Gunsmithing: Installed a DRO on my Mill

[IndyGunworks]

I dont think I can put in words how much work this was, and everything that I had to do/fabricate to get it to work properly. Took me around 15 hours of labor, and cost around 1400 dollars by the time it was all said an done.

So here are the pictures enjoy.

x axis

Y axis

z axis

and some misc pics i snapped and dont remember why, probably because i thought this post would be alot more detailed, but i just dont have it in me to do a step by step analysis.

 

[drillsgt]

Excellent, I didnt know you were going for a 3-axis.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Excellent, I didnt know you were going for a 3-axis.

Do it right the first time, or dont do it at all. the z axis is tapered almost an inch and was a major PITA to figure out, but its working perfectly now.

I used magnetic scales because they are pretty forgiving on installation tolerances, and last alot longer.

They are also immune to swarf and oils that might end up on the scale.

 

[top hat 45]

looks good. did you have to adjust it since last thursday?

 

[42769vette]

great job

 

[IndyGunworks]

looks good. did you have to adjust it since last thursday?

No, just finally got around to doing the thread.

Used it today to machine down a J frame front sight to install a xs big dot.

 

[top hat 45]

No, just finally got around to doing the thread.

Used it today to machine down a J frame front sight to install a xs big dot.

you've needed one of those for a long time. any update on lathe?

 

[IndyGunworks]

you've needed one of those for a long time. any update on lathe?

compound and crosslide are dissasembled right now. Still cant figure out where the slop is coming from on the compound but there is no more wiggle in the crosslide, and the backlash is down to 40 thou. Found a guy that will rebuild my acme screws for 124 bucks a piece including a new machined nut... that should get rid of most of the backlash.

the bed is somewhat worn, but by the time it makes it to an error measurement in the radius i should still be capable of less than a few thou over several inches more than accurate enough for my needs since the chamber reamers will be on a floating reamer holder anyways.

Machine is lubed up and works accross all feeds/speeds.

still having a hard time getting a good finish, but i KNOW my tool is above center which is more than likely the cause, and i am using carbide so i am not spinning fast enough.

with a new not broken tool holder, and some quality HSS cutters ground properly i think i will be in business.

Still need to dissasemble clean and repaint everything
figure out my tailstock taper to get the correct live center.
order all the tooling that i will need.
level the lathe (also probably part of the finish issues)
and make the wiring perminant.

might be a month or two before i am turning out any really quality work, but i think rebuilding the lathe first is the right thing to do since i will know it inside and out.

jury is still out on whether i will keep this a a gunsmithing lathe or not, but once she is rebuilt and i can cut a few test bars to see what kind of tolerance she will hold i can make a more informed decision then. either way this is one heck of a machine and beats the crap out of chinese.

 

[Indycar]

Welcome to the 1980's!!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Welcome to the 1980's!!

I dont get it?

 

[gunselman]

I dont get it?

I would assume he is referring to you getting a DRO since most production mills are all CNC now. Guess he is saying you have old-school technology. The DRO makes a manual mill 100x more useful.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I would assume he is referring to you getting a DRO since most production mills are all CNC now. Guess he is saying you have old-school technology. The DRO makes a manual mill 100x more useful.

ah i get it... hell this thing is space age to me at times.

If someone wants to GIVE me 100 grand i will gladly switch over to full cnc. Its in the plans for the future, but the MUCH distant future.

 

[42769vette]

ah i get it... hell this thing is space age to me at times.

If someone wants to GIVE me 100 grand i will gladly switch over to full cnc. Its in the plans for the future, but the MUCH distant future.

and thats a small one. i wouldn't see the point in a cnc for gunsmithing unless your mass producing parts

 

[top hat 45]

and thats a small one. i wouldn't see the point in a cnc for gunsmithing unless your mass producing parts

alan, you know as well as i do that probably would happen and work well too. i cant presume to know where a 40's lathe and a 50's mill will end him up, starting in a single car garage....d

 

[ddavidson]

Back when I did CNC service work, Fagor Automation had very inexpensive DRO's and CNC turnkey packages. I've installed several DRO's on mills and lathes as well as a few CNC's. They work very well and them being turnkey is pretty accurate. You could go CNC for way less than $100k.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Back when I did CNC service work, Fagor Automation had very inexpensive DRO's and CNC turnkey packages. I've installed several DRO's on mills and lathes as well as a few CNC's. They work very well and them being turnkey is pretty accurate. You could go CNC for way less than $100k.

agreed, but used CNC has its own set of problems, and is still probably more than 800 percent what i bring in in a year doing this.

Ill stick with manual for now.