Need Advice on Mill Surfacing

I built a tramming gauge last weekend and have 0.008" of either 1) table tilted UP along Y axis or head sagging DOWN along Y AXIS.

Any recommendations? Turning gib screws does nothing. Seems like shimming table is next step....

I think you meant shim the column not the table. .008" is quite a bit out. Shimming the column will get you where you want to be. It can be tedious but is worth the effort. Then using Rollie's Dad's Method as described on the Hoss Machine website you can check spindle perpendicularity.
 
I think you meant shim the column not the table. .008" is quite a bit out. Shimming the column will get you where you want to be. It can be tedious but is worth the effort. Then using Rollie's Dad's Method as described on the Hoss Machine website you can check spindle perpendicularity.


TomS

Thanks for the clarification. Makes complete sense - shim the column. Will go look at that Saturday. Appreciate any other tips. Thanks.
 
Here's the link to the Hoss Machine video that I referenced above.
 
Hi Guys,

I made a head tramming gauge quite some time ago, very much like yours.
I like you found that my new, at that time, mill had several thou of nod which required a little shimming in order to correct it. I really ought to have taken the column right off and scraped it since it wasn't actually flat requiring a couple of thou more shim on one side than the other.

This is mine !
Tramming_tool-3.JPG

Notice that the two gauges are slightly different. They are both equally accurate, but I did replace them with a matched pair of tenths indicators. I also made the bar at the bottom only long enough to go across the table.

Incidentally, try measuring across the table and traversing it from one end to the other ! You might get a surprise ! :eek 2:
 
You can try all manner of methods to remove the visible artifacts when using a mill, as mentioned above you may not be able to feel them or measure them but they are still visible. The human eye via light refraction can discern very small changes.
One method of making this difficult to see is grinding, if you insist on visibly uniform surfaces mill then finish grind, this can not be beat as far as appearance.
 
Thanks - mine has ridges you can feel and just show light under a precision straightedge. My column needs to be squared up as my spindle trams down by 0.005" over 8 inches. Planning to get to this this weekend as I have some new CNC parts to make!
 
Thanks - mine has ridges you can feel and just show light under a precision straightedge. My column needs to be squared up as my spindle trams down by 0.005" over 8 inches. Planning to get to this this weekend as I have some new CNC parts to make!

I have the same issue. On my never end list of things to do is square the column. If you give it a shot post how it goes and how well it works!
PZ
 
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