CX601 Milling Machine

[Toolguy]

You will never regret spending the time it took to set up the DRO! It seems like such a hassle at the time, but forever after you will have years of enjoyment out of it.

[brian Rupnow]

Toolguy--I think you are right, but it's been a long haul. I'm getting close to being finished. Next up will be adding the chain and sprockets for the head lowering mechanism, and then the big move into my machine shop.----Brian

[sasquatch]

lookin good Brian!!

[brian Rupnow]

Hi Sasquatch---Haven't heard much from you lately. I hope we are finally going to get some nice weather. I went up to Bancroft today to see mom, and it was just a lovely day.---Brian

[sasquatch]

Lol, Too darn hot now with temp running around 30c. Lol Was under the weather inside for a month, out of commision!! Hope your'e mom is doing great!! Enjoying the great postings.

[brian Rupnow]

I think I can put this portion of the thread to bed now. The DRO is up and running and seems to perform very well. I still have to finish the bracket and the piece of brass shim-stock to complete the reinstallation of the big rubber guard between the saddle and the column, but that should be a relatively minor act, now that I have figured out what to do. The positioning and sorting out of wires and cables will be ongoing until I find what works best for me. My next act now will be to install the sprockets and chains to reposition the high handwheel that raises and lowers the head to a more comfortable position.

[brian Rupnow]

I hadn't planned on doing this today----Honest!!! it just kinda happened.

[brian Rupnow]

I could never imagine, in my wildest dreams, how great a thing it is to have a DRO set-up. My god---It takes away 50% of the time in making something on the mill. It seems really weird at first, not counting full rotations and part rotations of every table adjustment using the dials. At first it seemed kind of strange, zeroing the x or Y axis then making the table move without even giving thought to where the dial is, but it's something you get used to pretty darn fast. It is simply amazing!!!---Brian

[Black Forest]

I could never imagine, in my wildest dreams, how great a thing it is to have a DRO set-up. My god---It takes away 50% of the time in making something on the mill. It seems really weird at first, not counting full rotations and part rotations of every table adjustment using the dials. At first it seemed kind of strange, zeroing the x or Y axis then making the table move without even giving thought to where the dial is, but it's something you get used to pretty darn fast. It is simply amazing!!!---Brian

Amen! My big lathe and my universal mill both have DRO's. When I had something set up on the big lathe and needed to make a part to check the part on the big lathe and used my original lathe without DRO's I felt like I was being punished. The same for my big ole horizontal mill. I hate to use it if I have to make more than one pass to get the width of a slot.
No No, life is too short to be without DRO'S.

Amen!

[RB211]

I could never imagine, in my wildest dreams, how great a thing it is to have a DRO set-up. My god---It takes away 50% of the time in making something on the mill. It seems really weird at first, not counting full rotations and part rotations of every table adjustment using the dials. At first it seemed kind of strange, zeroing the x or Y axis then making the table move without even giving thought to where the dial is, but it's something you get used to pretty darn fast. It is simply amazing!!!---Brian

You can lead a horse to water, I'm glad you took the drink!
The next thing you will discover is that your Solidworks Drawings, the dimensions you list will be such that they lend themselves to the use of the DRO. Do you have edge finders yet? The wobbly type work just fine, touch the edge, and zero the DRO half of the width

[brian Rupnow]

This video shows the modification I made to the handle which raises and lowers the head of my bench-top milling machine.---Brian

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9tNdf5aJUA&feature=youtu.be

[sasquatch]

Thanks Brian good video as usual.

[brian Rupnow]

I'm down to the point of having only one thing left to do, and that is complete the bracket to hold the big rubber sheet between the saddle and the column, yet still let the table move back and forth in the X axis. I purchased a sheet of .015" brass shim stock to make the "sliding seal" portion that rides against the back of the X axis guard angle, as shown in an earlier post. I hope to do that tomorrow morning. My original plan was to fit everything, then disassemble it all to move it into my machine shop. I am now rethinking that, and may move everything just as it is on my heavy duty machinery moving cart. I may hire two great big healthy fellows to help me---not so much to help me move the thing, as to steady it while I pull the cart. It has to go through the doorway from my garage into the office, then through a second door from my office into my machine shop. Clearance is not an issue, and both transoms are very low. I don't want to end up like the poor fellow on one of the forums who upset his brand new lathe and crushed his foot in the bargain.

[brian Rupnow]

I'm finished!!! The big rubber seal is back in place between the saddle and the column, and the piece of .015" brass seals tightly against the edge of the table but still lets it go back and forth. I have modified the "machinery cart" by welding up a handle to pull it with.--I found that while it has no problem supporting the machinery, it is almost impossible to steer the damn thing with a load on it, even with two steerable casters and two fixed casters. This way, the pivotting handle will let me steer and pull, while a couple of strong fellows can steady the machine. I have checked and the cart does fit through all my doorways. (barely). The machine will be bolted to the cart for the duration of the move.

[RB211]

Is that Enco's or Busy Bee's 4" machining vise that is a clone of the Kirk? If so, your mill is a bit larger than a Sieg X3!