Mill dro

[Hruul]

With my DRO on the X on the back, I put the linear scale high enough that my oiler is below the linear scale. It is behind the reader until I adjust the X axis far enough, then the oiler is visible and I can get access too it.

 

[Megar arc 5040dd]

You might also like my Z gib locks.
After installing the Z counter balance, moving the head up or down was much easier and I could then do it from the front of the machine (using a smaller and faster wheel instead of a large crank). I added a Z gib linkage so that I could reach both the Z wheel (on the left) and activate the gib locks at the same time.
View from front, note Z wheel on left and lever on right:View attachment 58249
View of counterbalance cables and Z gib locks linkage:
View attachment 58250
and a couple of closer views of the linkage:
View attachment 58251
View attachment 58252
View attachment 58253

That is amazing! Does the counterweight help that much? What are you using for weight and how much weight did it take? Does it just free hang behind the machine or is it guided so it doesn't swing around? I thought my project list was already long enough now I need to add this to it

 

[djberta]

This thread has me thinking of added more mods to my mill. I have a vevor dro set with glass slides that I would like to install on my mill. They have to be cut to length, so I might look at doing that today.

 

[CWret]

is it guided so it doesn't swing around

I thought it might need guides - but no it does not. The counter wt is 225 lb of scrap steel rods. The Z hand wheel now requires about the same effort as the X hand wheel.
To avoid repeating myself- see this week's thread "Looking for an appropriate motor" post #27 in the link below

or come for a shop visit - the most fun I have with any shop toy is doing modifications

Thread 'Looking for an appropriate motor'

Jan 13, 2025

The table on the drill press is about 65lbs, even with everything freshly restored and greased it's still a hard slog to crank the table up.
I'm looking for ideas of commonly available motors that I could modify to do this job for me.
From some of the videos I've seen, 150-200 rpm seems to be the sweet spot but because of the weight I'm probably not going to get away with a windshield wiper motor like others have done.

There is a 3/4" shaft that drives the bevel gear and I can easily make up a similar shaft and taper it down to whatever diameter is needed.
I would rather stay away from...

• skippyelwell
• Replies: 47
• Forum: Looking for Answers? We're here to help!

 

[Megar arc 5040dd]

I thought it might need guides - but no it does not. The counter wt is 225 lb of scrap steel rods. The Z hand wheel now requires about the same effort as the X hand wheel.
To avoid repeating myself- see this week's thread "Looking for an appropriate motor" post #27 in the link below

or come for a shop visit - the most fun I have with any shop toy is doing modifications

Thread 'Looking for an appropriate motor'

Jan 13, 2025

The table on the drill press is about 65lbs, even with everything freshly restored and greased it's still a hard slog to crank the table up.
I'm looking for ideas of commonly available motors that I could modify to do this job for me.
From some of the videos I've seen, 150-200 rpm seems to be the sweet spot but because of the weight I'm probably not going to get away with a windshield wiper motor like others have done.

There is a 3/4" shaft that drives the bevel gear and I can easily make up a similar shaft and taper it down to whatever diameter is needed.
I would rather stay away from...

• skippyelwell
• Replies: 47
• Forum: Looking for Answers? We're here to help!

Thanks for the link I added those pictures to my project ideas folder. The list gets larger faster than it gets smaller.

 

[140mower]

Thanks for the link I added those pictures to my project ideas folder. The list gets larger faster than it gets smaller.

Get used to it...... Once those machines get their steel hooks into you, you're a slave forever.