X2 Mini Mill Power Feed

[BaronJ]

I have indeed and think you did a great job. It's a lot nicer than I could have ever managed.

Thankyou Zoltan,

I'm in the process of designing a MK2 version, having found a couple of issues that I'm not happy about.

I used gears that were salvaged from a laser printer gearbox that I was given. Unfortunately the gears that I chose, whilst fitted nicely have too high a reduction ratio and flat out at 30 volts, the drive is a little on the slow side. So I really need to make the motor spindle gear a little bigger. However I can't get the gear off the shaft without damaging the worm wheel.

So I went and got another windscreen wiper motor. I hadn't realised that you could get left and right handed ones ! Of course the new one is the opposite hand, otherwise very similar.

I've taken it apart for cleaning and re-lubricating. I've taken photographs of the insides. You can see what I was on about when I was saying that these don't like running backwards. The only thing that takes the thrust of the worm is the single ball used as a bearing at one end and a washer against the end of the sleeve bearing at the other.

I've used M4 hex cap screws to secure the cover plate back onto the gearbox housing after removing the connector and electrical bits.

 

[steamboat willie]

Hi Baron!
I would like to throw in my 2 cents' worth. I am a man after your own heart - I have frequently been found inverted in a rubbish skip, or bringing something home from the tip, so I know where you are coming from. But if I have learnt anything it is that oh so often recycled bits and pieces adapted for another purpose can lead to tears. On something as important as a power feed on a mill one needs not to look at the power feed as such. One needs to look at the job that the power feed is allowing you to do. If you are happy to run the risk of machine failure mid-job with consequent implications for the completion of the job at hand, then fine, use a less than guaranteed part/motor. Given the price now of new motors and controllers I find that it just doesn't add up to do a make-do job with second hand bits and pieces. Its not the price of the motor but the value of your time, effort, ancillaries such as coolant, power etc that need to be taken into account. My attitude after over 40 years of 'making do' is that you can't put lipstick on a pig and hope it to turn out like the Mona Lisa. I would suggest that given the extreme cheapness of geared motors, power supplies and controllers as seen on eBay, the time and money spent mucking around with a collection of old parts, hoping to cobble something together that is both functional and reliable, could be better invested in new components that are reliable from the start. After all, its your time and what you are producing on the mill that is the important considerations. Investment in anything less than reliable won't do your skills and knowledge as a machinist any justice at all.
Anyway, just my thoughts on the topic. Hope I haven't upset anyone by saying this.
Bill.
PS I have a shed full of 40 years of collecting of things that might be useful that I didn't have to pay for...

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Bill,

I must admit to a smile when I read your post.
I know exactly where you are coming from and in the main do agree with you.

For me the issue isn't the cost but the pleasure that I get from taking junk and turning it into something useful. Over the years I've made many prototypes for various projects and seen a good number make it into sizeable production.

Your points are very valid and I'm not offended in any way. Indeed I would be the one most likely to say just those things to a youngster who has many years to learn about the mistakes they may make along the way.

Me ! I'm in the enjoying it phase...

Thank you for your input.

 

[Stieglitz]

Hi, Been involved in a few issues of late and haven't been able to get a start at cutting any material (or any other jobs for myself ).And haven't had time to frequent this excellent forum,I'm hoping this will change.
Well done Gus on your LYNX project will keep an eye on progress, I have a SEIG mill drill and was trying to figure away to motorise the bed,looks like you may have the solution to my needs.
Cheers.

 

[Stieglitz]

Hi Steamboat, Any chance you can share details on your motorisation mod of the Mill X slide?
Cheers and Thanks in advance.

