Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] To Convert or not to convert- That is the question!

eewhite42000 wrote:

>
>I am a newbie to the group, but I have considerable machining skills
>in the manual hand cranked world. I also have a Clausing mill (about
>1/2 size of a bridgeport) a surplus DRO head (very old) Accurite but
>no scales for it, and a 9 inch Southbend Lathe. I live in KansasCity
>right now, but am thinking of moving to Idaho in a few months. I am
>also an electronics technician by trade and I have a private pilot's
>liscense.
>
>

Well, I wish I had done my conversion years ago. Of course, there are times
the CNC gets in the way, but I'd never go back, now! I design stuff that
I couldn't do in any reasonable time without the CNC.

>Question- does anyone have any scales for the Accurite for sale?
>
>

Try eBay.

>Question- What money making projects can a person find for a CNC
>project to make it pay for itself?
>
>

This is a big subject, off topic, and if I had such an idea, I'm not
sure I'd tell
you. (I am making CNC retrofit kits ON my CNC mill, however.)

>Question- Does the conversion to CNC preclude the manual use of the
>milling machine?
>
>

No, not necessarily. But, it would be really good to have the ability to go
back and forth between CNC and a DRO-type function. With suitable
drive hardware, I have such a system. But, I have to warn you that the
handles are quite dangerous. If you put your hand in the way while the
machine is going 90 IPM, you'll be wearing a cast for 6 weeks, which will
definitely interfere with your manual milling skills. I have a system
that allows
you to do this, but I don't actually use it, myself. The axis retrofit
setup I
have didn't make the ends of the leadscrews accessible. And, I can't say I
really miss it much. Well, how's that for a qualified answer?

Jon