Power drawbar for a mill

[garyhlucas]

I needed to install a battery powered caulk gun on a CNC machine for a prototype. I used the hand moldable epoxy in a tube. Applied to a flat surface and with a piece of saran wrap over the epoxy I pressed the plastic housing of the caulk gun into the epoxy. I then did the same thing with another flat piece and epoxy with thru bolts and now had a nice mount.

[Paul Alciatore]

What I am wondering about these power drawbar devices is how do you lock the spindles? Or do you?

My mill has a geared head. Would they be hard on the gears?

[luthor]

Was there a photo? I don't see it.

Thanks, there was meant to be a photo there, is it there now?

[Jim Stewart]

What I am wondering about these power drawbar devices is how do you lock the spindles? Or do you?

My mill has a geared head. Would they be hard on the gears?

I don't have a powered drawbar, but I do use a butterfly wrench (air). No need to lock the spindle, the inertia of the spindle/collet does not allow movement from the impulses of the wrench.

-js

[sid pileski]

Here is the one I made for my mill when I first got it.
Been working great all these years.

Sid

[Black Forest]

I have made some progress on the power drawbar. It is not finished but it actually works just fine. My mill is not very tall so it is not a big reach to use the paddle on the butterfly wrench directly. I have the air cylinder and all to make it a remote switch but I will use it this way for a little while and then decide if I want or need to go to the trouble of a remote activation system. The springs are just what I had on hand. Not pretty but they work. If I decide to leave it this way I will buy some proper springs for the lift. The four rods are very good linear slides with ball bearings. Overkill for sure. There are four of them. The springs are on the back two posts. The drawbar on this mill is captive. It has a 12mm square top so I took a 3/8ths drive socket and a 1/2 drive socket and welded them together. The 3/8ths is on the butterfly wrench and the 1/2" goes down over the end of the drawbar.

[eKretz]

Here is the one I made for my mill when I first got it.
Been working great all these years.

Sid

Nice job Sid.

[Doozer]

...
Here is the one I made for my mill when I first got it.
Been working great all these years.

Sid

Dude !
That's cooler than a girl on a dirt bike !

-Doozer

[Black Forest]

You guys just wait. You all drooling over Sid's power drawbar. When I am done with mine his will look like a pig with lipstick!

[sid pileski]

You guys just wait. You all drooling over Sid's power drawbar. When I am done with mine his will look like a pig with lipstick!

Ya just gotta add some rounded corners!😎

Mine was out of Necessity. Being vertically challenged (this mill is taller than standard B’port) I had to do something.

[Black Forest]

Ya just gotta ad some rounded corners!

Mine was out of Necessity. Being vertically challenged (this mill is taller than standard B’port) I had to do something.

When I get done with mine it will be a work of art. It will be revered far and wide. It will set the new standard in industrial art. It will be a technical wonder that scientists worldwide will be in awe of the sheer brilliance of the design.

[Black Forest]

OK guys. I have a working push button power drawbar! It is so Rube Goldberg it is not even funny. Completely ridiculous on the complexity and cost. This is in true home shop economics tradition. Why buy one when you can build one yourself for much more money! I am pretty sure I am approaching the €1000 mark in just parts and what is worse it is too big regarding the space needed for all the control elements. Two Festo directional valves, one sensitive pressure regulator, one 24v 10amp power supply plus all the fittings and hose plus the four linear slides and aluminum I was too stuborn to quit the project until I built what I had in my head. Now I think I go back to just grabbing the butterfly wrench with my hand and pulling it down. The control box for all the crap I used will be as big as my mill! .

[Black Forest]

Here is a short video of it in action. I can't wait to here Doozer's criticism! Don't worry about my feelings. I can take it!

https://youtu.be/UplxbnewFUg

[john b]

That's a nice storage unit with all the holes in it. Can you put pins in the holes to stop stuff from rolling off.

[luthor]

Nice job BF, mine is similar although my pneumatic cylinder is an integral part of the design, I also used 2 direction control valve from Martonair.