 

[steamboat willie]

Hello Steiglitz!
Thanks for your request! It would be a pleasure to send you some photos of my power feed mods to my mill on the Forum except for one minor problem. As a confirmed and fully paid up Life member of Luddites-are-Me, I have not the knowledge or ability to be able to post a photo onto the Forum. I do however, after long and exasperating training (for both of us) in the art of attaching a photo to an email by my daughter ("Dad, I've already been through that..."), I do know (on pain of prolonged and painful suffering) how to attach a photo to an email. I would like you to know that I am very proud of myself in mastering this aspect of the Black Art.
If you would like to send me your email address I would be only too pleased to share what I have done with you. Perhaps, if you know how to post a photo onto the Forum you may be able to on-post it onto the Forum for others to see?
I apologise for being a luddite Steiglitz, but the world has been divided into two groups - those who make the little lights go on and off, and those of us who watch in wonder and amazement. You'll see me in the front row of the second group going Oooooh and Ahhhh!!!!! (I'm 2nd from the left...)
I purchased the motor, speed control and regulated power supply off the net. I mounted the power supply at the back of the machine and the control box on the machine above the existing power box. I relocated/remotely placed all switches and controls for power and control from the bought units into the front of the new control box for ease of use, with pilot lights in an attempt to stave off the effects of forgetfulness. I also added the switch for the LED light ring about which I cannot say enough.
My motor, power supply and speed controller are all 24v, as are the pilot lights. The motor is a geared head motor which can be purchased in a variety of speeds from the manufacturer. It has a right angled drive to it which means that it doesn't protrude too far over the end of the mill. I made a slide clutch to engage/disengage the drive manually, but retaining the facility to still use the manual handle.
As they say in the classics, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I would be delighted to send you some photos if the suggested arrangement to accommodate my bald ignorance is agreeable with you.
I hope to hear from you at your convenience.
Cheerio for now!
Bill (aka Steamboat Willie).

 

[BaronJ]

Hello Bill,

Posting pictures is no more difficult than attaching them to an Email !
If you scroll down a bit you will come to an icon the says "Manage Attachments"
Click on that with your mouse (I use Linux and only have to click once ! Windows users may have to double click) A window will pop up with a box that asks you to select files from your computer. Click the first one and another window will pop up. Use this window to navigate to the pictures you want to upload. Select a picture in exactly the same way as you would if you were attaching it to an Email. When you have selected the pictures, click on "Upload" and the computer will send the pictures to your forum post. Close the window and either click "Submit Reply" or "Preview Post" if you want to see how your post will look.

If you have any questions I'll be happy to explain.

 

[zoltan]

More specifically, the end of motor gets hot, right where the shaft bearing is. I may pull it apart and see if there's enough lub there.

I pulled the motor apart yesterday and there was very little lube on the bushing. I cleaned it up and lubed it with a good teflon fortified synthetic grease. Since then it runs much cooler. So now I just need to remember to grease it every once in a while.

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Zoltan,

Fine on pulling the motor end plate off and re-lubricating. I wouldn't have expected to see much lubrication on there either. What lubricant there is, is impregnated into the phosphor bronze bushes and it relies upon a certain amount of heat in order to bring the lubricant to the bearing surface. I would keep a close eye on the temperature at that end of the motor. That way you will learn how hot it gets normally when doing different types of work. I estimate on mine that the internal temperature will be 15 or 20 degrees C hotter than the hottest part of the motor case. A guide if you can measure it, is that the motor current draw will start to rise under a constant load as the motor heats up.

 

[davidl]

David
I have fitted a stepper motor to the z axis of my X1 mill and it works very well to date and i,m just in the process of doing the same to the X asis, I've just been waiting to finish my current project of the bottle engine, mine uses an arduino controler with an electronic clutch, it disengages the motor from the handle, the handle turns normaly until the motor engages, there's a vid of it working some where here.

Here is a photo of the current project under construction. The surface finish was achieved using a fly cutter and my powered x drive.

 

[steamboat willie]

Power feed of x2 mill
With great help from BaronJ's instructions I have managed to upload some photos of my mill's power feed.
I apologise for the out of sequence, but stick with it...
Here goes:
Photo one shows the motor and right angle gearbox which is part of the motor. The shaft was drilled for a spigot to engage the sliding clutch.
The second photo shows the motor mounted onto a separate plate which was then mounted onto a plate attached to the mill with two posts - of exact length to ensure the movement from disengage to engage.
Photo 3 shows the slide clutch engaged.
Photo 4 is of the control box , mounted next to the one fitted to the machine.
Photo 5 is photo3 in focus...
Photo 9 is the power supply at the rear of the machine, showing cable holding control wires. All controls were removed from the printed circuit boards and mounted into the front control box, and wired back to their respective connections.
Photos 10 and clearer in 11 show the slide connection beneath the mill table to allow the engage/disengage function. On disengaged, the mill can be used by hand as normal. To engage the power feed it is a simple task to hold the clutch bar/tube twixt finger and thumb and slide it up onto the drive pin on the motor shaft.
Now, the intervening photos show an overhead gantry system I rigged up to lift and move my rotary table on and off the mill table. I have a disability (apart from computing) that prevents me lifting, so the smarts had to be employed to overcome the problem. It works a treat - I pull down on the handle which lifts the r/t on its holder. I then slide it forward and lower it into position over the end of the table, unclip the hangers and slide the table onto the mill. Job done! And off is the reverse, and as easy!!!
Thanks to BaronJ for his help in allowing me to share this with this august body of machinists!
Cheers!
Steamboat Willie aka Bill.

