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Weiss VM32 CNC Conversion

You can see on mine there is a thread on the ball screw for the non-driven side. The driven side is a plain shaft that attaches to a coupler. On mine it would have been easier to attack it from the left side.

1000026532.jpg
 
Perry said:
Dave, it looks good to me.

Just to confirm, your stepper (servo) is on the left side of the table? The right side is just the support for the non driven side of the ball screw?


How do they secure the ballscrew on the right side?
Click to expand...
That's actually the right end of the table, the end where the servo will go. The smaller diameter is for the coupler, the larger for the bearing. The other end has a similar mount but the end of the ball screw has a nut to secure it.
 
Ok, that makes more sense. It looks good to me, but I would wait for a few thumbs up from some real machinists. Too expensive to mess up. Sleep on it.

For what it is worth, back in the day I used a mini lathe on my ball screws with no problems. I used super thick heat shrink on them to protect them from the chuck.
 
Perry said:
Ok, that makes more sense. It looks good to me, but I would wait for a few thumbs up from some real machinists. Too expensive to mess up. Sleep on it.

For what it is worth, back in the day I used a mini lathe on my ball screws with no problems. I used super thick heat shrink on them to protect them from the chuck.
Click to expand...
My biggest concern is actually getting the double ball screw nuts off without screwing them up.
I'm kinda hoping it will have enough length to go through the headstock and leave the nut on. But that's probably a fool errand.
 
Take a look at post 27 above. The center picture.

Find a piece of tubing the same diameter as the ballscrew. Over a nice big drop cloth, thread the ballscrew out carefully and insert the tubing to hold the balls in place. Make sure to insert the tube as you unscrew the ball screw. Do your work. Clean everything up and reverse the procedure. (Hopefully you do not need the drop cloth.....but I would not chance it.)

Don't leave the nuts on for the machining.


Edit: Thinking back on this I think the tube was actually smaller than the ballscrew. It was a loose fit. I can go measure if you need me to.
 
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Perry said:
Take a look at post 27 above. The center picture.

Find a piece of tubing the same diameter as the ballscrew. Over a nice big drop cloth, thread the ballscrew out carefully and insert the tubing to hold the balls in place. Make sure to insert the tube as you unscrew the ball screw. Do your work. Clean everything up and reverse the procedure. (Hopefully you do not need the drop cloth.....but I would not chance it.)

Don't leave the nuts on for the machining.
Click to expand...
Yeah I figured I'd need to take them off. Thanks for the tip. I may machine up a retaining rod. I assume whatever I end up with needs to be the minor diameter of the ball screw?
 
I would think so.....let me go measure mine. Be back in a second.

My ballscrews are 5/8". The diameter of the tube I used was 1/2". I do remember it was a fairly loose fit.
 
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I was just back at some of the older posts of your kit. I didn't see it in any of the photos, but maybe there is a tube in the kit already for this purpose?


On another note....what is this item?Screenshot 2024-12-07 at 22-37-53 Weiss VM32 CNC mill conversion Canadian Hobby Metal Workers ...png
 
Is it feasible to make an extension? Might not be the most compact but it would work and you would not have to cut the ball screw down.
 
djberta said:
Is it feasible to make an extension? Might not be the most compact but it would work and you would not have to cut the ball screw down.
Click to expand...
It’s possible, it would have to be pretty beefy to support the servo hanging off the end and resist the rotational forces.
On further reflection the extension could go at the other end of the ball screw where there’s no servo hanging off.
 
DavidR8 said:
On further reflection the extension could go at the other end of the ball screw where there’s no servo hanging off.
Click to expand...

NICE!

I LIKE THAT!

With a little effort, that extension could become someplace to put your essential mill tools and other things that need a surface or assorted hangers to keep them handy!

Lots of beefy support there too. I like it!
 
+1 on the extension. The extension shouldn't need any more than 1/4 or 5/16 plate on the non servo end. It's only 5"ish but as @Susquatch says, it would also give more surface to pile tools on.
 
YotaBota said:
+1 on the extension. The extension shouldn't need any more than 1/4 or 5/16 plate on the non servo end. It's only 5"ish but as @Susquatch says, it would also give more surface to pile tools on.
Click to expand...
Interestingly enough, the distance is probably really close to the distance the old power feed is held away from the end of the table by the mounting bracket.
Pics to follow.
 
Close but no cigar.
But I could easily fabricate a plate that bolts onto the end of the table, extends over the top of the aluminum ball screw mount, drill and tap a couple of holes in the block and presto.
IMG_1929.jpeg
 
Susquatch said:
NICE!

I LIKE THAT!

With a little effort, that extension could become someplace to put your essential mill tools and other things that need a surface or assorted hangers to keep them handy!

Lots of beefy support there too. I like it!
Click to expand...
Sus and his horizontal surfaces :rolleyes:
 
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