Re: RF-45 mini Bedmill
Posted by
Dan Falck
on 1999-09-03 18:43:28 UTC
The RF-45 mill arrived today. I had it shipped to the place where I work,
because of the shipping dock. The shipping clerk helped me uncrate it and
the first thing I noticed was the nice job of scraping on the dovetail
column. It looks like it was hand scraped. Next, we moved the machine
into the machine shop in the back of our plant. There, I started to
de-cosmoline the ways. The X-axis leadscrew is covered with paint, from
the spray painting on the rest of the casting, but I don't really care
since it will be replaced with a ballscrew. The Y-axis screw was ok, so I
ran the table back and forth to check the travel- 9 1/2" inches (with about
1.5" overhang past the ways- just like a regular mill/drill).
The Z-axis is moved up and down by means of a worm/worm wheel coupled to a
rack and pinion. This will have to go- hence another ballscrew
conversion. The saddle that rides the Z-axis dovetail has little oil cups
on top of it for lubing the ways. The top of the cast iron column is
square to the dovetails, so I will bore a hole in it for a bearing cap for
the z-axis ballscrew.
The front panel has a spindle forward/reverse and E-stop switch on it. The
60 Hz model has 6 speeds: 105/300/390/515/1400/1820 rpm.
One thing that looked interesting was that there seems to be a lot more
room between the bottom of the table and the X-axis nut/yoke than my older
mill/drill. This makes a 3/4" ballscrew conversion look easy.
This next week, I will make a stand for it and start the ballscrew work.
I talked to Dan Mauch about the Servo Lite system and will go with that
system due to the price/performance.
Dan
because of the shipping dock. The shipping clerk helped me uncrate it and
the first thing I noticed was the nice job of scraping on the dovetail
column. It looks like it was hand scraped. Next, we moved the machine
into the machine shop in the back of our plant. There, I started to
de-cosmoline the ways. The X-axis leadscrew is covered with paint, from
the spray painting on the rest of the casting, but I don't really care
since it will be replaced with a ballscrew. The Y-axis screw was ok, so I
ran the table back and forth to check the travel- 9 1/2" inches (with about
1.5" overhang past the ways- just like a regular mill/drill).
The Z-axis is moved up and down by means of a worm/worm wheel coupled to a
rack and pinion. This will have to go- hence another ballscrew
conversion. The saddle that rides the Z-axis dovetail has little oil cups
on top of it for lubing the ways. The top of the cast iron column is
square to the dovetails, so I will bore a hole in it for a bearing cap for
the z-axis ballscrew.
The front panel has a spindle forward/reverse and E-stop switch on it. The
60 Hz model has 6 speeds: 105/300/390/515/1400/1820 rpm.
One thing that looked interesting was that there seems to be a lot more
room between the bottom of the table and the X-axis nut/yoke than my older
mill/drill. This makes a 3/4" ballscrew conversion look easy.
This next week, I will make a stand for it and start the ballscrew work.
I talked to Dan Mauch about the Servo Lite system and will go with that
system due to the price/performance.
Dan
>From: "Stephen Barmash" <GEARSNSHAFTS@...>
>
>I noticed that Nolan Supply Corp., Syracuse, NY (800-736-2204) has the Rong
>Fu 45 on sale in their latest flyer (order#67677180) for $2350 with a 1 1/2
>H.P. motor. Flyer expires 12/31/99.
>
>Steve Barmash
>
>
>> From: "Steve Carlisle" <quatsein@...>
>>
>> The RF-45 is available from Pyramid Machine Tools, Calgary,
>> Alberta, for the price of $3389 in Jan 1999. That's a little over
>> $2K US.
>>
>> Steve Carlisle
>>
>
>