# Got mill, need VFD



## sortafast (Sep 3, 2012)

Just got a Sharp HMV mill (a big sucker) with a 3 horse motor. I only have single phase 220 in the house and am thinking that some sort of VFD would be the ticket for it. I only plan to run it at 60Hz since it has the variable speed head. I like the price of the Teco FM50 at dealers electric, but what ever would be best. Any thoughts on which VFD to get or ones that I should steer clear of?

Mandatory pic with ghetto riggin. Made it just fine the 640miles from where I picked it up from.


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## 350xfire (Sep 3, 2012)

I've had 2 TECOS and they are great. First one was standard. Second and current is NEMA 4X. Love the switches for forward, reverse and on-off etc on the front panel


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## gadget_lover (Sep 3, 2012)

That's a very nice looking mill. I suspect you are in for a lot of fun.

Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 3, 2012)

gadget_lover said:


> That's a very nice looking mill. I suspect you are in for a lot of fun.
> 
> Daniel


yes i am. It looks like it has led a bit of a hard life. The gib on the Y is pretty well worn, and it needs some lovin here and there. But it has a 49" table, 3hp motor and tons of travel in all directions. Bought it sight unseen for the most part, and it was totally untested (have no clue if the motor works or if the spindle is in ok shape), but for what I paid for it and what I got out of my out RF-30 I am very happy. The only bad part was the 26hrs of driving and what not to go get it down in Berkeley.


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## 350xfire (Sep 4, 2012)

Yeah, sometimes you just have to take a chance. I have bought about 5 machines without running them and they have all served their purpose.


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## sortafast (Sep 4, 2012)

350xfire said:


> Yeah, sometimes you just have to take a chance. I have bought about 5 machines without running them and they have all served their purpose.


yeah, thats what I did. For what I paid for the mill, the gas to get it, and the trailer, even if I have to rebuild the spindle or something dumb like that I will still come out ahead if/when I go to sell it. There is some issues with the gib on the Y-axis, but I am going to make a few calls today and sort that mess out hopefully. Now I just need to make some machinery skates of some sort so I can move it into place, get a VFD, and put the head back on and I will be in business (hopefully).


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## StrikerDown (Sep 4, 2012)

sortafast said:


> Now I just need to make some machinery skates of some sort so I can move it into place, get a VFD, and put the head back on and I will be in business (hopefully).



A lot of guys use steel pipe to roll it on, shifting the pipe back up front as they escape from the back, it's a slow process but gets the job done... moving heavy machinery isn't something to be rushed any way! Congratulations on the new acquisition. :thumbsup:


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## precisionworks (Sep 4, 2012)

> I only plan to run it at 60Hz since it has the variable speed head.


A variable speed head really negates the need for a variable freq drive. For phase conversion ONLY a rotary converter is super cheap, dead simple, easy to build.

Here's a 99 page wiring diagram condensed onto one image:






Any qualified electrician can wire it & so can you. 

The mechanism is pretty complex, again pages & pages of calculations but here's one photo to give you an idea:


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## precisionworks (Sep 4, 2012)

The 1hp pony motor was laying on the shelf (no cost). The 10hp idler cost $50 at the local electrical junkyard ($5/hp is the going rate around here for used 3ph motors). Had to buy a disconnect, about $35 on eBay. About $100 when it's all said & done.

That RPC will start & run a heavily loaded 3hp motor (lathe) or a 4hp or 5hp lightly loaded motor (mill or surface grinder). All three machines may run at the same time.


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## sortafast (Sep 4, 2012)

I want to run the VFD mainly due to its compactness. A 3horse vfd is tiny in comparison to a RPC. Plus I think they are a bit quieter. My plan is to run the single phase 220v into a box that I will put on the back of the mill or where ever. In said box I will put the VFD as well as pull off a leg to get some 110v to supply power to the DRO and the Power crossfeed and maybe some extra to power some work lights. That way I can have a nice clean installation with out wires and stuff going everywhere. Plus I am running out of room in my garage. Especially now, since my old mill was an RF30 clone. I will not longer be able to pull a car in to work on it  .


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## gadget_lover (Sep 4, 2012)

sortafast said:


> I will not longer be able to pull a car in to work on it  .



It's not as bad as it seems. The last time my car saw the inside of the garage was ... Never. It seems to do OK. 


Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 4, 2012)

gadget_lover said:


> It's not as bad as it seems. The last time my car saw the inside of the garage was ... Never. It seems to do OK.
> 
> 
> Daniel


well, if I have to pull a motor, I have to find somewhere else to do it now  . Might be able to squeeze in behind the mill, but that would be pushing it. I really wanted to do some top end work on my 4runner when I got some $$$ but that will have to wait even longer now since I will need to buy a bigger house or one with a shop.


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## precisionworks (Sep 5, 2012)

sortafast said:


> I want to run the VFD mainly due to its compactness. A 3 horse vfd is tiny in comparison to a RPC. Plus I think they are a bit quieter.


+1

All those are good reasons to choose the freq drive over the rotary.



> My plan is to run the single phase 220v into a box that I will put on the back of the mill or where ever. In said box I will put the VFD as well as pull off a leg to get some 110v to supply power to the DRO and the Power crossfeed and maybe some extra to power some work lights.



In a home shop you may be able to get away with a code violation like that ... unless it causes a fire & the insurance company investigates. Then they are unlikely to pay.

FWIW the correct way to install the drive is to have one dedicated 220v breaker for only the drive. A 3hp motor on 220v will pull 15A under full load. Sizing the breaker (according to code) means the breaker needs to be 125% of full load amps (18.75A). There are no breakers available in that size but 20A is the next closest & you are GTG plus being code compliant. Run #12 two conductor plus ground from your load center to the disconnect you mount at the drive & all is golden.

A NEMA 4-X drive can be hung anywhere as it's totally sealed. If you go with the less expensive "open" drive (you can see the stuff inside the drive case) it needs to go inside a gasketed, sealed metal box with an interior volume at least four times that of the drive. For a small drive that often works out to a 12" x 12" x 6" enclosure. 

4X the volume allows the inside of the enclosure to absorb drive heat through radiation, conduction & convection. Heat is then transferred through the box & radiation & convective cooling go to work. Only prob with the sealed box is the sealed part, making it almost impossible to use the front panel controls on the drive. The easy solution is remote mount a speed pot & to use the mill's FWD/STOP/REV switch to make the drive run FWD/STOP/REV. Drives (mostly) don't have an ON/OFF switch so it will either run 24/7/365 or you'll need a disconnect at the drive. Code requires a disconnect so that's the correct solution. 

Freq drive properly installed is NOT plug-n-play. Sure, there are lots of butchered installs on the web & YouTube but a non-code install is still a code violation. Again this is not a prob unless something goes south & your insurance company declines a claim.


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## 350xfire (Sep 5, 2012)

My Teco NEMA4X has FWD/REV, ON/OFF and the pot on the outside of the box. Sure it's about $150 more but by the time you get a regular VFD and add all the cool stuff you'll spend as much or more and it still won't be NEMA 4X unless you spend more cash on a cabinet. I think I paid about $300 for mine. I have run a regular VFD and a NEMA 4X and won't go back to the regular. It's nice to have the controls right there and not have to go to the menu to reverse the motor. I got the EV Micro inverter 1HP for about $300. For a 3hp I think it's $400.


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## precisionworks (Sep 6, 2012)

350xfire said:


> My Teco NEMA4X has FWD/REV, ON/OFF and the pot on the outside of the box.



TECO makes two drives that are their most popular for 1ph input - the FM50 or the EV. Big diff in those two.

The FM50 is available in a NEMA 4X enclosure with on/off switch. The Flux Master series is the older volts/hz control & is best suited for decreasing torque load applications - fans, pumps, etc. 

The EV series is not available in NEMA 4X AFAIK. The Enhanced Vector series is designed for machine tool control. NEMA IP20 enclosure.

The only micro drive that I'm aware of that combines _vector control, NEMA 4X enclosure & integrated disconnect (ON/OFF switch)_ is the ACTech SMVector. That's a $92 option & is nice if you have the extra cash. Or use a $20 disconnect for exactly the same function, same code approval, & $70 more left in your wallet. 

http://www.tecowestinghouse.com/PDF/FM50_NEMA4.pdf

http://www.tecowestinghouse.com/PDF/EV_Micro_Drive.pdf

http://www.ctiautomation.net/PDF/Lenze/Lenze-SMVector-Washdown-Duty.pdf


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## sortafast (Sep 6, 2012)

found a used control techniques Commander SE VFD that I can get for $150 Plus shipping. The FM50 can be had for $185 + 20 for shipping brand new. Is it worth it to roll the dice on the Control Techniques? Is it better? I have no clue. On the surface a vfd is a vfd to me. Other than enclosures and the controls they all seem the same to me, and I hate to be this way, but I don't have time right now to do any digging on the topic.

