Milling machine - video

**SteelCraft** · Nov 17, 2024, 04:12 PM

I'm still waiting for delievery of linear rails.

This is how I want to lock them if needed:

C block with cut in one wall. This thin piece will bend slightly under pressure of bolt and will clamp around the rail. I think this is much safer for guide surface than using only bolt directly.

There will be two per axis:

Bolts of levers will be shortened if needed.

**carl blum** · Nov 17, 2024, 07:28 PM

Make both sides "floating" so there will be no drag when free.

**SteelCraft** · Nov 18, 2024, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by carl blum

Make both sides "floating" so there will be no drag when free.

Good point. This is version 2. Now whole block can move to sides. It should adjust itself to minimise drag when it's not clamping.

I see now version 3 possible. With T slot on center instead of two beans shaped to prevent any rotation movement when assembled.

**SteelCraft** · Jan 6, 2025, 03:11 PM

It's been a while since my last post here.
As a part of preparation to changing guides I made antibacklash nut assembly for Z axis.

Then I made set if rail locking blocks:

Block is held in place by this nut. It allows to slight movement of locking block to prevent any drag when not clamped:

Locking block assembly:

Today I finally managed to mount Z axis rail and align their parallelity:

**SteelCraft** · Jan 16, 2025, 09:38 AM

Hello

Part 17 is out!

Now it's time for upgrading X and Y axis. I would like to fine tune geometry of the machine as much as possible.

**tonyfoale** · Jan 16, 2025, 11:52 AM

Doing great.

**SteelCraft** · Feb 17, 2025, 03:30 PM

X and Y conversion to linear guideways done. I took some time to set squareness of XY plane to Z axis and squarness between X and Y axis as good as possible.

Milling machine - video-1739830997871.jpg

Milling machine - video-1739830997848.jpg

New video very soon

Now I'm going to modify guideways covers, mount them to machine and go to next step in this project - build final version of power feed for all axes.

**SteelCraft** · Feb 22, 2025, 12:11 PM

Part 18

Is it real upgrade or downgrade?

Those linear guideways surely are not as beefy as dovetails but I gained more precision in positioning I also could adjust squarness between all XY and XY plane and Z axis to satisfactory level.

**mwmkravchenko** · Feb 22, 2025, 03:21 PM

Going to enjoy watching.

Mark

**tonyfoale** · Mar 3, 2025, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by SteelCraft

Part 18 Is it real upgrade or downgrade?

Those linear guideways surely are not as beefy as dovetails but I gained more precision in positioning I also could adjust squarness between all XY and XY plane and Z axis to satisfactory level.

It is an upgrade for sure, as long as the slides are sized appropriately.

I converted the cross slide on my lathe and it is great. One thing for you to consider. CNC machining is done differently from manual machining and CNC machines have turned towards linear slides. The difference is that CNC machines take lots of small cuts rather than the traditional hogging out manually. So the answer to "not as beefy as dovetails" is to take more, smaller and faster passes.

The "not as beefy as dovetails" issue was in my mind when I modified the lathe but it has turned out to be a non-issue. I can take hefty interrupted cuts just as much as I could with dovetails.

I do not have time right now but in a couple of month´s time I´ll have a look at following your example and convert the Y axis on my Bridgeport.