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Cross slide lock with a DRO fitted

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Cross slide lock with a DRO fitted
Dave J Offline
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#1
04-05-2013, 05:44 AM (This post was last modified: 04-05-2013, 07:55 PM by EdK.)
As promised to Ed I have done the mod.
It has only taken me 6 or so years after fitting the DRO to do this, LOL

I had a backing spar behind my glass scale on my 12 x 36 lathe and it covered the cross slide lock, so this is the solution I came up with. I don't run coolant as yet so I only had to worry about the chips.

I removed it today, but forgot to take pictures of the main part. It was such a hassle to replace because I left the scale in place and the new bolt was sticking out, so I just drew a picture of the part and took photos of the finished thing (sorry)

Picture one is what shape I found the spanner fitted best and I just milled it out.

   

Installed, it was hard to get a good picture with the phone so I posted them all.
   


   

   
I decided to put a cover on it and then found it was hard to get out, so a touch with an end mill gave me a finger nail edge to get it out. My scale sits above the cross slide about 2mm so this was helpful.

   
   

   

   

Dave
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DaveH Offline
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#2
04-05-2013, 07:54 AM
Dave,
That's a very neat solution Thumbsup Smiley-signs107
6 years mmm ......... quick eh! Rotfl
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EdK Offline
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#3
04-05-2013, 08:23 AM
Dave,

I assume those pictures are showing a cover over the scale and spacer with a notch cut in the cover to access the cross slide lock. Is that correct?

Thanks,
Ed
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Dave J Offline
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#4
04-05-2013, 09:21 AM
Thats right Ed, sorry for the lack of photo's. Remember I am rusty on making threads, as I have been off for a while, LOL.

I got the phone out for photo's then my son came home getting his motor cross bike etc to go away, then when I went back to it I forgot all about taking photo's. It only took about 1/2 hour and was just a fill in job as I am waiting on pop rivets for my coolant tray I am still working on.

The cover is a Meister DRO cover which normally has a lip on the top, I cut it off and cut off some of the bottom to fit.
It would be just as easy to use a piece of 1.5 - 1.6mm angle there.

The backing plate/spar is 6mm thick, and I found I could mill it down 4.5mm (leaving 1.5mm) and still have plenty of room for the spanner which is just a cheap Chinese one.

The bolt I grabbed was a perfect fit, and I slipped in a bearing while I was there like I did to the mill when I got it. It make locking an axis so much easier with a bearing between the bolt and the tapered slug in the lock hole.

Dave
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Dave J Offline
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#5
04-05-2013, 09:24 AM
(04-05-2013, 07:54 AM)DaveH Wrote: Dave,
That's a very neat solution Thumbsup Smiley-signs107
6 years mmm ......... quick eh! Rotfl
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DaveH

There are jobs that have been on the list for a lot longer, LOL
Be easy to lock it up now, in the past I have just done up the taper gib.

Dave
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Mayhem Offline
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#6
04-05-2013, 09:38 AM
(04-05-2013, 09:21 AM)Dave J Wrote: ...I slipped in a bearing while I was there like I did to the mill when I got it. It make locking an axis so much easier with a bearing between the bolt and the tapered slug in the lock hole...

Dave - can you elaborate on this please? Are you using a thrust bearing?
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EdK Offline
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#7
04-05-2013, 11:50 AM
(04-05-2013, 09:38 AM)Mayhem Wrote:
(04-05-2013, 09:21 AM)Dave J Wrote: ...I slipped in a bearing while I was there like I did to the mill when I got it. It make locking an axis so much easier with a bearing between the bolt and the tapered slug in the lock hole...

Dave - can you elaborate on this please? Are you using a thrust bearing?

Darren,

I believe he means he put a ball bearing into the cross slide lock screw hole that presses against the gib to lock it in place. My mill came with a setup like that.

Ed

   
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DaveH Offline
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#8
04-05-2013, 01:01 PM
I'll speculate,
Similar to Ed's drawing but the ball bearing doesn't act directly on the gib but through a 'brass' slug. The 'brass' slug acts directly on the gib.
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EdK Offline
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#9
04-05-2013, 02:23 PM
(04-05-2013, 01:01 PM)DaveH Wrote: I'll speculate,
Similar to Ed's drawing but the ball bearing doesn't act directly on the gib but through a 'brass' slug. The 'brass' slug acts directly on the gib.
Big Grin
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DaveH

No brass slug on my mill. The ball bearing bears directly on the gib. It came that way from the factory. I'm not saying that it's a good design but I haven't had any problems with it.

Ed
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stevec Offline
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#10
04-05-2013, 03:27 PM
Ed, is there a little dimple in the gib for the ball?
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