Lifting Mildred's Spirits

[cutter]

Come to think of it, I failed to post the third video last night.

Little back story:
Jack had told me about some fellow who claimed to have solved the "lost registration" problem by drilling through the rack & screwing it to the infamous round column. Then he would keep the head right against the rack when he raised or lowered it, or at least keep it rotated against the rack when he tightened the two bolts to lock the head in place. He claimed that while it wasn't as precise as a "real mill" it was close enough for most hobby work like I do.

You may recall that I happen to be generously equipped with Wilton clamps so I decided to try using them to test this idea.

1. upper clamp

2. lower clamp

3. video, using the same indicator as before

You can be the judge. Do you think it's worth the effort?

[milomilo]

Maybe it is just me but I did not see any significant improvement.

[cutter]

Originally Posted by cutter

There is a solution for that: when I move it moves with me.
You know, I'm not entirely happy with it because the chain wants to catch now & then. That appears to be caused by the slop in the mount;

<snip>

You can see that happening in the videos.
I don't see a practical solution and I don't see a better place to mount the motor.

But it works so I have to be satisfied about that. In fact, I am damned pleased about that.

So I lied.
I was not satisfied and though I was pleased and am still pleased that it works, I was not happy with the snapping, jumping chain.
That being the case I couldn't stop thinking about how to stop it and if not stop it completely then at least make it better.

dubby was over here a few days ago so we watched it & decided to mill a tiny bit off the butt of the drive sprocket so it could slip back a few thousandths closer to the motor and we agreed that the motor mount itself was twisted a little bit on the flatbar leg. This causes the sprocket to be twisted slightly in the chain, out of the coplaner with the big sprocket on the head.
In fact, I think I can see that from the back end of the motor; it appears to be not the motor mount itself but the 1/2" x 2" flatbar that is the downward leg which supports the motor mount. I don't feel like trying to twist in back the other way.

1. When I built the mount I was careful to keep the motor level with the base.

2. That was part of my intent when I designed this plate, the back end support. I located those screw holes right where I thought they would hold the motor perfectly level or coplaner with the base plate.

3 & 4. I even made 4 little shims - 2 thick and 2 thinner - to go on the faceplate mounting bolts so that I could move them around to help tilt the motor one direction or the other as needed.

5. Originally, I installed the thinner shims on top & the thicker ones on the bottom two bolts, again to keep the motor leve with the base.
The arrows point to the shims.

[cutter]

Then I had to modify the back end plate to allow for dropping that end closer to the base plate.

1 & 2. Mildred the Fearless turned the screw holes into slots.

3. You can see how much change that made. The screws were in the right end of those slots so they moved about 3/16ths of an inch.

4. Got the chain snugged up & adjusted as best I could.

5. And I even installed the cotter pin in the splice link for the first time.
This was attempt to brainwash myself into accepting whatever happens.
"Be satisfied, dammit!"

[cutter]

I shot another video for comparison the one in post #25.
I believe it is improved.

[digr]

I think you got it, good job! If you would have left it the way it was it would have bugged you every time you used it.

Ted

[dubby]

Yup, that's better. I think to ask anything more of her you're going to have to swap from a chain to a cog belt drive setup to get it quieter. At this point you're just hearing chain so that's good!!!

There was a noticeable catch you couldn't really hear in the videos the other day, almost a snap, that's now gone. I don't think you'd ever stress that chain enough to break it in that arrangement so it wasn't something to worry about more than just knowing that it wasn't right.

Oh, the boy is leaving again for the summer on Friday... we'll be by to fix that TV either tomorrow or Wednesday. I'll call ya tomorrow.

[milomilo]

That looks much smoother now. It would be good enough for me anyways. We all lie to ourselves now and then to justify something, as it did to you. It often comes to bother you enough to make it better. I gather you are happy now. You should be it looks great to me.

[cutter]

I'll have to talk myself into one more round of pictures/posts about the wiring & switches and then I'll be done with this.
High time, too. I am sick of having to walk sideways around all the crap that usually stands close to Mildred's side and backside that's all been pushed away so I can access the mill to work on things - 2 welders, torch bottles and a little cart, all in my way for the last two month.

I'm used to a messy shop but this has been a trainwreck.

[GWIZ]

Originally Posted by cutter

So I lied.
I was not satisfied and though I was pleased and am still pleased that it works, I was not happy with the snapping, jumping chain.

That being the case I couldn't stop thinking about how to stop it and if not stop it completely then at least make it better.
mount. I don't feel like trying to twist in back the other way.

I thought it was good enough, anyway.

Your chain looks like it has stiff spots, I would soak my motorcycle chains in used motor oil for a day or two and work them lose it also allowed for the oil to soak in.

For your consideration, you maybe able to secure one side of the motor mount with bolts and use studs for the other side for clamping the head.
It all depends on the casting, in the drawing is a spherical washer that can makeup for some misalignment.

I try to be cautious with import cast-iron.
Good head bolts don't require alot of torque, I tighten my head down around 18 ft-lb.

Funny thing my mill/drill does not have much of a hole behind the head.