Darren's active projects

[Susquatch]

This is beautiful @dfloen. Makes me want to drive to TBay to see it in person!

Sooooo many questions!

Are those T-slots on your cross slide? If so, a bad case of jealousy is creeping in! Bet moving the tool holder back N forth on the cross slide makes machining from the back side sooooo much easier! Mine is a 14" but the most I can actually do is around 12. The tool holder just can't reach without a billion gymnastics that blow the rigidity out of the water (or should I say oil).

Why did you put the scale on the front of the compound? Isn't that asking for chip problems? Doesn't that cramp your tool reach?

With the VFD, its variable from 6 rpm in low gear to over 3500 in High gear, so its nice to know.

I assume that is head speed still using the gears. What motor speeds (hz or rpm) does it take to do that? What was your previous minimum speed?

Is your motor vfd rated? If not, did you have to put a fan on it?

Ive also been looking at DROs with built in RPM display. The DRO screen on yours looks new (I see film on the screen). If so, what model is it? Do you still have a link?

I love your ?XA tool holder rack. I did exactly the same thing. But it looks like you added a smaller rack for drill chucks and centers. I'll be adding that too. I'm also thinking about adding something for all the Allen keys and wrenches that fit the lathe. I raided old partial sets and some auction lots so I could have dedicated tools just for the lathe. Nothing worse than having to scour the barn to find that wrench to lock down the compound nuts.

I don't see a light. What do you do for lighting? Mine burned out the switch. Prolly caused by some China halogen bulbs I bought in volume that were higher wattage than claimed. But regardless, I have to rig up a new light - hopefully using the old lamp hardware.

I only see one foot under the headstock. I assume that there is another one in the back. But how do you align the headstock to the bed with only two feet?

Sorry for so many questions. Like I said up front, I'd love to visit instead......

 

[Darren]

At work. So I'll have to make this quick


Yes, it's tee slotted, but the compound has a resess and a pin, cannot be moved. On my previous v10, the compound could be put anywhere.

The lathe had a DRO before, and was removed when i got it. They put the scale on the left, so I did too. I only had to drill one more hole for this DRO install.

The motor is a dual speed, 4 pole/2 pole, 1750/3500 rpm. Im using the low speed windings. In standard configuration, the lathe did 30-2500. With the VFD I have widened the range a bit.

The motor is not VFD rated. If it dies, it dies. I won't likely run it too slow.

BXA tool holders.

No light yet, I have good LED lighting in the shop.

There are 4 feet, so you can only align for twist. It's pretty stiff. I made those for risers mostly as I'm fairly tall.

Visit anytime!

 

[Susquatch]

No light yet, I have good LED lighting in the shop.

That would not work for me. My eyes have divorced me and are off on their own journey to parts unknown leaving me behind in the dark.

There are 4 feet, so you can only align for twist. It's pretty stiff. I made those for risers mostly as I'm fairly tall.

That's really unusual I think. Have you evaluated it to see what it's actually like?

I'm tall too. Only 6-3 now with old age shrinkage. Same goes for my body mass - was 260 all muscle then I ended up in hospital with kidney problems and traded a lot of my muscle mass for fat. . I still have no problem reaching or gronking on anything. But man I really hate bending over. My bottom shelves are all empty.

When you get home, can you look at the make and model of your DRO readout? It looks quite similar to the ones I've been looking at. It would be good to know if I can reach out to you for help when I finally push the green buy button.

That said, I'll prolly do my knee mill first.

 

[Darren]

It's a Ditron D80

 

[Darren]

I built a similar rack on my SM 1660, but instead of the lip at the lower edge, i put blades to hold the tool holders by the dovetail. I like the way I did the V13 better.

 

[Darren]

That would not work for me. My eyes have divorced me and are off on their own journey to parts unknown leaving me behind in the dark.

I will be adding a work light, but I wanted to get the DRO mounted up first.

That's really unusual I think. Have you evaluated it to see what it's actually like?

I have a Starret 12" precision level. The bed is straight and true, with no twist. It had a bit of twist which took a month to tune out of it, as it doesn't actually respond right away to adjustments like my bigger lathe. Might have something to do with the hockey pucks embedded in the feet.

When you get home, can you look at the make and model of your DRO readout? It looks quite similar to the ones I've been looking at. It would be good to know if I can reach out to you for help when I finally push the green buy button.

Absolutely

That said, I'll prolly do my knee mill first.

I'd do the mill first too. I rely on my DRO on the mill, but its a luxury on a lathe.

 

[Susquatch]

I have a Starret 12" precision level. The bed is straight and true, with no twist. It had a bit of twist which took a month to tune out of it, as it doesn't actually respond right away to adjustments like my bigger lathe. Might have something to do with the hockey pucks embedded in the feet.

