Re: manual quill movement

> I have no easy way to disconnect it from the quill, and I have the rack pinion gear pulled out completely.
> I would have to completely disassemble the thing because the leadscrew blocks access to the bolt that
> holds the nut to the quill, just like the stop rod does in the original Bridgeport setup. I wanted to make that
> link as stiff as possible, to minimize any rocking of the link that would result in more backlash. I could have
> made the link in several pieces, so that a piece of it could be unclamped, to revert to a manual quill.
> I used to do tapping in the machine, when the quill could be allowed to slide freely. That is really the
> only function I have lost by completely giving up manual quill movement.
>

That is one function which I use a lot. Since I have a VFD on the machine with almost instananeous reverse at low speeds, I power
tap almost everything - down to a #2 and probably have even done some #1 stuff.

> I can move the X axis pretty easily, since the screw shaft sticks out the left end. The Y and Z axes can
> be moved by turning the belt sprockets by hand, but I rarely need to do so.
>
> Jon

One thought ocurred to me while reading some of the responses to this thread. Since ball screws will back drive quite easily, how
about just removing the drive belt in an arrangement like yours when you want to go manual. The belt could be set up with an idler
pulley on a cam which would make removing the belt quick and easy...

Larry.......