On the plus side, managed to scoot the mill into place yesterday and put the head back on. Now I can start running the Conduit and wires. I really hope this thing runs and runs good. Just about maxed out the Y axis gib to take out the slop on the saddle. Sharp industries (who's cust service in the parts Dept is down right terrible) wants $199 for a new gib. Plus i need to get the fine down feed wheel, a hand crank for the table (although I might just make a spacer) and a few other little things here and there. If the motor, spindle and what not work well I will be definitely happy with this.


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## precisionworks (Sep 6, 2012)

> ... used control techniques Commander SE VFD that I can get for $150 Plus shipping. The FM50 can be had for $185 + 20 for shipping brand new. Is it worth it to roll the dice on the Control Techniques? Is it better?



Easy choice between the (discontinued) Commander SE & the non-vector FM50 ... don't buy either one for machine tool use :nana: Even though you plan only to use the drive as a phase converter there's no good reason to buy either of those when a vector drive (Teco JNEV) costs only $30 more. That way you have a drive that can be used later on for speed control.

If the Commander SE is $15 plus shipping it's worth the risk. If the FM50 is $18.50 plus shipping that would be OK. Both are legacy technology & while they were good in their day their value today is very small. For comparison, how much would you pay for a desktop PC running a 286 processor? Remember those, circa 1986. They go pretty cheap because no one wants outdated technology. Same with drives.


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## precisionworks (Sep 6, 2012)

Some quick TECO history (skip this if you already feel tired, it may put you to sleep  )

Waaay back when (around 2003) TECO was selling a drive that was designed & made by Taian Electric Co. in Taipei. Taian labeled it the N2 T-Verter. That product morphed into the TECO FM100. That drive officially was obsoleted in April 2006 & replaced by the FM50.

The FM100 was a pricey drive for a V/Hz model at a time when sensorless vector drive pricing was falling fast. The FM50 was an attempt at a low cost drive & pricing on the FM50 was attractive in 2006 when vector drive prices were still at a premium. 

Fast forward six years & vector drive prices (using the FM50 & the JNEV for comparison) are just 15% higher than V/Hz prices. For practical purposes the only place that you'll still see any V/Hz drive - Teco, Hitachi, TeleMechanique, Siemens, etc. - is in the application they are designed for ... pumps & fans. V/Hz drives are designed to lower the Volts as the Hz is lowered (guess that why they are called V/Hz drives :devil: ). They suck when used for machine tool control. And they are high priced compared to the comparable vector model.


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## sortafast (Sep 6, 2012)

precisionworks said:


> Easy choice between the (discontinued) Commander SE & the non-vector FM50 ... don't buy either one for machine tool use :nana: Even though you plan only to use the drive as a phase converter there's no good reason to buy either of those when a vector drive (Teco JNEV) costs only $30 more. That way you have a drive that can be used later on for speed control.
> 
> If the Commander SE is $15 plus shipping it's worth the risk. If the FM50 is $18.50 plus shipping that would be OK. Both are legacy technology & while they were good in their day their value today is very small. For comparison, how much would you pay for a desktop PC running a 286 processor? Remember those, circa 1986. They go pretty cheap because no one wants outdated technology. Same with drives.


Alrighty then. Just ordered a JNEV-203-H1 from a local distributer. Got it for $215 + shipping. Should be here next week. Just in time for me to go to canada on wed  . Oh well I should have a working mill next week some time if all goes well. Might just have to stay home from Canada to play with my mill......


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## sortafast (Sep 7, 2012)

ok, so I was trying to figure out why the find down feed won't work, and it looks like its missing the Overload Clutch ring and spacer. Anyone have a good pic of these parts at all? I am trying to figure out how they all go together. I can see the worm drive gear with its 3 screws and a snap ring, but I cant seem to figure out how everything mates up to make stuff work. I am wondering what else is messed up on this thing after seeing this.


