That's one thing that's still on my to do list, I have to make up a special tool though. If you didn't know, the Long Chang/First (& Sharp etc.) back lash adjuster/lock nut is not like a BP, you need the special tool to turn the adjuster sleeve and the ring lock nuts - see the lock nut image below.
Tool designed but not yet built.
Interesting to note that the leadscrews seem to be wearing very evenly (if at all?), probably because the nuts are part of the one-shot oiling circuit so they are regularly lubricated vs. what I have read about (some?) BPs that rely on splash/drip coming off of other parts (if I read correctly).
Making the adjustments is on the to do list but not at the top. The rest of the story? I got zinged a few days ago, my S.O. is a sharp one, she recently pointed out that I seem to be using the mill to make things to go with the mill and not other projects LOL! She encourages my play but sometimes those little zingers pop out!
At least I fixed the ice maker yesterday.
D
Endangered Yeti, LOL!
Dipsticks? Maybe for not making a piece by piece copy of a BP but on the other hand from what I've seen in BP documents the LC way might be better except for the tool. In the small details it generally looks like they kept the interface/form factor of the BP but made small common sense mods for their production. There are quirks in there, the M6 R8 key is one. I was expecting to find the same oddball BP set screw pair but the First/LC parts are common off the shelf parts except they're metric. The socket head cap screws holding the rear chip protector mat on the column are 1/4-20 but the head hex is metric - seriously! I've learned to not assume what I'm going to find for fasteners when I put a wrench on this thing! I'd still rather deal with the mix of metric and imperial in this machine than the unobtainum BSF/Whitworth fasteners in my Brit. Myford lathe!
Anyhow, you can probably buy a tool from Sharp, (they supply one with each new mill) don't know the price nor have I seen anything but a line drawing so I can't really say how good the tool is but it doesn't look convincing to me so with all that I'll go ahead and make my own version.
I'm not too worried about the teasing mill zingers, if it's going to be anything like the lathe there is going to be a steady stream of "I fixed that/made that using the mill". It looks good when it's a Christmas present or fixing something around the house or a McGuyvered special tool for fixing her car! It's all in good sport.
D
@Susquatch No worries, I didn't interpret your comments to mean that the machine was not as good, it was more that the maker would go and change things so it was different from the machine that they were copying and making service/parts supply different from the original. That said, if they were going to change it IMHO they didn't do badly on some of the details. The imperial fastener with metric hex drive is odd though!
I get what you mean about minimizing interface tools, the flip side is that the 1/4-20/metric hex breaks the rules about non-standard fasteners when it's just not needed. I can argue the 1/4-20 makes sense because it's the same as a BP and that's what a maintainer would expect to find on a cloned BP. Less chance of messing up the threads by trying a metric in the hole by mistake.
You're a better man than I am. I broke mine open, counted the parts cost for new cabling, pin connectors, springs, neon bulbs, and my chance of fitting the quart back into the pint bottle, and decided to chip in the extra $100 to get the Vevor unit and hopefully not worry about for a similar 35 years!
Actually it wasn't that bad, just like shaving a Yak, one piece at a time. Cable was a buck or two a meter and the rest of the bits were pretty cheap all told. There were a few choice words before it was back together but in the end it's back on the machine and doing its thing. If you do decide to toss it, let's talk......
I don't believe there are any filters in the pump system, it's just a centrifugal (impeller) pump like a sump pump with a hose up to the spout. There is a drain plug at the back of the column, just pipe thread. I (carefully) tilted the machine to try and get as much fluid out as I could but it didn't by any means empty it. I also went in with a putty knife and scooped up the junk that fell in at the screens on the base. I'm going to have to come up with a way to secure them because right now it's just gravity and that's not enough.
Hmmmm.... I decided that I'd do the clean up first so it wasn't hanging over me like the sword of Damocles! Call it pride of ownership. I wanted a fresh start before I got immersed in projects and never got around to the cleanup & main't.
Hah! I think deluxe-plastic is standard, it's only cheap if you replace it from AliEx! (and don't count your labor).
Thanks Len, a lot of thought and a few calculations went into the dolly. I knew I had to plan the (trip home) loading/off loading thoroughly because I was unsure if I could count on a lot of help on the day and the dolly was as sure a thing as I could come up with. Next best would have been a cowboy with a roll back truck and I didn't like the sound of his idea of offloading; tip till it slides off! I'm really pleased, even surprised with how easy it is to move the machine around in my shop. When it finds a long term spot in the shop I'll probably chock it up off the wheels or take them off and let it sit on the floor. The height isn't a problem for me.
Trivia: The column side came with 1/4-20 SHCS with metric heads.