Ignoramus9618 wrote:

On 2010-08-11, Ignoramus9618 wrote:
The way my mill is set up, is that the spindle is hollow on top (it is
hollow all the way). Top of the spindle is accessible from top of the
head. It is covered by a steel plate with a hole opening.

1. It is not clear if the ID of the spindle top is greater or less or
the same, compared the ID of the hole in plate, which is 26mm.

The top plate, according to some reports, holds a bearing inside and
is not easily removable.

Do I have any practical alternatives to buying a bore gauge, to
measure spindle ID?

2.

Oops

2. I would need to somehow mount a shaft to protrude upwards, from the
spindle, and to "fix it" inside the spindle. What is the best, proper,
etc way of doing so.

thanks

1. Stick a 1" (25.4mm) end mill / drill / rod through the top hole and
see how it compares to the spindle hole? Poke around with different size
end mills / drills / rods until you find one that is a close fit to the
spindle hole?

2. Turn a shaft with a close fitting insert section and Locktite it into
the spindle bore? Ensuring you keep the extension shaft aligned will be
the trick. I'd suggest making the encoder plate that mounts on top of
the mill with a bearing in it to keep things centered and not allow side
movement of the shaft in the encoder.

Also, before you get too far into this, double check that the spindle
portion you are looking at doesn't move with your Z axis. If you Z is on
the spindle ram, I'd think that the top of the spindle moves down with
the Z. It certainly does on the series 1 mills with a drwabar.

On 2010-08-11, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus9618 wrote:

On 2010-08-11, Ignoramus9618 wrote:
The way my mill is set up, is that the spindle is hollow on top (it is
hollow all the way). Top of the spindle is accessible from top of the
head. It is covered by a steel plate with a hole opening.

1. It is not clear if the ID of the spindle top is greater or less or
the same, compared the ID of the hole in plate, which is 26mm.

The top plate, according to some reports, holds a bearing inside and
is not easily removable.

Do I have any practical alternatives to buying a bore gauge, to
measure spindle ID?

2.

Oops

2. I would need to somehow mount a shaft to protrude upwards, from the
spindle, and to "fix it" inside the spindle. What is the best, proper,
etc way of doing so.

thanks

1. Stick a 1" (25.4mm) end mill / drill / rod through the top hole and
see how it compares to the spindle hole? Poke around with different size
end mills / drills / rods until you find one that is a close fit to the
spindle hole?

yes

2. Turn a shaft with a close fitting insert section and Locktite it into
the spindle bore? Ensuring you keep the extension shaft aligned will be
the trick. I'd suggest making the encoder plate that mounts on top of
the mill with a bearing in it to keep things centered and not allow side
movement of the shaft in the encoder.

Locktiting anything into the spindle is a scary concept. I would really
like that stuff to be removable.

Also, before you get too far into this, double check that the spindle
portion you are looking at doesn't move with your Z axis. If you Z is on
the spindle ram, I'd think that the top of the spindle moves down with
the Z. It certainly does on the series 1 mills with a drwabar.

I think that on my mill, the spindle is two part and is splined. The
top part stays in place. But I will check again just to be totally
sure.

i

On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:49:31 -0500, Ignoramus9618
wrote:


2. Turn a shaft with a close fitting insert section and Locktite it into
the spindle bore? Ensuring you keep the extension shaft aligned will be
the trick. I'd suggest making the encoder plate that mounts on top of
the mill with a bearing in it to keep things centered and not allow side
movement of the shaft in the encoder.

Locktiting anything into the spindle is a scary concept. I would really
like that stuff to be removable.

Shrug..why not simply make a slotted/notched, cut at and angle etc etc
bar with a bolt that runs through it and when you tighten a nut on the
top end...it squeezed the bar enough to expand it inside the spindle,
then mount your encoder on top of the bolt the nut has been pulling up
on? WHen you need to remove it..simply back off the (2) nuts you used
to expand the bar, give it a tap..and voila..its loose



Gunner


"A conservative who doesn't believe? in God simply doesn't pray;
a godless liberal wants no one to pray. A conservative who doesn't
like guns doesn't buy one; a liberal gun-hater wants to disarm us all.
A gay conservative has sex his own way; a gay liberal requires us all
to watch and accept his perversion and have it taught to children.
A conservative who is offended by a radio show changes the station;
an offended liberal wants it banned, prosecuted and persecuted."
Bobby XD9

Ignoramus9618 wrote:

On 2010-08-11, Pete C. wrote:

Ignoramus9618 wrote:

On 2010-08-11, Ignoramus9618 wrote:
The way my mill is set up, is that the spindle is hollow on top (it is
hollow all the way). Top of the spindle is accessible from top of the
head. It is covered by a steel plate with a hole opening.

1. It is not clear if the ID of the spindle top is greater or less or
the same, compared the ID of the hole in plate, which is 26mm.

The top plate, according to some reports, holds a bearing inside and
is not easily removable.

Do I have any practical alternatives to buying a bore gauge, to
measure spindle ID?

2.

Oops

2. I would need to somehow mount a shaft to protrude upwards, from the
spindle, and to "fix it" inside the spindle. What is the best, proper,
etc way of doing so.

thanks

1. Stick a 1" (25.4mm) end mill / drill / rod through the top hole and
see how it compares to the spindle hole? Poke around with different size
end mills / drills / rods until you find one that is a close fit to the
spindle hole?

yes

2. Turn a shaft with a close fitting insert section and Locktite it into
the spindle bore? Ensuring you keep the extension shaft aligned will be
the trick. I'd suggest making the encoder plate that mounts on top of
the mill with a bearing in it to keep things centered and not allow side
movement of the shaft in the encoder.

Locktiting anything into the spindle is a scary concept. I would really
like that stuff to be removable.

Locktite is removable. Various formulations are easier to remove than
others of course.