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## precisionworks (Sep 7, 2012)

http://www.sharp-industries.com/mills/LMV_LMV-50.pdf

HMV & LMV are identical in head construction. Exploded view around page 17. Contact Sharp for a parts quote.

http://www.sharp-industries.com/contact.html


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## sortafast (Sep 8, 2012)

precisionworks said:


> http://www.sharp-industries.com/mills/LMV_LMV-50.pdf
> 
> HMV & LMV are identical in head construction. Exploded view around page 17. Contact Sharp for a parts quote.
> 
> http://www.sharp-industries.com/contact.html


Yeah, I have the same manual. I am a visual learner, and that cutaway diagram doesn't help me at all with figuring out how this whole thing works. Plus dealing with sharp has been a painfully miserable experience. Some people need to learn how to do customer service the right way. But I mainly need the overload clutch ring from what I can tell, but was told that it only comes as part of a $315 assembly  Going to have to double check with sharp as this was quoted from H&W Machinery. I was hoping that the part out of a bridgeport or another clone might work and thus cost me less money or save me from having to deal with sharp themselves. I really don't want to pay $300 to get the fine down feed to work.


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## precisionworks (Sep 9, 2012)

hqtinc.com is the best source for Bpt parts. They maybe able to tell you if their parts will fit your mill. Bpt parts are never inexpensive.


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## sortafast (Sep 17, 2012)

finally got the VFD today and wired it up quick to test the mill. Once some wiring in the switch was re-done, it spun right up. Only bummer is that there is a horribly knocking noise. Any thoughts on what or where this might be? This mill has the variable speed head and 3 horse motor. Really really don't want to have to send the head out for a rebuild.


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## sortafast (Sep 17, 2012)

Little update. Looks like the knuckle dragger that ran this machine before me grenaded the key that sits on the motor shaft that the adj speed pulley rides on and makes the mill work. It almost looks like it turned itself into a shim on the ID of the pulley (unless there was one in there in the first place. I can't tell as its chew up). Either way it sucks. Might need to get a new lower pulley half to make this thing work. Hopefully thats not the case, but we shall see. With any luck i should be able to get a key for the motor shaft ASAP with no issues only tricky bit would be if I need to get a new pulley. This fricken money pit is really starting to get on my nerves.


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## gadget_lover (Sep 18, 2012)

It's not a "money pit" until you have doubled your investment paying for fixes. Improvements like a VFD are the fun part! 


I hope that comes out OK. I always find it more difficult to diagnose a problem if I don't have a working model to see what it should have been before it broke.

Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 18, 2012)

gadget_lover said:


> It's not a "money pit" until you have doubled your investment paying for fixes. Improvements like a VFD are the fun part!
> 
> 
> I hope that comes out OK. I always find it more difficult to diagnose a problem if I don't have a working model to see what it should have been before it broke.
> ...


By the time everything gets fixed, I might be at that point  Granted I only paid $1200 for the mill, but the $390 in gas, $80 in trailer rental, and $70 for the wrecker to get it off the trailer, it has added up to about what I could have gotten one locally for


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## sortafast (Sep 18, 2012)

so, next question. On the sliding part of the motor pulley it looks like there was a shim in there. Its all kinds of buggered up now. Sharp only sells the lower pulley as an assembly so I can't get just the shim. they want $157 for it. I am wondering if it would be worth my while to try to make a round shim out of some steel shim stock and then just buy a key for it or if I should just go and buy the whole pulley assembly. I really wish I had a good working reference here to look at and compare, but unfortunately I don't.


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## precisionworks (Sep 19, 2012)

What's the P/N & which page on the owner's manual is it located?


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## sortafast (Sep 19, 2012)

precisionworks said:


> What's the P/N & which page on the owner's manual is it located?


# is H723 for the motor pulley. I have since measured the motor shaft and it is seriously worn in the middle. It measures out at 0.944" at the base of the fixed pulley and between 0.936 and 0.929" in the middle. Apparently the genius that ran this machine previously, did so with out the key in place and pretty much toasted the whole mess. So it looks like I will have to make some shims myself. Got a guy that runs a shop in town that is going to just give me some 7mm stainless key stock and once I get done running some parts on the lathe today I am going to try making the shims. Probably make them out of delrin so that I have a little bit of give. Then I get to figure out what parts I need for the fine downfeed/auto down feed so I can make that work. Then figure out how it all goes together. And that on top of having half an inch of gib hanging out the back of the saddle because the Y was so worn out. Might have to shim the thing or something so that I can get the wiper thing back on.:shakehead


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## precisionworks (Sep 19, 2012)

sortafast said:


> I have since measured the motor shaft and it is seriously worn in the middle. It measures out at 0.944" at the base of the fixed pulley and between 0.936 and 0.929" in the middle.


Sounds like a metric motor with a standard 24mm shaft (0.9449").

