Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Modifying an X-Y table

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>>While I was there, I found a fun little toy. Its castings are a bit
>>rough, but it's a cross-slide drill press vise, essentially a 4x6 inch
>>X-Y table with a vise on top. Needless to say, my mind immediately
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>We have the exact same items here in shops. They come in 3 sizes 4-5-6 in.
>all with the vise on top, adjustable dovetail ways and shabby screw with
>lots of play (think inexpensive bench vise screw for a quality reference).
>

That's what I need to tighten up. Is there a way to improve the fit?
Perhaps some type of injectable polymer? I know about Moglice, but is
there anything less expensive? (BUDGET!) I'd try it with JBWeld, but
it's a putty...not thin enough. Ideally I'd like to do something that'd
be reversible -- perhaps a coating on the screw threads themselves,
rather than drilling them out and casting a whole new lining.

As for the quality of the screw, I can't really argue. It says, in the
specs, that it's a rolled screw, rather than ground...not the best,
though not inherently bad. However, the finish on the relevant parts is
pretty decent (went through a couple on the truck, to get a good one
with no obvious voids in the castings, etc) and over a max distance of
about 6", I doubt the thread will be particularly inconsistent.

>After talking about exactly what you have in mind with a friend who is
>more into modifications and machining, I dropped the idea. The work
>required to refit the cast nuts and especially the end bearings is enough
>to mandate buying a better quality item of the same kind for ~$100-150
>(X,Y + vise on top, but detachable - sits in T ways).
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Well, for better or for worse, I *am* the owner of this thing. So, I
can either use it as a drill press vise (not a bad thing) or I can try
to transform it into something even more useful / fun. At the very
least, it'll be an interesting project. Sometimes it can be fun to take
something like this, and make a *useful* tool out of it. It can be fun
doing it on the cheap...not to mention therapeutic. I enjoy working in
my shop.

>Additionally the ones I saw require a lot of force to drive the screws
>(tight fit). The only plus is, they're not aluminium. So they are sturdy.
>

This one doesn't require tremendous force -- though it did until I
adjusted the shim for a proper fit. It's still a bit rough but I have
the feeling that like most Chinese tools, taking it apart, cleaning, and
lubricating it *properly* will make worlds of difference.

Say, someone mentioned doing this type of thing with the HF Mini Mill, a
while back -- they gave instructions for getting sand out of the
castings, etc. Could someone please forward these instructions to me?
And, BTW, what is the proper type of lubrication for a dovetail way?
It's a sliding surface...light oil, grease, run them dry, or what?
They *will* be contaminated if I use this thing to mill...any hints on
keeping it clean?

-- Chuck Knight