Gib locking & DRO

[EdK]

What picture are we waiting for?

Ed

[stevec]

The picture of a pin instead of a ball (I believe).

[TomG]

Any picture will do. Everyone knows how much we all love pics!

Actually I was referring to a picture of Petertha's cross slide and locking mechanism, but I was really just being a wise guy.

Tom

[EdK]

(10-30-2012, 01:55 PM)TomG Wrote: I was really just being a wise guy.

Tom

Mission accomplished.

Ed

[Dave J]

Hi,
My mill, lathe etc all came with a small piece of rod for the gib locks cut at 55 (or whatever degrees they choose to use) to match the gib angle as described earlier in this thread.
I took these out cut the 90 degree end off a bit, then drilled the end to leave and indent for a metal ball to sit in. I also drilled the gib lock bolt the same to match the ball.
When finished with a few drops of oil it works with just the lightest nip up of the gib lock, much better than it used to be with all the friction of metal to metal.

You will always get some movement on your DRO when tightening the locks, but it shouldn't be much. If there is you may need to check you gibs for tightness, they should have a light drag when set right. One way is to slightly tighten the gib lock when your getting close so it has drag, you will then find it doesn't move much at all.

Dave

[petertha]

Here are some pics. I replaced the cheesy wing nut with a slightly less cheesy knurled knob. Monkey see monkey do, didnt know better at the time. Is this the general idea of the pin type contact slider pad?

[EdK]

(10-30-2012, 07:38 PM)Dave J Wrote: Hi,

I took these out cut the 90 degree end off a bit, then drilled the end to leave and indent for a metal ball to sit in. I also drilled the gib lock bolt the same to match the ball.

Dave

Dave,

I like that idea. Another task to add to the growing list.

Ed

[EdK]

(10-31-2012, 12:02 AM)petertha Wrote: Here are some pics. I replaced the cheesy wing nut with a slightly less cheesy knurled knob. Monkey see monkey do, didnt know better at the time. Is this the general idea of the pin type contact slider pad?

Peter,

That's it.

Ed

[TomG]

Pics AND solid models. It doesn't get any better than that!

That should definitely help the situation Peter. Just so you know, that is not an unusual problem and there will always be some shift when you lock a slide. Even the axes on my Bridgeport type mill drift some when locked. The good news is that since you no longer need to worry about backlash, all you need to do is bump the crank one way or the other to correct.

Tom

[Dave J]

(10-31-2012, 05:59 AM)EdK Wrote:

(10-30-2012, 07:38 PM)Dave J Wrote: Hi,

I took these out cut the 90 degree end off a bit, then drilled the end to leave and indent for a metal ball to sit in. I also drilled the gib lock bolt the same to match the ball.

Dave

Dave,

I like that idea. Another task to add to the growing list.

Ed

Hi Ed,
It's not one of those little projects you don't really notice much for the work you put in, with this mod you really notice it strait up. All you need to do is to throw each part in the 3 jaw chuck on the lathe to machine off a bit and drill the indent.
Then just break up an old bearing (with a rag over it and hammer in the vise) to get some balls if you don't have some laying around.

Dave