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Bill,

Congratulations !:bow::bow::bow:
See I told you it was not difficult.
That's a fine set of pictures, and I like the knurled sliding sleeve on there.

 

[Stieglitz]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the helpful info I'm sure that will help me out.Really like the lifting gear you have made (pity I never used smarts when I was working a stuffed back is my reward )..I will follow your lead.
Cheers and Thanks.

 

[steamboat willie]

Thanks gentlemen for your kind words. I apologise for the crook photos .
One thing I didn't mention was that I removed the lead screw from the x axis, out it in the lathe and drilled a 6mm hole into the end of it, very carefully to ensure accuracy. I tapped this hole to 8 x 1 then made up an 8mm dia shaft that screwed into the lead screw and which took the pin for the sliding clutch. I made this a length such that the clutch was still held on the end of the motor shaft, but not engaged.
The 24v motor, 24v power supply (24v, 5A), and the power controller all came from ebay. Should anyone so desire, I have the details of these purchases to assist. These items were all of the type that it was a case of looking at the respective units and connecting the output of the power supply to controller, and the motor to the controller where it was marked to do so. It was very much just connect the wires to the marked terminals. One thing I did was use some fancy (Tandy) flexible multi-strand copper speaker wire (blue flat twin core) to allow for the movement back and forth of the milling table.
Should any further questions arise and you need more photos or such I will be only to happy to help.
Cheers!
Bill.

 

[gus]

Here's Gus's version Milling Table Power Feed done just before Christmas 2014.Good for fine finishing and too slow for roughing feed. Will Upgrade speed later. Power Feed put to use milling the Clutch Knob.Very happy with the finishing. DIY hobbed worm wheel. The clutch worked very well to engage and disengage power feed and hand cranking was quite smooth. 12 Volt motor came from local robotic shop and speed controller came from Ebay.DIY Worm and wheel meshed very well with very minimum backlash.
Now busy building Howell V-2.

 

[Stieglitz]

Apointofview,
Great work,I'm interested as I own a SEIG X2 Mill Drill and this could be employed on the XYZ Axis.Sure is food for thought!
Cheers.

 

[zoltan]

Just an update. My power feed is still running strong, and I couldn't be much happier. At some point I'd like to move the control box to the front of the mill to keep my arm away from flying chips, but that's about it. My mill is set up with TouchDRO (a free Android based DRO) which gives me the feed rate for the X-axis, which has allowed me to exactly match recommended feed/speed rates for various material, allowing optimal material removal and much longer tool life.

 

[davidl]

David
I have fitted a stepper motor to the z axis of my X1 mill and it works very well to date and i,m just in the process of doing the same to the X asis, I've just been waiting to finish my current project of the bottle engine, mine uses an arduino controler with an electronic clutch, it disengages the motor from the handle, the handle turns normaly until the motor engages, there's a vid of it working some where here.

Hi Griffin,
Here is a picture of my Z drive. It is a fixed drive , but I find that there is no call for a manual mode. I use the fine manual adjust on the quill.

 

[Griffin]

David

Can I ask how you powered your stepper motor and what program you used to make it move, this was the part that I had the most trouble with, of late I've been messing with powering the X axis, I don't think the Y axis is going to be a problem as it should take a stepper straight onto the back, heaven only knows if I can manage to adapt the Arduino to run all three steppers though.
Mark

 

[Theclockworks]

Hi David would be good to see how you attached the said motor.