02-25-2015, 09:12 AM
I'm certainly no expert at anything machining related. Maybe I'm just looking at it from the other side of the fence. I have Asian machines and both my lathe and mill have 'scraped' tapered gibs like you describe. A rather crudely done job of it of course - but scraped they are. I just assumed it was done that way 'over there' because hand scrapers are cheaper than surface grinders, and you can put scrapers into the hands of a lot of workers in a factory vs. putting each worker on a surface grinder.
I would venture a guess though that there are quite a few more careful hours invested in scraping a Hardinge compared to import machines though, with a much higher spot-per-inch count.
I've been telling myself I'm going to pull the gib out of the knee on my mill and re-scrape it, since day one. In between too tight, and too loose, lies shudder and stick and slip. I don't think it's what you would call 'flat'. Maybe in the next 5 years or so.....
I would venture a guess though that there are quite a few more careful hours invested in scraping a Hardinge compared to import machines though, with a much higher spot-per-inch count.
I've been telling myself I'm going to pull the gib out of the knee on my mill and re-scrape it, since day one. In between too tight, and too loose, lies shudder and stick and slip. I don't think it's what you would call 'flat'. Maybe in the next 5 years or so.....
Willie