Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Advice on small mill table conversion

Hi Graham,

Interesting project! I was just wondering, why not a gantry style mill?
That's what I'm working on. Looks like you will want to make a plate
and 4 standoffs to mount your stepper motors on. A pair of bearings
would allow you to capture the end of the leadscrew, if it is threaded
for a compression nut. Otherwise, perhaps you can have a bearing at
each end?

Where did you find the Kress router? I settled for a DeWalt DW670 trim
router. I posted two pix in the files of SherlineCNC under "KM6VV
Engines" (last two pix). For some reason I can't post pix to the CCED
photos.

I'm not finished yet with my "Baby PCB router", but it's working out.
Need to make REAL standoffs for the stepper mounts (not 10-32 screws),
and shaft couplers.

I'm mostly interested in milling PCBs.

Alan KM6VV


Graham Stabler wrote:

> I'm finding myself struggling to make headway on a number of my
> projects at the moment and to help me out I'm knocking up a small
> machine for milling/routing aluminium parts when required. It is
> based on the Proxxon KT150 compound table, this has a table size of
> 8"X8" and a travel of 6"X6" which is big enough for most of the parts
> I require. These include adapter plates, mirror mounts etc etc.
>
> Here are the parts I have got together: the Proxxon table, an Aerotech
> ballscrew slide, A bracket for a Kress router and the router itself.
> I also have a aluminium based plate and a structural aluminium column.
> Things are going quite well, I only started on Monday and now have a
> pretty good idea of how it will go together.
>
> http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/kt150mill.jpg
>
> I do however need some advice on the motor mounting and leadscrews.
> The screws are 10mm ACME with a lead of 2mm. They run in brass/bronze
> nuts which are quite loose fitting. The shaft passes through a collar
> before exiting the extrusion to go into the handwheel which is
> attached by rolled pin.
>
> As it stands I am happy with the bed but the screws have far too much
> backlash and the use of washers as bearings is not great either. I
> need to get rid of the backlash and stiffen up the bearing
> arrangement. I'm not sure if the best bet is to replace the screws or
> make new nuts or ebay some ballscrews.
>
> Some pics of the leadscrew arrangement here:
>
> http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/leadscrew.jpg
> http://www.indoor.flyer.co.uk/leadscrew2.jpg
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Graham
>