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Post by joeblow on Jun 10, 2018 8:17:00 GMT -5
Been making some real progress with the rotary lately and definitely starting to dig it!
Anyways, not enjoying the tedious set up process each time when I have different length stock to mill, I made a very simple guide for the tailstock. Took the outside spoilboard (which was removed anyways), ripped it to 2 5/16" and then aligned it with the headstock parallel to the Y axis. Works like a champ and I can now position the tailstock wherever it needs to be without worrying about centering to the headstock.
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Post by savannahdan on Jun 10, 2018 12:49:46 GMT -5
Nice tip. It gives you that extra support when using the table for regular cnc cuts. Thanks for sharing.
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309cnc
Junior Member
Posts: 124
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Post by 309cnc on Jun 11, 2018 11:28:41 GMT -5
I like the idea!
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scw
New Member
Posts: 30
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Post by scw on Jun 12, 2018 19:16:25 GMT -5
LOL... I hear ya! I don't want to give up any spoil board area quite yet and so I was thinking of milling some T-slots down the Y-axis of a couple spoil boards so that I could bolt down the tail stock... But until then, I'm currently clamping down my tail stock on top of the spoil boards and only taking small cuts so that I don't shift the tail stock. Sketchy, I know. But your pic below is giving me some hybrid ideas... so we'll see what I come up with over the weekend. Oh, joeblow... Are you using Aspire 9.0? If so, could you please take a look at my post on the Aspire forum and see if you can help me out with this issue too. ;-) forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=30046Additionally, How do you align your Z-axis to the center of your 4th Axis? I'm still playing around with the following 4 options to see what is most consistent for me: - Eyeball the Z height to my tail stock center.
- Reference off the spoil board and then come up 75.2mm (for my machine) to zero my z-axis.
- Reference off the outer diameter of the tail stock center and then come down like 22mm to zero my z-axis (but I don't like the thought of my bits hitting the outer diameter of the steel center).
- I'm thinking of referencing from the Z-axis Home, and figuring how much I would have to come down to be "75.2mm up from the spoil board". I just hope this option is consistent, as it would probably be the quickest/easiest.
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Post by joeblow on Jun 16, 2018 6:21:26 GMT -5
LOL... I hear ya! I don't want to give up any spoil board area quite yet and so I was thinking of milling some T-slots down the Y-axis of a couple spoil boards so that I could bolt down the tail stock... But until then, I'm currently clamping down my tail stock on top of the spoil boards and only taking small cuts so that I don't shift the tail stock. Sketchy, I know.Wow that's mighty brave of you to mount directly on top of the spoilboards. I mounted on the machine bed and still get nervous every time the spindle moves over the tailstock. The quill handle and locknut are so close to the bit. But your pic below is giving me some hybrid ideas... so we'll see what I come up with over the weekend.Look forward to seeing what you come up with Oh, joeblow ... Are you using Aspire 9.0? If so, could you please take a look at my post on the Aspire forum and see if you can help me out with this issue too. ;-) forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=30046Additionally, How do you align your Z-axis to the center of your 4th Axis? I'm still playing around with the following 4 options to see what is most consistent for me: - Eyeball the Z height to my tail stock center.
- Reference off the spoil board and then come up 75.2mm (for my machine) to zero my z-axis.
- Reference off the outer diameter of the tail stock center and then come down like 22mm to zero my z-axis (but I don't like the thought of my bits hitting the outer diameter of the steel center).
- I'm thinking of referencing from the Z-axis Home, and figuring how much I would have to come down to be "75.2mm up from the spoil board". I just hope this option is consistent, as it would probably be the quickest/easiest.
Curious about the 75.2mm off your reference point. I have been using the puck and then lowering Z to 74.800. I mic'd the first couple rounding toolpaths created with the suggested Z0 set at 75 and found they consistently ran .200 - .300mm larger than what I spec'd out so I now use 74.800 as my Z0. I have been running profile paths (much like a flower vase) and getting so very close to my final design that I have been focusing on engraving on the profile these past few days. Making good progress. Anyways, for zeroing my smaller bits (.0625BN & .0312BN) I simply milled a block of wood the height of the tailstock and set Z0 to that height.
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scw
New Member
Posts: 30
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Post by scw on Jun 16, 2018 13:40:34 GMT -5
Curious about the 75.2mm off your reference point. I have been using the puck and then lowering Z to 74.800. I mic'd the first couple rounding toolpaths created with the suggested Z0 set at 75 and found they consistently ran .200 - .300mm larger than what I spec'd out so I now use 74.800 as my Z0. I have been running profile paths (much like a flower vase) and getting so very close to my final design that I have been focusing on engraving on the profile these past few days. Making good progress. Anyways, for zeroing my smaller bits (.0625BN & .0312BN) I simply milled a block of wood the height of the tailstock and set Z0 to that height. That's a good idea. I'll have to mill a Z0 block for my 4th axis. I've only ever zeroed off of my tail stock... I wonder of the Z0 would be the same on the head stock or if it's actually off by a few hundredths?
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Post by joeblow on Jun 17, 2018 7:01:49 GMT -5
Hi Dan. When I dialed everything in a few weeks ago one of the 1st things I did was check for headstock/tailstock alignment. I inserted one of my "dead" centers into the headstock and kept the "live" center in the tailstock. Brought the two together to visually inspect the alignment point to point. Frankly, I expected the two to be off and would have proceeded to either shim the tailstock or have a buddy of mine mill plane the bottom of the tailstock. Boy was I surprised and happy to find that the two lined up beautifully! Keep in mind this was just a visual inspection. Maybe for the heck of it I will mill a round cylinder lets say 18" in length and then mic the two ends and compare results.
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