05-01-2019, 04:46 AM
(04-30-2019, 11:29 PM)Highpower Wrote: I use way oil on mine but I don't have all that extra stuff hanging off the front of the ram. That's got to be putting some serious pressure on the dovetails at the back of the ram (I would think) when run out that far. Lot of leverage there, no?
Yep that's my thought, it's a lot of weight and the further out it gets the harder the ram is to move. I have no concern about the dovetails being damaged as the forces involved in horizontal milling would undoubtedly be much greater than the force here- also the user manual shows the whole machine slung from the overarm when moving it- but I'm also not totally happy with using the Y-feed to move it as I did here. I'll go with Tom's suggestion of grease when I reassemble it after painting, will be interesting to see the result.
A counterweight is also an intriguing idea, I don't think I'd have room behind the machine when the ram is retracted though to hang anything far enough out to counter the weight of the new bits when it's extended.
Lathe (n); a machine tool used in the production of milling machine components.
Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.
Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.