“This is an independent power feed I came up with for my Taig lathe. It uses a simple motor plate to attach 540 sized (RC car sized) motor to the backside of the lathe to run the feed independently of the spindle. This allows use of all 6 spindle speeds, and 3 variable forward/reverse speeds on the feed. The motor forward/reverse variable speed is provided via a modified tattoo gun power supply (thought I recommend use of a regular power supply for simple reasons of quality and Amp handling). “
Friday, September 20, 2013
Rick Barnes Rotary Table And Projects
”Side view of the bearing, 95 pound magnet used to attach to base. Duct tape has been replaced by a neater job with electrical tape. Working on a way to index angles by making a scale on tape or adhesive to mark graduation. Also looking into ways to index square to bed more easily. Rotates smoothly, and remains in one plane.”
“Table in place with Dremel in milling position. “
“Precision vice I am working on.”
Rick Kernell’s Tonearm
“I wanted to send photos of the second version of my tonearm design. As I told Dean, it is amazing how many "jigs" that you have to make to make parts! I have to say that I owe a great part of the credit to you and Dean. Thank you.”
Bill Marvel’s Toolpost Mount for Dial Indicator
“I enjoy reading tips and ideas from a variety of forums and web sites. I have learned there are many, many tricks of the trade and many different ways to do things. David Lemereis' YouTube called “Easy Centering the 4 Jaw Chuck” presents an interesting and simple approach to centering stock in a 4 jaw chuck. It may be common to many but it caught my eye. He uses a toolpost mounted dial indicator and two chuck keys to center a piece of stock, square or round, in the 4 jaw chuck quickly and easily.
I only needed a way to mount my dial indicator in a Taig toolpost. It may be obvious to experienced machinists. For the beginner or tinkerers like me, here's how I did it.
I cut off a 2 1/2” length of 1/2” square 6061 aluminum bar. I faced both ends and milled a slot along one edge 1” long to fit the toolpost slot. Mounting the piece in a toolpost on the cross slide of the lathe, I drilled a 3/8” hole to match the shaft of my dial indicator (Center-drill; drill with a 3/16” bit; drill with a 23/64” bit; and finish with a 3/32” chucking reamer). Drill the clamping screw hole with a No. 20 bit. Tap 10-32.
Find the center of the end of the DI mount. Use a slitting saw to cut a narrow slot into the 3/8” hole you drilled. Open one side of the 10-32 threaded hole with a 3/16” bit. I used a single edge razor blade in the slot to act as a drill stop. A 1/2” length 10-32 socket head bolt finishes the part..
None of the measurements I used are critical. I made it as short as I dared (2 1/2”) to clear the chuck jaws with small pieces. The shaft of my dial indicator is a convenient 3/8” in diameter. Measure yours. You can cut the slot with a razor saw or piercing saw, or even a hacksaw if you like. I have learned that laying out and marking up your measurements with a scriber or even a felt tip pen saves time, makes your work more accurate and saves on raw stock. I only made this one three times. I am getting better.”
Bill Marvel
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Ron Kiely’s Taig Powerfeed Universal Joint Modification and Lock.
"Just thought that I would share the mods that I have done to my lathe after fitting the retro power feed kit. The spring drive idea simply didn’t work for me so I fitted a universal joint, I could only find a short one in the UK so had to make a small extension piece for it. I then decide that I would prefer the tail stock end of the leadscrew to be supported so made up a block that holds a brass bushing and drilled the end of the leadscrew to take a steel dowel. It all works a treat and I only have to slide the bearing block out of the dovetail in order to remove the carriage.
Oh and almost forgot. I made a hand wheel lock but I should have drilled the holes in the hand wheel closer together. But it works. I might order or make a new hand wheel and drill holes closer together one day."
Leon Dionne’s Method of Tramming the Taig Mill
"Just thought I'd share my method of tramming the Taig mill. I'm sure this topic has been covered many times before but here's the method I use."
Monty Remon’s Quick Retract Threading Tool
"I did not realize I needed a quick retract threading tool until I found several examples on the net, and then I was only spurred into action when I glanced inside my odds n' sods tin and noticed the configuration of the eccentric bush/pinion shaft from a carriage assy., and a 20tpi bolt! I played with the items for a few minutes and the grey matter started working, this led to the construction on the left in the picture. At this stage in the proceedings I still required a tool bit clamping/stop method and a two(!) lever operating system, things looked a bit messy so I resolved to start again using round tool bits and a split clamping method as per tail stock to simplify things. I slept on this. By the morning another new design was in my head, the lump on the right in the picture. It is just standard Taig TP size, 5 holes to drill, 2 slots to mill, 3 simple turnings and a bit of tapping and threading. The lever/cam gave me agro but it operates a treat. The round tool bit slides through a brass sleeve let into the tool post and the bit clamping bolt, a location collar is clamped to the end of this using a smaller bolt, the plain portion of this operates in a slot for alignment purposes and the protruding head of this bolt is acted on by the cam/operating lever. The collar location sets the protrusion of the tool bit and the angle of the cut for left or right feeding. A piano wire spring housed in the bottom of the tp spring loads the tool bit collar into the cutting position where it abuts the milled face. The cam controls the timing and amount of retract movement. Sorry no pictures of swarf, just finished components and sequence of operations req'd as I remember.
