RE: Resetting the head on a Mill Drill

There are also some published designs in some of the hobby magazines for
attachments to solve this problem. I know that I have once stumbled accross
such an article in Engineering in Miniature. It consists of some sort of a
clamp which is then clamped to the column at a predetermined position
(depending on the lenghts of all the tools to be used for machining of that
particular part). A mating part with a "tongue" is permanently fixed to the
machine and this then engages with the clamp when the head is lowered again
after each tool change, thus retaining the original co-ordinates.

I am not sure about the accuracy or repeatability of such a design, but the
concept is good. I can try and look up the magazine date and issue for this
article if someone is interested.

Deon Styger

> original message

> In a message dated 4/23/01 7:37:23 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
> kimberln@... writes:
>
> <<
> NO, No no. You need a mill drill with a dovetailed column or you
> will spend forever trying to get it adjusted to register if you
> move the head up or down. >>
>
> A cheap way for anyone that already has the problem. Make a
> mount for one of
> the small hand held lasers on the head aiming out
> horizontally, try for one
> with the smallest spot possible at the distance you will need.
> As far as convenient, drop a chalk line, and draw one or two
> lines, or even a
> slotted piece of metal, be sure the line/slot is exactly
> vertical. Set the
> laser so when it is mounted on the head, and turned on it bisects the
> string/line, optional if the spot is too wide, use two
> strings/lines and aim
> the spot between them. The further away within reason, the
> more accurate the
> reset of the head after moving will be. You should be easily
> able to get
> less than .001 inch. Do the math.
> bill