Little Machine Shop 4700 micro mill

[gjkozy]

Hi, I'm a new member to this site and have been fulfilling my desire to have a home machine shop.

Recently I purchased a LMS 4700 and dissapointed on how the table feels while moving along the axis's. I cleand the gibs and ways and lubed them but when the slop is adjusted out, the table crank very hard especially on the a axis.

I was not expecting the silky smoothness of a bridgeport but do not expect the "feel" of a cheapo hf drill press cross slide.

I did not see a Little Machine Shop topic so I posted this here. Is this normal for a mini mill? If so what have you done to ease up the tension without slop?

The best that I can get in gibb tension without wiggle on the table is when cranking the handle and a dial guage to measure movement, the table oozes, any looser on the gib screws and you can wiggle the table.

Any ideas or solutions?

 

[tallpine]

Have you taken it apart and cleaned-inspected the gibs? They do a crappy job of cleaning those things before assembly from the factory. That is the first thing I would do on any chinese machine. I had a 7x10 lathe that was like that. I ended up making my own gibs and the difference was night and day.

 

[markba633csi]

Remove the gib and give it a close inspection. It may be bent or machined incorrectly, you may need to file it and/or polish it then reassemble with grease
Consider making a new one since you now have a mill.
Mark

 

[higgite]

Call LMS. They are very helpful in working out any kinks in their products.

Tom

 

[gjkozy]

Yes it was taken apart and cleaned and lubed, the machine was purchased used, not new. It's nice little machine, it's really a micro mill not mini but looking at it you would be hard to spot the differences, it has a MT2 and small motor and no thrust bearing on the Y axis crank handle. The problem is it is hard to crank when the slop is out, brass gibs...someone pointed me to Little Machine Shop to get them, but they only listed steel ones. I don't know how I would make my own and replicated the angles that the originals have or how to mill such a lone piece on my machine.. Thank for chiming in.

 

[tallpine]

Yes it was taken apart and cleaned and lubed, the machine was purchased used, not new. It's nice little machine, it's really a micro mill not mini but looking at it you would be hard to spot the differences, it has a MT2 and small motor and no thrust bearing on the Y axis crank handle. The problem is it is hard to crank when the slop is out, brass gibs...someone pointed me to Little Machine Shop to get them, but they only listed steel ones. I don't know how I would make my own and replicated the angles that the originals have or how to mill such a lone piece on my machine.. Thank for chiming in.

It might be worth trying the steel gibs. They are pretty cheap.

 

[tq60]

Get a tool steel lathe bit, something ground straight.

Cutoff tool also works.

Remove table and all sliding parts and clean well.

Now slide the cutting tool along all surfaces.

Any burr or rough spots should be felt as the tool is slid over it.

Use sheet of glass to check faces of the Gibb

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