X axis mounting. Easy and straightforward !

X axis scale

 

This machine needs long scales

Holes for Y and Z axis scales are spot-faced in order to provide a good surface.

Spot-faced holes

Scales are mounted using shims and spacers in order to adjust them. I used anodized aluminium screws : they have less friction than steel. The scale doesn't move while tightening them. This was really a problem with steel screws.

Y axis

Z axis

Adjusting the Z scale. This machine needs 320 revolutions of the crank to move the knee all way long. So adjusting the two alignments in one operation is preferable.

Adjusting the Z axis

Everybody uses aluminium plates for reader heads. So I did it a different way !

I made steel tubing arms, with a telescopic tee on witch I bolted the reader head. It can be adjusted very pecisely, and is very rigid. Pushing on the Y axis arm, I could'nt make it bend more than 0.3 mm.

Y axis

Detail of the reader mountings (Y axis)

Z axis

I did'nt use the arm provided with the DRO. It is too short for my machine. I mounted a telecopic arm on the Meister swivel, so I can put the control panel / DRO in any position. This is useful with a turret milling machine if the turret or the head is moved.

Arm

The Meister Bc-10M DRO is mounted upon my custom control panel.

Machine controls

Larger view of the machine and its controls