I didn't mean to evaluate the level. I meant to evaluate the concentricity of the spindle axis VS the ways.

 

[Darren]

I didn't mean to evaluate the level. I meant to evaluate the concentricity of the spindle axis VS the ways.

It doesn't turn a taper, at all, that i can measure. Mind you, i haven't done many long cuts.

A pic with a toolholder to show that the scale and guard isn't really that close to the action.

 

[Dabbler]

So this is a week late, but I coerced Shars into selling me a full set of D1-6 studs at 7.50 each, but the shipping was 30$ so around 70$ all in. I ordered them last week, and they arrived this morning.

 

[Darren]

I have been searching high and low for them. It's driving me bonkers. I'm glad t
You found a cheap source of them though.

 

[deleted_user]

Nice project. you're very lucky to have two of my favourite lathes.

If I ever manage to get rural property that allows me to have a real shop I will buy a Monarch 10EE to restore and use.

 

[Darren]

Thanks. The V13 maybe going up for sale in a year or two, when the Monarch is done. I dunno though. Machines are like puppies. Hard to let go of, and I want to take them all home!

 

[Susquatch]

It doesn't turn a taper, at all, that i can measure. Mind you, i haven't done many long cuts.

A pic with a toolholder to show that the scale and guard isn't really that close to the action.

I just noticed your reply. The status notifications don't seem to work well.

I am about as embarrassed as I get to admit that I thought we were talking about the cross-slide here. This is almost as bad as calling your wife by your girlfriend's name and then thinking you were talking to her too......

Ya, the compound prolly isn't much of a problem. Sorry about that......

My real concern was a scale on the cross-slide. The chuck side is too busy, and the backside can get hit by the tailstock. Some users even deliberately make contact with the tailstock routinely.

 

[Darren]

There is a stop on the bottom of the tailstock to prevent it from hitting the carriage. It's about 1/8" short for preventing the tailstock from making contact with the reader head. I need to make an extension for it.

 

[Susquatch]

There is a stop on the bottom of the tailstock to prevent it from hitting the carriage. It's about 1/8" short for preventing the tailstock from making contact with the reader head. I need to make an extension for it.

I see. That makes sense. I could easily add that to my lathe when I get to it. Truth is that I should really add rubber bumpers.

My DRO priority is my mill. I'm getting closer to that day as time passes.

 

[Susquatch]

It doesn't turn a taper, at all, that i can measure. Mind you, i haven't done many long cuts.

A pic with a toolholder to show that the scale and guard isn't really that close to the action.

Another related question now that I know that this was your compound. How is the readout calibrated? Does it show actual compound linear movement or is it setup to show the x-component thereof? Or is this latter even possible?

 

[Darren]

Another related question now that I know that this was your compound. How is the readout calibrated? Does it show actual compound linear movement or is it setup to show the x-component thereof? Or is this latter even possible?

It can show the linear movement of the slide, the sum of the compound and cross slide, or the x position related to the angle of the compound, summed with the crosslide or not.

I wanted it on the compound because it makes very fine cuts really easy.

 

[YYCHM]

It can show the linear movement of the slide, the sum of the compound and cross slide, or the x position related to the angle of the compound, summed with the crosslide or not.

I wanted it on the compound because it makes very fine cuts really easy.

That's a pretty sophisticated DRO. What the heck did that thing cost?

 

[Darren]

That's a pretty sophisticated DRO. What the heck did that thing cost?

$980 if I recall correctly.

It's pretty standard for a good DRO to have those features in a 3 axis setup. I liked the integrated Tach too.

The really good DROs have constant surface speed as a way to control the spindle speed through the VFD, based on x position. I will have that on the Monarch, I think.

 

[Susquatch]

$980 if I recall correctly.

It's pretty standard for a good DRO to have those features in a 3 axis setup. I liked the integrated Tach too.

The really good DROs have constant surface speed as a way to control the spindle speed through the VFD, based on x position. I will have that on the Monarch, I think.

Maybe I do want a DRO on my lathe before my mill......

All that kind of stuff should be easy to do in the electronics. But I really worry when they are both designed and built in China. I also worry that I won't be able to read the manual and/or that the manual won't be remotely complete.

I read elsewhere about a member on another forum with a 3 axis unit who didn't know that a 4th input could be combined with the 3rd to get a total display. (Knee + Quill =Z)

It's a bit SCARY, but then again two years ago even the idea of getting a DRO was not in the $ cards at all. Then the guys on here put me onto Ali and suddenly I'm thinking 4 axis with RPM before I die!