Setting Up My PM935 Mill

[johnnyc14]

My Bridgeport clone has a bolt threaded into the column that hits a cast step on the backside of the knee at the top of the travel to prevent lifting the knee too high.



I removed the bevel gear from the top of the jack screw. I expect yours will be a little cleaner inside than mine was!!






Then used a scissor jack to lift the knee off the jack screw mechanism and pulled it out of the way from under the knee.





The I lifted the knee up off the dovetail ways with an engine crane, after removing the gib.







I made up a lifting fixture from some 5/8" threaded rod and some nuts and washers assuming the jack lifting point would be the balance point of the knee and it worked out well.

[EdK]

(12-31-2015, 10:29 AM)Highpower Wrote: On my mill there is a stop pin/bolt on the column that keeps the knee from traveling too high when it's in place. But after the pin is removed the knee will crank farther up until knee elevation screw comes out of the nut.

But you're right, a real Bridgy is probably different so I'll shut up now.  

Willie,

That's the same thing as the Bridgeport was described as having so please don't shut up. I'll look for the bolt/pin and get it removed before I attempt the removal.

Thanks for the help!

Ed

[EdK]

(12-31-2015, 10:32 AM)johnnyc14 Wrote: My Bridgeport clone has a bolt threaded into the column that hits a cast step on the backside of the knee at the top of the travel to prevent lifting the knee too high.

I removed the bevel gear from the top of the jack screw. I expect yours will be a little cleaner inside than mine was!!


Then used a scissor jack to lift the knee off the jack screw mechanism and pulled it out of the way from under the knee.


The I lifted the knee up off the dovetail ways with an engine crane, after removing the gib.


I made up a lifting fixture from some 5/8" threaded rod and some nuts and washers assuming the jack lifting point would be the balance point of the knee and it worked out well.

Wow! Thanks John. The helps a lot.  

Ed

[EdK]

I checked and no bolt or pin on mine. I think I'm going to ping Matt and see if there's some hidden method of keeping from raising the knee too high before I go and wreck something.

Ed

[Dr Stan]

Here's a photo of how I removed the knee of  my Fray vertical mill using an engine hoist (not in pic).  Keep in mind it is about 2/3rds the sixe of a BP so I was able to use smaller webbing.  Lifted it straight up and it came off nicely.

[EdK]

(12-31-2015, 11:22 AM)Dr Stan Wrote: Here's an album of how I dismantled my Fray vertical mill which includes removing the knee.  Keep in mind it is about 2/3rds the sixe of a BP so I was able to use smaller webbing.

Thanks for the picture. The head on my mill is a full size head just like the Bridgeport mills but the rest of it is about 2/3rds the size of a Bridgeport.

Ed

[Mayhem]

(12-12-2015, 09:44 AM)EdK Wrote: ...I'd really like to have all of the pieces down into the basement  by Christmas since I have off work from the 24th of December thru January 3rd...

I'm probably a little late with this but I took the four bolts out of the pedestal and lifted the knee off the mill with the elevation screw and pedestal attached. I then lowered the knee onto its back (the part that slides up/down the column). There was a lot of work in between with a new screw, nut and bearings but you are not going to need to do this, so I wouldn't go as far as removing the screw. To get it onto its back, I simply lowered it onto a crate that enable the bottom to sit on the crate with the screw remaining above the floor. The you gently lower it, whilst tipping it backwards. Then you can reconfigure the slings.

With the spider, my mill was the same (although I knew it would hit the floor and put my hand inside to catch it ). When putting the turret back on, don't lower it all the way down. This will give you some wriggle room. You can then get your hand in and drop the bolts through, and get a few threads engaged.

[EdK]

Any mechanical engineers out there? I've got some 1/2" thick by 4.5" wide 1018 CRS that I want to put under the mill and then add leveling feet to level the mill. The mill weighs about 1400lbs and the leveling feet I have are good for 3750lbs each. My question is do you think the 1/2" 1018 is strong enough to hold the mill? I sure hope so since I really don't want to buy some thicker steel.

Ed

[Highpower]

I just stuck my pads in the existing holes in the base. I put an extra flat washer and nut on each one on the underside of the base for it to rest on. Locking nuts on top.  



They say ignorance is bliss, right?  

ps.

1400 lbs sounds awfully light for your mill Ed.

[EdK]

(01-02-2016, 10:53 PM)Highpower Wrote: I just stuck my pads in the existing holes in the base. I put an extra flat washer and nut on each one on the underside of the base for it to rest on. Locking nuts on top.  


They say ignorance is bliss, right?  

ps.

1400 lbs sounds awfully light for your mill Ed.  

Willie,

I want to widen the stance a bit to make it more stable so that's why I was going to use the 1/2" stock to mount the mill to and then put the leveling feet further out to the sides. According to the spec sheet I downloaded from Matt's web site, the net weight is 1430lbs.

Ed