Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Hello to the group

william johansen wrote:

>
> Hi name is Bill & i am a mold maker by profession. I just got a 5400
> mill from Sherline & already I want to convert to cnc. The very first
> thing is to run it manually until I get enough info on the conversion
> of the mill. I have looked at some of the popular kits & can not
> choose.
> Questions
> 1. anti-backlash lead screws

I have not found a good answer for this yet. I bought some 1/4-20
anti-backlash screws from
BSA, for nearly $100, and the nuts are to high to fit. The machine could
be modified to handle them, but it would take a lot of millng into the
base and saddle block, and somehow I dont want to dig into that fine
black anodize. You could mill a new saddle block, about 1/2" thicker
than the original but that would take a while.

Last week at our NEMES meeting we had a sales enginweer from Moglice
talk. He showed some very amazing screws made of Moglice. I believe this
could be done to a Sherline without problem, and if the stuff holds up
half as well as they claim it will long outlive me and any Sherline. I
intend to do some expirements 'real soon now'

> 2. cad/cam software

> 3. while still manual a better z axis lock

Sherline now offers a screw lock for the Z- its a brass lever that jambs
against the nut. Joe Martin was talking about it at NAMES, said they
could now manufacture them because of CNC- they can control the start
point of a thread.

Have a look at the photos of my Sherline conversion-
http://plsntcov.8m.com/sherline.htm My approach is different because I
put the motors at the opposite end of the screw from the handwheel. You
dont need double shaft motors, and you dont mess up the use of the
handwheel.

ron