# Power feed ideas???



## thriller007 (Jun 25, 2020)

Going on a Craftex cx601 I was going to put a power feed on. I bought one off eBay but it was the wrong style so was thinking of modding it but I am sure someone on here has already done something like this or has great ideas in their head. It would be better if it was mounted on the left and horizontal rather than vertical. The gear on mine is a  helically cut one so that makes it more of a challenge with regards to mounting it horizontally. 

The last picture is more like my style except my has helical cut gear on it.


----------



## YYCHM (Jun 25, 2020)

What does that gear mesh with?  I thought those things just keyed to the lead screw?


----------



## Tom O (Jun 26, 2020)

The first thing I’d look at is what motor would suit it although with a dual shaft stepper or servo you could still have the dials and handle.


----------



## thriller007 (Jun 26, 2020)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> What does that gear mesh with?  I thought those things just keyed to the lead screw?


The power feed will normally hang off the shaft and the gear in the top picture will be keyed onto the shaft. The power feed is made for a 5/8 shaft but mine is a metric 12mm shaft. In addition I need about 4” of shaft available for this thing to hang off and on my machine there is only about 1.6” available. 

@Tom O originally I was thinking of mounting this horizontal on the left but would have to be using some sort of bevel gears and now you have me thinking about just starting fresh. My power feed was a late night impulse buy. My brain is better in the mornings.  Do you use a power feed on yours? If so what do you use?


----------



## Tom O (Jun 26, 2020)

I never had one on mine just cranked it by hand.


----------



## historicalarms (Jun 26, 2020)

Mine resembles the horizontal photo, just a different color, It was a 10 minute "bolt-on" install on my machine. I only have ever had one complaint on the machine and that is that the body sits just a bit  proud of the table plain and when mounting a long workpiece, sometimes I have to shim the underside of the workpiece for clearance....other than that it is one of the best uses of the money ever for machining options.


----------



## YYCHM (Jun 26, 2020)

thriller007 said:


> The power feed is made for a 5/8 shaft but mine is a metric 12mm shaft. In addition I need about 4” of shaft available for this thing to hang off and on my machine there is only about 1.6” available.



Mine is 0.667" so what 17mm?  It is not keyed and sticks out 3" from the table on the left and 4" on the right.


----------



## YYCHM (Jun 26, 2020)

historicalarms said:


> Mine resembles the horizontal photo, just a different color, It was a 10 minute "bolt-on" install on my machine.



Where did you find a bolt-on unit for your machine Doug?  What make and model number is it?  How far does it stick out from the table?  I'm close to bumping into my lathe on the left side.

Craig


----------



## historicalarms (Jun 27, 2020)

I bought it at BB in Cowtown very shortly after they opened up there.

    I will be in the shop tomorrow & check for model & make info.


----------



## thriller007 (Jun 28, 2020)

I will just list mine for sale in the classified section. Who knows, if someone can use it it can  make its way to Calgary tomorrow. I will try to find one more like @historicalarms or some other options are out there as well.


----------



## historicalarms (Jun 29, 2020)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> Where did you find a bolt-on unit for your machine Doug?  What make and model number is it?  How far does it stick out from the table?  I'm close to bumping into my lathe on the left side.
> 
> Craig




the Make Stamping says "ALIGN", I think this is a model  "AL 200 S ". only markings on the machine that I can see. 

    It is longer than I thought it was. 11 inches from table end to outboard end of power feed. It connects to the table with two pinch bolts & a bracket. I think it was just a slip-on keyed female socket that the lead screw  shaft fit into for actual connection to the lead screw ( its been 10 or 12 yrs since I attached it).


----------



## LinzD (Dec 22, 2020)

I have a Craftex 601 on order. I looked at the Align AL-500D and the ALSGS Al-310SX which are both horizontally mounted models as in pictures #1&2 in the first post. Local quotes on the Align ranged $620-660. Bestline in the US was the best @395usd shipped to Edmonton. I went with the ALSGS ordered on Aliexpress for $304cad shipped. Received 17days from order date. Don't know how well it will fit but I know I'll have to make a bushing for the gear which is 17mm.


----------



## thriller007 (Dec 24, 2020)

Let us know how it turns out.


----------



## Tom O (Dec 25, 2020)

This guy has a few videos on the x & z power feeds it turn out quite well.


----------