Your best bet is to pull the motor & either:

Turn down the shaft and sleeve it back to 24mm

Turn down the shaft, have it built up with flame spray & turn it to 24mm

I'd sleeve it, tight press fit & Loctite retaining compound.


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## gadget_lover (Sep 19, 2012)

When you turn down the moor shaft, is it OK to mount the motor to the stand at the tailstock end of the bed, then let the motor run while you use the toolpost to turn it down?

Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 19, 2012)

precisionworks said:


> Sounds like a metric motor with a standard 24mm shaft (0.9449").
> 
> Your best bet is to pull the motor & either:
> 
> ...


That sounds expensive to do. Might have to call a motor place tomorrow. I am half tempted to just make a shim to the smaller diameter and just run the variable speed with the VFD. At this point whatever is cheap and quick will probably be the solution of the day. I have some parts I seriously need to make to fill orders and I really want to avoid having to do it on someone else's mill. Especially since the 2 mills I have access to don't have DRO's so it would take forever to dial in each set up.


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## precisionworks (Sep 20, 2012)

gadget_lover said:


> When you turn down the moor shaft, is it OK to mount the motor to the stand at the tailstock end of the bed, then let the motor run while you use the toolpost to turn it down?
> Daniel



The rotor has to be pulled & then it is set up either between centers (with a drive dog) or with the shaft end facing the tailstock & the opposite end in a chuck. One of the easier lathe ops, usually a 15 minute job as the only objective to to turn the shaft for a sleeve. 

Since the sleeve will have an OD of .9449" & the wall thickness needs to be (more or less) .125" the shaft should be turned to something under .695". Doesn't really matter what diameter you end up with as the sleeve will be bored to fit. Turn the sleeve for a tight press fit about .001" less than shaft diameter, press on the sleeve, cross pin it if you want.



> That sounds expensive to do.


A motor shop will quote the flame spray cost. Turning & fitting the sleeve is no cost except your time & 3" of solid round stock.


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## sortafast (Sep 20, 2012)

ok so it looks like a buddy at a local pump supply/repair place said he'd tear down the motor for me (would rather have a pro do it so I don't screw it up). Just need to figure out how to dog it in a 3 jaw chuck so I don't have to take of the chuck and reset it. Work has been to stack up and I need to get rid of the down time as much as I can.


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## sortafast (Sep 21, 2012)

little update:

Motor shaft is crome plated. The crome is worn through where the pulley slides. I am taking it over to a friends shop today and we are going to try to turn down the shaft a touch and try to get under the chrome (not looking forward to this, last thing I need is to buy a new motor). But at this point its like that the heck. Hopefully by a little bit after dinner time tonight I should have the mill back up and running.

Now a question on the VFD. I want to put on a braking resistor so I can pretty much stop the spindle instantly. I see there is a DBR-2003-C offered from teco which is the 3hp 230v resistor. Is there any specs on this thing? I want to see if the local surplus electronics store might have something similar kicking around so I can grab one today.


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## precisionworks (Sep 22, 2012)

sortafast said:


> little update:
> 
> Motor shaft is crome plated. The chrome is worn through where the pulley slides. I am taking it over to a friends shop today and we are going to try to turn down the shaft a touch and try to get under the chrome ...



Hard chrome runs HRc 68-72 & there's no insert that will touch it. Tool post grinding (or the motor shop equivalent) is the only correct & predictable way to reduce the diameter. The fact that the shaft currently has HC means that it needs to go a HC shop where they'll grind it down & rechrome it back to spec. Small jobs like that can easily run $200.

Plan B isn't quite as good but it will last a long time in a home shop. Grind through the chrome with whatever tool you have available - it's often no more than a couple of mm thick. Turn shaft down. Make a press on sleeve out of hardened material like Thomson 60 case tubular shafting. HRc 60 is far less than HRc 70 but good enough for what you want to do & cost is low, about $50 per 12" section. Finding it in 24mm will be the challenge.


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## sortafast (Sep 22, 2012)

well, what ever it was it wasn't that hard. I took it over to a friend's shop and we mounted up the rotor and took about 0.040" off the shaft OD with a carbide bit. First pass went right through the coating, whatever it was. The previous owner had worn through the plating in the middle of the shaft and it was peeling off at the end. Now since the adj pulley was 1" on the ID and was shimmed down to the 24mm of the shaft, I am going to try to make a spacer/shim out of delrin that should take all of the slop out. Might have to make it out of steal but with as little as I will be changing speeds, I think the delrin should work fine. We got half way done with it on his machine when the wife called and was none to happy that I was going to make her late for an appointment  So I didn't get it finished, but the plan is to finish it up on my lathe this afternoon after a meeting at church and hopefully cut some metal by this evening. Although I still have to tram the head, mount the quill DRO, align the vise, make some T-nut like things for my rotary table and hope that I don't find slop or other worn/broken parts. All I know is that this better freaking work.