NOTE. Threading dim (x), I tried 6mm, 3/16 and 1/4" diam., and pitches 20-40, 20 is a bit coarse for clamping and 40 gives a lot of lever movement!
Locate some 1" sq., aluminium stock and turn to tool post length, drill and recess for mounting bolt. Mount tp on the xslide and drill through 1/4" diam., 3/16"" in from front edge (that's the tool bit height sorted). Turn bush from 3/8" brass .8" long , to be a tight fit in the 1/4" post hole with a flange at one end for seating, part off and super glue in place. Mount tp again rotate 90 degs clkws and drill back side across the brass bushing 3/8" diam., 3/8" deep 1/4" in from the edge, then through drill (x)" diam.. Turn the clamping bolt from 3/8"diam., steel, 3/8" long stepped down to (x)"diam, 1.35" LOA., thread last 3/8" with (x)" LH thread. Finish to running fit. Fit bolt and camp in place. Mount tp, turn back 90 degs anticlk to drill through and ream the bush and clamped bolt to 1/8" diam.. Remove the clamping bolt and turn .020" from the steped face to permit clamping action. Rotate tool post 180 degs and mill 3/8"diam., "D" slot .3" deep. mill 3mm horizontal slot 1/4" deep to house the long bolt. Invert the tp and drill the 3/16" spring housing, 3/16" in (in line with the bit hole) and .22" back to break through to the "D" slot. Drill and tap at bottom of hole for a spring retaining grub screw. Turn collar from brass .36" diam., .32 wide and 1/8" bore. Drill and tap 3mm .12" from one edge to accept the collar bolt. Drill 1/16" hole in the bottom of the collar about .07 from the edge to accept the 18g piano wire spring. Grind 3/4 of the spring length to a flat section to give some flex (or obtain thinner wire). The components are now assembled in order to align the cam and lever assy..
The clamping nut was turned from brass 1/2" hex stock to 3/8" diam., for 1/4" and 1/8" left with flats for spanner work, drilled and tapped for (x)" LH thread. The lever was made from a piece of 1/8" brass 2" long with a 3/8" hole to fit the nut boss. The cam could be made from 1/8"x 1/2" brass with a 3/8" hole to fit the nut boss also, the length (peak) of the cam can be measured from the tool post bolt range and then a slope filed to get a smooth action. The critical part of the operation harmonising the cam and lever action, is achieved by fitting a spanner to the locked assy., and slackening off, go another 10degs and bring the cam to contact the bolt head, the cam/lever/nut assy., should be soldered in this position. The working position of the lever on the tp (horizontal locked) can be set by packing washer thickness, max., req'd obviously less than the thread pitch."
Monty Remon’s Taig Lathe Flex Shaft Holder
"Planning ahead I thought I would make a new flexi tool mounting assy., ready for port work on my experimental engine cylinders.
I had a piece of 1x2x4 aluminium that should be up to the job, all I had to do was bore a 25mm hole and numerous mounting holes. The design of the mount meant I could not swing it in the lathe, I did not think that I could easily adjust the cut on a between centres boring bar so I opted for a boring head and I made one out a piece 1/2x1 ally., and fitted my Glanz 6mm boring bar. The whole thing is mounted in my chuck, it can be easily centred and the cut tweaked a thou at a time on the opposing jaws, the milled groove acts as a pivot point on the torquey side of the block, the nut and bolt is needed to balance the jaws! The drive mounting block was clamped to the x-slide and a 22mm hole saw pressed into action, then the hole opened out to 25mm with my boring head. As the pics show my flexi drive can be mounted on the x-slide and milling slide in different positions. It was only after drilling all the mounting holes and having a cup of tea I realised that if I removed a 1/2" piece from the top surface I could invert the block and mount the flexi drive on the compound in an out rigger fashion, and the shaft conveniently clears the winding gear! I have no excuse now for grinding my ports wrong."
Bryan’s CNC Mill Enclosure
Bryan sent a pic of his Taig CNC mill enclosure, "Shroud is mostly done, mounted on a new cart. Polycarbonate in the front, LDPE on the sides, some temporary cardboard elsewhere. I still have some details to finish: lights, monitor mount, etc."
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