- Joined
- Feb 16, 2014
- Messages
- 60
That’s interesting about the leadscrew. I thought it was ACME but I guess thats why I was never able to find much information about it.
I am also using the 2” column riser block and have not noticed any difference in rigidity but I am only using 1 spacer. I think you are the first person I have heard to of ever used 2 spacers. Your mill must have a ton of travel! I have been contemplating upgrading the studs as I feel they are not adequate. I cant remember what size hardware I got to replace them with. I have not gotten around to doing it yet but I will soon because I need to re-tram the column. When I trammed it I used LMS’s plastic shim stock. I know, it was stupid but it was all that I had at the time. I now have Steel shim stock to replace it with and I am hoping it makes it a little more rigid although I think its rigid enough for even 1/2” end mills and slightly larger.
I've not had any problems using a pair of the 2" lift blocks. I did add another piece of rack gear onto the bottom of the stock length used on the solid column, so I can lower the head way down closer to the table. My original thinking was that, since I use as 3" screwless vise most of the time, or a rotary table, I really didn't need the head as close to the table as you get without using spacers. Originally I had left the Z axis scale as it was, because of this (moved from my original tilting column) on the DRO 350 I had been using. But when I got the new DRO with glass scales I ordered the Z axis scale long enough to allow for the extra 4 inch lift. So at that time I also extended the rack gear. It is so nice to be able to work on taller things!
These machines, if properly modified, strengthened where needed, etc., are capable of far more than their printed rating. Admittedly, I work mostly with aluminum and plastics. I try to avoid steel unless it is a necessity. But I do work with steel when needed, and just keep the depth of cut down to 60 mils or less. With 6061 aluminum or plastics, cutting 0.1" passes is easy. That said, I routinely use milling cutters up to 1 1/2" diameter, and a fly cutter that is about 3" diameter. I have also cut T slots across a 6 inch diameter disc of 6061 on my original rotary table. I think that was one of the hardest jobs this mill has done so far, but it did it without complaining.
For tramming, I finally ended my frustration and bought an Edge Tool dual indicator tramming tool. That makes life a lot simpler.