Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 12:12:51 PM

Author Topic: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion  (Read 58706 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #60 on: August 06, 2008, 06:08:04 AM »
Yes as Brett said it was etched, and yes you do have to be careful with that bloody stuff.

Hopefully BSL will get you sorted today.

Great deal on the collets especially :)

Hood

Offline Perfo

*
  •  143 143
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #61 on: August 06, 2008, 04:46:35 PM »
BSL still haven't responded but AFC have, and their price is £100.21 plus £10 for PnP I don't know if that includes VAT I guess not and don't care much :). I should be getting em on Monday. Problem is they are only pilot bore not keyed etc looking back tot he HPC ones they didn't quote for keyed either though I had told them the shaft sizes and which had keys and which had grub screws. I can bore them out my self no prob but will have to put my thinking head on to figure a way of putting a key in. Still it's do able one way or tuther.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #62 on: August 06, 2008, 06:26:57 PM »
I have heard that about some branches of BSL but the one I deal with have always been excellent on service.
 There are a few ways to key, you could grind up a tool and place it in the lathe  and crank back and forward taking a slither off each time. Same with the mill if you chucked up a tool. Another way would be to get a milling cutter the right Dia and plunge down to make a half round slot then file. I have push broaches but unless you know someone that has them its not an option as they are pretty expensive. You could also just put the grub screw into the keyway in the shaft but its not the perfect solution so if you do that make sure its locked in tight.

Hood
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #63 on: August 07, 2008, 08:54:37 AM »
Hi, I did mine in the lathe as Hood explained, Just grind a bit of Hss tool bit exactly the width you need with a slight angle on the end so the chip curls up as you take a cut. I locked the chuck solid using a bit of flatbar mounted on one of the chuck holding bolts and the chuck guard screw on the headstock. Just wind the lathe carriage back and forth taking small cuts. The whole thing took about 30 mins.

Cheers
John

Offline Perfo

*
  •  143 143
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #64 on: August 07, 2008, 09:02:54 AM »
Thanks for that. I was thinking of the mill thing I thought mill a slot then file off the rounded bottoms of the slot. I did think about the scrapie idea but wasn't sure how I'd stop the toll turning in the mill but of course you're idea with the lathe would get round that problem. I think I've got a bit off HSS somewhere I'll have to have a think when the pulleys come. I believe we have got some of those broaches at work but they are at a different site and may not be that happy to send them across for a novice like me to break them :)...I'll try and think of a job to send one of the mech lads over to the other site and just happen to ask him to take these here three pulleys for keying ;). I suppose most on here have a starting point ie they are already proficient tool makers and just want to take their skills to a new level. I on the other hand still look at the lathe or miller with a what's going on here type approach so have a double learning curve..though I suppose having a software/hardware back ground this part of the conversion isn't so daunting where others may be afraid.

Offline Perfo

*
  •  143 143
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #65 on: August 07, 2008, 01:27:55 PM »
When(if) I do my lathe conversion is it a reasonably attainable goal to produce the pulleys myself on the mill ? Some of the belts have half round teeth so it could be done on a three axis if the tool is the right diameter. I suppose an automated indexing head (4th axis ) would make it a lot easier and could then do square bottomed teeth as well. I've seen on another forum where people melt there own aluminium and produce blanks in sand moulds. Would that give a good enough quality on the alluminium to then be machined and be good for 1000 RPM?

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #66 on: August 07, 2008, 02:23:01 PM »
Would prefer to get the proper pulleys myself, also  dont think the pulleys profiles are actually half circles, think they may have some relief on them for leading the belt in. Dont have one here to look at but if I remember tomorrow I will have a look.
Hood

Offline Perfo

*
  •  143 143
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #67 on: August 07, 2008, 03:01:01 PM »
Don't put yourself to any trouble Mr HOOD it was more of a passing thought than anything I'm seriously considering at the moment. Pulleys come tomorrow with any luck.

Offline Hood

*
  •  25,835 25,835
  • Carnoustie, Scotland
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #68 on: August 07, 2008, 03:18:52 PM »
Thats great, so tomorrow evening you will be making chips?


Hood

Offline Perfo

*
  •  143 143
    • View Profile
Re: Warco VMc /Chester 626 knee mill CNC conversion
« Reply #69 on: August 07, 2008, 04:30:45 PM »
Well it is Friday so it would be traditional. :) . Plan for tomorrow is to powder coat my base frames (If I can figure out how to do it) now that I've wrestled them back from the fellow that hide them. Working on eves tomorrow which may hamper my efforts. I have a stumbling block that I can't then get the mill or the lathe on their retrospective stands as they are too heavy. I have a cunning plan that involves borrowing a pallet truck from somewhere, getting the stands and the machines outside then using my tractor to lift them on. Ones on then my new fangled bases make it easy to maneuver them around. If I can do this tomorrow then I'll be in a position to start chipping on Saturday but at present I haven't got the use of a pallet truck. I can borrow one from work for an hour over the weekend may be.