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## sortafast (Sep 23, 2012)

And it works! Still a little noise coming from the front pulley, but not bad at all. Only does it in the lower speed settings on the CVT. Time to clean up the mess, put everything back together and make some parts. Also need to figure out how to wire up a remote control and digital RPM gauge so I can see what its running at as I want to control the mill with the VFD. Only the down side, some how I lost reverse in the process, but I am not too concerned about it. I think the switch may have gotten boogered up or something. Not to concerned as I never use reverse and my old mill didn't even have it.


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## gadget_lover (Sep 23, 2012)

When you have time, look into the reverse situation. The two uses that come to mind are:

Power tapping

Using a boring bar to shape the OUTSIDE of a tube (using a boring bar head). You can, of course make left hand boring bars and turn it the other direction.

Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 23, 2012)

gadget_lover said:


> When you have time, look into the reverse situation. The two uses that come to mind are:
> 
> Power tapping
> 
> ...


neither of those things I am set up to do tool wise. Sold my boring head, but I have a 6" rotary table and a lathe so the outside of cylinders is all set as far as my needs go, I think. I really have no ambition to power tap at this point. But I will probably try to figure it out at some point. Not too worried about it right now. As long as it makes the cuts I need it to, I will be happy. Now I just need to clean up my mess, level the mill, tram the head and finish the electrical and I can get some stuff done.


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## sortafast (Sep 25, 2012)

so, can anyone tell me whats up with this? I am trying to figure out how the overload clutch ring attaches to the whatever else is in there. So far, a blank I am drawing. Anyone? I kind of need it for some stuff since the Knee is not accurate. It moves the dial indicator 0.097" when the dial on the knee moves 0.100" Not good enough for me and what I need to do. If anyone has some feed back, let me know. If not, I might just try to rig it to work with out the clutch. I don't forsee my self using the power down feed for now.


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## sortafast (Sep 26, 2012)

so, nevermind. After looking at some pictures on the web, I found one of the gear for the fine feed and what have you. Looks like when one of the previous numpties who owned this machine repainted it or whatever they did, they put the overload clutch ring assembly in backwards. :ironic: I think the cumulative IQ of people running or working on this machine over the years might barely break the double digits. Seriously. Now I just need to build a handwheel for the fine downfeed just for the heck of it and make a button/knob for the reverse for the power down feed. As of right now it looks like the old beast is gtg. Just got to set up 1 fixture and I will be making parts tomorrow. Woot!


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## gadget_lover (Sep 28, 2012)

That's great news. Doesn't it feel good when an ugly duckling starts to look more like a swan?

Daniel


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## sortafast (Sep 28, 2012)

yeah. It feels good having it up and running. Just need to finish building the handwheel for the fine downfeed, make a pull knob for the reverse gear on the power downfeed, and wire it in all nice and proper like. DRO works great. Everything seems pretty smooth. There is still some noise coming from the top of the spindle, but its not terrible. Am thinking that I might just go and get the spindle rebuilt or try to DIY it. I really want to try to get this thing dialed. But for now it works, and works alright.


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## sortafast (Oct 19, 2012)

Got most everything wired up. Still have to do the permanent install on the VFD once I get the box from my friend that does fab work. But it works like a champ. Having the VFD with the remote controls is sweet. The red switch is the run stop switch, the green is FWD/REV (FWD is with the cover down when in high and the opposite when in low, works out great). Even put a freq. control trim pot on there just for giggles, just need to get a knob made for it. The downfeed hand wheel is a monster. Its 2 pieces of 1018 steel. One being 1 1/4" the other started out as a 3.5" dia bar. I turned the **** out of it. Took me most of a day to get it where I wanted it. Still want to make 2 lightening cutouts on it, but that will have to wait for when I actually feel like messing with it. So happy to be making things with this bad boy. Just have to make a "splash guard" for it since my toolmex 2.5" aluminum face mill puts chips into a 10ft circle around the mill, not to mention burns the heck out my hands and arms when I am going in deep. That will probably get made tomorrow. Won't be much for looks, but should be fairly effective.


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