in a height-setter which feeds the result straight back to Mach TT, all...

would be interested, how you do this, could you please describe.

Thank you Thomas
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #674 on: January 28, 2018, 01:57:50 PM »
Ooh, thats a way back, pretty certain its in this thread though.

I have an encoder, a basic linear way(nylon block in channel) the encoder connects to a 2.5mm pitch belt in a loop, along the loop is connected an angle bracket facing an R8 socket.

The encoder is connected to an ENC module for the CSMIO, Mach3 has a macropump macro that looks at the input from this encoder and displays it on my screen-set, real-time. The screen has a "Zero" button and a "Set" button. The angle is lowered onto the socket on the setter, zero is pressed and the tool fitted, angle is lowered onto the tool tip and "Set" is pressed - this copies the encoder DRO to the tool table and then shows the table so you can give it a name etc.

Takes seconds to do, you can load tools in the middle of code if you forgot one or break one etc. The actual "height" displayed is irrelevant, its in an R8 socket which always locates on a set part of the taper just as the spindle does, the Haimer probe i use for TOM setting is also measured and entered - all my work is relative to this "tool".

The only cost was for the ENC module, the rest is all junk-box bits. It was a fun project basically, but quite useful.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2018, 01:59:36 PM by Davek0974 »

Offline TPS

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #675 on: January 29, 2018, 01:43:28 AM »
thank you fore the Information,
Looks like to be my next Little Project, after the retrofit of my TongIl TNV40 is finished.

Thomas
anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #676 on: January 29, 2018, 01:49:23 PM »
5min video of a simple part run-through on the mill. Uses 6 tools: centre, 8mm drill, 5.4mm drill, 10mm mill, chamfer, M6 tap.

Its only air-cutting - the Z zero is 50mm above bed just for video. No fine tuning has been done yet, the bed drops 50mm to change tools but may get away with less etc.
Seems to work very nicely I think :)

https://youtu.be/5YkC6-ewrHE

Since doing the video I have upped the main spindle to 4000rpm/133Hz on the VFD, opinion seems to be that it'll be ok at that as its not too far above original speed.
Surprisingly, at that speed, the power meter shows it takes 48% or 1.4Hp just to run the fan and turn the spindle!
Might be worth taking the fixed fan off and fitting a pancake fan on top.

Offline olf20

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #677 on: January 30, 2018, 06:46:26 AM »
Looks great Dave! You will have to start another
project. I really like following your mods.
olf20 / Bob
Mach3, Atlas Knee Mill, 4th Axis, VcarvePro, ESS, Super PID.
Been Heating with corn since 1998

Offline Davek0974

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Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #678 on: January 30, 2018, 06:48:13 AM »
LOL, not much left to modify now :(

I do have a plan on the back-burner for an ATC on the mill but its a way off yet.

I want to make another control panel for the mill - the one made is nice and ergonomic with its slant keyboard etc but it makes a great chip collector :(  Need a vertical KB i think.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2018, 06:49:47 AM by Davek0974 »
Re: Bridgeport Knee Mill Conversion?
« Reply #679 on: January 30, 2018, 04:47:41 PM »
Or chip control!!!!!!
Try one of the rubber roll up keyboard they are immune to chips.


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.