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This one would be my first choice;
V304 | VA-4 Anglock Machine Vice | machineryhouse.com.au
And this one second;
V104 | VK-4 K-Type Milling Vice | machineryhouse.com.au
The cheaper one is what I use on my SX3. Almost always without the swivel base.
Greg
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for the reply. It does look about the right size. I don't think I'd use the swivel base either. More useful on a manual mill really.
Cheers,
Peter
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Pete,
I have the power hacksaw and MIG here if you want to use them. A basic table shouldn't take too long to put together. 75 x 75 x 4 RHS was about $25/m last time I bought some.
Grant
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Hi Grant,
Thanks for the offer, but I'm not sure that the stand would be a good project for my first try at MIG Welding.
Maybe it's a job ($) for your young apprentice?
Cheers,
Peter.
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Checked with him - he is up for it. Material cost only (mate's rates he said). I think he is looking at getting some cheap mill work done down the line! Will give you a call tomorrow.
Grant
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Hi Grant,
Still need to do up the drawings for the stand. Could be over the weekend if all goes well.
Cheers,
Peter
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1 Attachment(s)
X-AXis Finished
The X axis is basically finished apart making the final parts out of aluminium.
I'm planning to run the mill using the corian parts, using the mill to make the aluminium parts.
The mill will be used to convert itself to CNC. :)
Below are the parts made and purchased for the X-axis conversion.
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2 Attachment(s)
The first step is to screw the X-axis ballnut to the nut mount. As can be seen the nut itself does not go through the holder. Only the ballscrew does that. This means that the hole can be smaller (20mm) and is just a clearance hole that was drilled on a pedestal drill.
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2 Attachment(s)
The ballscrew free end mount FF12 was assembled onto the endplate, then the fixed end mount FK12 was mounted to the other end plate.
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5 Attachment(s)
The fixed end mount end is a bit more complicated as it need to also accommodate the stepper motor mounting plate. As can be seen the FK12 is mounted to the endplate, a spacer plate is then attached, then the stepper plate. And finally the stepper motor is assembled onto the endplate.
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5 Attachment(s)
These images show the trial fit of the endplates and ballscrew to the table.
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3 Attachment(s)
The next thing to do was to mount the table onto the saddle.
The last image shows me countersinking the blot holes slightly as there was insufficient clearance to clear the tip of the saddle when the table is fully forward and over hanging the saddle.
The ballnut mount is positioned by just taking up the 4 bolts without tightening them. Then the saddle is wound fully to one end and the endplate is aligned, then the saddle is wound to the other end for the remaining endplate. Once free movement is obtained across all the table range of movement the nut holder is finally fastened assuring alignment.
The endplates are then removed and the ballscrew nut unscrewed from the holder (but remaining fastended to the saddle) as the table needs to be taken off the saddle to gain access to the Y-nut holder.
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4 Attachment(s)
The next step was to test the stepper motor mounting onto the table while mounted onto the mill saddle and base to check the clearances.
All looks good. :U
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Hi Peta,
Good to see the machine progress. Are you going to re-make with ally plates or is the corian strong enough?
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Hi Rod,
I plan to use the converted machine to make the plates out of aluminium, As the parts of made of Aluminium, I'll replace the Corian ones.
The Corian may not hold up to shocks such as running an axis into a stop. That said it is quite solid.
If necessary I can cut the aluminium parts on my Taig mill but I'd prefer not to.
Cheers,
Peter