re:hand jive

Wally,

I have a Sears/Sherline mill, and bought a "motion control kit" from
MaxNC. I was at first disappointed that it did not have double shaft
motors. These proved to be unnecessary. I jog when I need to locate my
part, and you can get quite used to using MDI to "move by the numbers".
Need to take a cut? "G1 X 4.2" Instead of just "turning the wheels"
'till you get there, locate the part, then a quick measure (if you need
it) will tell you the endpoint of your cut. Need to mill off a
surface? A quick program done in an editor will allow you to do that!
Add a CAD/CAM program, and all kinds of complex cuts become simple! And
this is from a person relatively new to CNC. Try it, you'll like it!

Alan Handwheels, I don't need no stinkin' handwheels!


Wally K wrote:

>
> Wally K. asks:
>
> Hmmm i am getting confused here. All along i planned on putting
> handwheels on my bridgeport conversion. It is the only mill i have
> and can not imagine not having manual use. Many times i just want to
> do simple things that would take a few minuits manually. It is hard
> to belive cnc would be quicker. Also with CNC you loose the "feel of
> the metal" That is nice when drilling or even milling sometimes.
>
> I am wondering how many of you gave up manual control when you do not
> have another mill or drill to use.
>
> ballendo wrote:
> > <jmw@c...>
> > JonA gave the answer for handwheels (i.e., on the belt drive
> machine,
> > w/fold-in handles for safety) and Darrel brings up the point I'm
> > going to second...
> >
> > Why on earth do you want handwheels after you spent time, sweat,
> blood
> > (prob'ly :-)), and money to ELIMINATE their need??? Even a simple
> job
> > is run more accurately by the CNC system than you! Even If you only
> > use the cnc as a power feed with dro(using jog)! We all got thru
> Y2K
> > ok, right? So don't worry about the hand wheels and build the best
> > system you can.
> >
> > Maybe on a sherline or servo(Brand) tabletop machine making
> extremely
> > small parts where "feel" is necessary, but on a full size mill?!?!
> >
> > You "may" want to think like the WWII bomber designers and provide
> > some "backup system" to turn/move the axis(remember the Memphis
> Belle
> > movie), but this could be as simple as an appropriately placed
> socket
> > head cap screw so you could use a T-handle hex wrench to turn.
> >
> > Ballendo
> >
> >
> > >If you've got a big servo coupled directly to the y-screw, how do
> > >you hand crank the machine? <snip>
> > >By now, after much painful trial and error, some standard practice
> > >must have emerged in the CNC world. Can someone tell me what it is?
> > >Thanks very much. Jack Williamson