nice work. Giving me some ideas. I am going to build a micro adjustable stop for the cross slide - I will now add a dial indicator. I've used these adjustable stops before on a pretty big VDF Heidenreich & Harbeck lathe - they came as standard equipment. Nice thing is that against a hard stop, you build up some pressure which will take out play. This is very advantageous on machines that are somewhat worn. Also machining vibrations will be much less likely to move the cross slide. Finally, you're much less likely to cut too deep on a final cut.
I had kinda noticed that watching your videos. If i do decide to buy one I think I will make some custom handles out of bronze. Thanks so much for your help.
Dan, This is going to be my next project. Have you had any issues with swarf collecting on the magnets stopping the device from seating properly? I have just made 3 new banjo's for my C6 lathe; very similar to yours but M8 on the bottom and M9 on the top. instead of the hex 'washer' you put on the bottom I have made a 2mm washer that fits inside the hole in the gear and kept the hex on the top to enable the stud to be fixed in place. Love your work, if only my mill and lathe were as clean as yours... Regards from Melbourne, Australia. Mike
Hi Michael, I haven't had any issue with chips building up, as long as i just slide the stop along the ways. If i lift it off the ways, then i need to be mindful of chips being attracted to the magnets.
Dan, Thanks for the reply. I have found a good use for those strong magnets, however, to pull the chips from between the slits on my er32 collets. I had one fail to hold a piece of stock and realised that it couldn't compress due to the gunk between the slits. I may go back to the plastic tubs they came in rather than the open tray I made for them! Mike
Im highly considering buying one of these mills for my custom knife shop and i was wondering what you think of yours so far. Ive been a full time machinist for over 20 years and the only reason Im not buying a full size mill is because of space limitations. Pleaselet me know your brutally honest opinion on this machine. Thanks.
+William Blumer It's by no means a Bridgeport, but it's a very capable machine. It's got a good sized work envelope, and a nice set of features for the price. The PDF model is definitely worth the price. The powered head is excellent, thought not as fast as i would like. It's got enough rpm on tap even for carbide. The only thing i really dislike at this point, and its only a minor annoyance and fixable, is that the handles are low grade and rattly.
Its works like a limited range DRO For example, if you needed to make a shoulder 0.500" from the end of a part, you would just face off the end of a part and then add .500" to the reading on the indicator to know where to stop for the shoulder.
The indicator and hard stop compliment each other really well once you get used to them. Something I do a lot when turning to a solder, is set the hard stop 2 or 3 thousands short of the final dimension. Then while roughing i just kick it out of power feed within 5 to 15 thousands of the stop, and manually run it to the stop. For the finish pass I set the hard stop to the final dimension and then when I bump it i can just feed out to get a nice face. To adjust the hard stop all you have to do is lossen the locking screw and then use the carriage to push it to its new location while watching the indicator.
I don't have an plans for sale, just some rough drawings that can be found in the comment section of my blog. www.dans-hobbies.com/2015/10/17/making-a-lathe-carriage-stop-pt-3/
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Now the carriage stop is the best part of all the lathe.
Nice and neat job
nice work. Giving me some ideas. I am going to build a micro adjustable stop for the cross slide - I will now add a dial indicator. I've used these adjustable stops before on a pretty big VDF Heidenreich & Harbeck lathe - they came as standard equipment. Nice thing is that against a hard stop, you build up some pressure which will take out play. This is very advantageous on machines that are somewhat worn. Also machining vibrations will be much less likely to move the cross slide. Finally, you're much less likely to cut too deep on a final cut.
Nice job
I had kinda noticed that watching your videos. If i do decide to buy one I think I will make some custom handles out of bronze. Thanks so much for your help.
+William Blumer No problem man!
Dan,
This is going to be my next project. Have you had any issues with swarf collecting on the magnets stopping the device from seating properly?
I have just made 3 new banjo's for my C6 lathe; very similar to yours but M8 on the bottom and M9 on the top. instead of the hex 'washer' you put on the bottom I have made a 2mm washer that fits inside the hole in the gear and kept the hex on the top to enable the stud to be fixed in place.
Love your work, if only my mill and lathe were as clean as yours...
Regards from Melbourne, Australia.
Mike
Hi Michael,
I haven't had any issue with chips building up, as long as i just slide the stop along the ways. If i lift it off the ways, then i need to be mindful of chips being attracted to the magnets.
Dan,
Thanks for the reply. I have found a good use for those strong magnets, however, to pull the chips from between the slits on my er32 collets. I had one fail to hold a piece of stock and realised that it couldn't compress due to the gunk between the slits. I may go back to the plastic tubs they came in rather than the open tray I made for them!
Mike
A ball bearing under the stud would give a lot more purchase power.
Your video was great but I could not hear what you were saying when you would walk back from the nill.
I like your design, would you have dimensions available? Thx
Sorry Joe, not for this project. The dimension are so specific to my machine i never made anything more than a chicken sketch.
Im highly considering buying one of these mills for my custom knife shop and i was wondering what you think of yours so far. Ive been a full time machinist for over 20 years and the only reason Im not buying a full size mill is because of space limitations. Pleaselet me know your brutally honest opinion on this machine. Thanks.
+William Blumer It's by no means a Bridgeport, but it's a very capable machine. It's got a good sized work envelope, and a nice set of features for the price. The PDF model is definitely worth the price. The powered head is excellent, thought not as fast as i would like. It's got enough rpm on tap even for carbide. The only thing i really dislike at this point, and its only a minor annoyance and fixable, is that the handles are low grade and rattly.
What do you use the plunge indicator for?
Its works like a limited range DRO
For example, if you needed to make a shoulder 0.500" from the end of a part, you would just face off the end of a part and then add .500" to the reading on the indicator to know where to stop for the shoulder.
dans-hobbies neat little idea im gonna have to make this. I just never understood that part since you had the rod for the stop to make the shoulder
The indicator and hard stop compliment each other really well once you get used to them.
Something I do a lot when turning to a solder, is set the hard stop 2 or 3 thousands short of the final dimension. Then while roughing i just kick it out of power feed within 5 to 15 thousands of the stop, and manually run it to the stop. For the finish pass I set the hard stop to the final dimension and then when I bump it i can just feed out to get a nice face.
To adjust the hard stop all you have to do is lossen the locking screw and then use the carriage to push it to its new location while watching the indicator.
Do you have the plans for sale?
I don't have an plans for sale, just some rough drawings that can be found in the comment section of my blog.
www.dans-hobbies.com/2015/10/17/making-a-lathe-carriage-stop-pt-3/
Thanks!