You might also want to verify the downfeed by giving some turns against an inverted dial indicator. Some of the offshore mills were notorious for not being accurate especially the ones with metric gears and inch 'conversion' wheels. But that was earlier vintage. Hopefully that's been resolved by now on your newer mill & looks like you have conventional inch dial graduations which is encouraging.
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RF30 Basement Install
- Thread starter YYCHM
- Start date
You don't see the set screw because it's facing the head. The dial with knurled ring is one piece. Maybe you're not supposed to lock the set screw down and it floats???
The X and Y axis dials have the thumbscrew you describe.
I still need to tram this thing and check all the dials with a DI.
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historicalarms
Ultra Member
That return spring tension is easily set by hand.
remove the plastic headed bolt from the spring housing, the spring housing should remain in place but just in case keep holding it against the head casting with your hand until you are ready to adjust. Now, while holding firmly to the outside housing, wiggle it free from the setting dowel ( this dowel is firmly set into the head casting) that is in one of the notches cut in the housing. Now just allow the spring housing to rotate in your fingers for 1/2 a turn or so and then re-hook to the dowel, re-install holding bolt.
You might not get it to your preference the first time, I had to re-adjust mine a couple times after I had the quill out for servicing last month.
historicalarms
Ultra Member
You can turn a green spruce into a blue spruce by sprinkling all the cuttings from a drill press at the base of the tree. We have done this on the farm for years. rain water will leach the iron oxides down to the roots. I don't know why it happens but we have had 5 yr old trees that are green as grass turn bluish in two years and vivid blue in 5 yrs.
Oops on the holes!Sweet!!!!
View attachment 9730
I was able to take 0.2 wide by 0.03 deep passes and it wasn't working hard at all. 1/2" two flt at 1000 RPM. I might even get 0.05 deep passes out of her. The dials took her to target dimension no problem. Looks like my holes are off a bit
These machines will do serious work. I get that it's not a 2,000 lb kneemill but I get kinda bugged when people dismiss them.
What do you figure, should I belt her for 770 RPM and see how it goes? 1040 seemed a little fast to me, especially drilling.
Me to.
I'd go much slower than 770 for drilling.
Brent H
Ultra Member
How slow can your mills go @David_R8 and @YYCHobbyMachinist ?
This is the factory speed chart for my mill. So from the factory down to 220 rpm. With my VFD conversion it will go down to 18 rpm at 5 Hz. There's no torque at that speed (I hand stop the spindle by hand) however so practically speaking 25-30 Hz will give me ~90 -110 rpm with plenty of torque for tapping.
Brent H
Ultra Member
@David_R8 , that is pretty decent for speed. The larger your drill bit the slower you go -Looks like a different pulley arrangement on your two mills with @YYCHobbyMachinist getting down to 120. For just the belts 120 is pretty good to have! Your VFD @David_R8 will be very helpful!
I'm curious about the diameters of the pulleys on @YYCHobbyMachinist machine
I'll dig the calipers out and take some rough measurements. I'm surprised they aren't the same. What brand is yours?
I wonder if @historicalarms machine is the same as mine.