Hardince HC Chucker -- someone needs help

I looked at that. What I found difficult was not the schematic, but that there are barely enough wire length coming out of the motor, to reach the drum terminals. I think not even enough to make wire nut connections. Schematic wise, you are 100% on target.

I also find the placement of the drum switch, to be not perfectly convenient, at least for me.

So the only time when I reach for and switch it, is when changing from direct to back gear.

Hmm ... have you opened the wiring box on the motor? mine has a set of nine wires which can either be configured as a 240 VAC three phase motor, or a 480 VAC three phase motor. Get some appropriate wire or oil-tite flexible conduit, and run it directly from the motor to the VFD -- wherever you mount that. (And I would tend to mount it on the back of the column -- best position to keep chips from falling on it and working their way in to short the circuitry on the VFD.) then just run the control wiring to the drum switch, and bolt a small housing for a speed control pot on the bottom of the drum switch or somewhere nearby. Obviously, plug the remaining conduit hole with a goof plug to keep chips out of the switch contacts, too.

When I first got my Bridgeport, I pulled off the wire nuts, and crimped on ring terminals for #6 screws, then stacked the terminals to make the desired connections, used a screw, nut and lockwasher to hold them together, and then put heat shrink tubing over the terminals. This way, if I ever need/want to swtich it to 480V operation, I don't have to add flex wear to the wires by uncrewing wire nuts, trying to straighen the leads and re-twist them, and then put wire nuts back on them.

O.K. That is personal -- but you can relocte the drum switch to a place which you do find more convenient -- and I find it easier to work the switch and a pot with oil-covered fingers than a set of membrane keypad switches.

Hmm ... while you are about it, get one of those red mushroom cap panic switches to hook in series with the common lead from the VFD, so you can stop the spindle quickly at need -- for example a badly out-of-balance fly cutter causing the machine to dance around the shop floor. :-)

O.K. While I believe in using the drum switch and keeping the VFD's keypad out of the way of hot chips and the like -- and keeping the operating habits as close to the same as possible.

Enjoy, DoN.

Using the keypad to control the mill sacrifices much of the benefit the VFD offers. I find large FWD-STOP-REV pushbuttons and a speed pot in a convenient location a huge improvement over the the keypad, especially when drilling and power tapping, drilling and reaming, or for any operation where it's desirable to make quick speed changes or start/stop/reverse easily.

You may wish to reconsider not remoting a stop/forward/rev switch the first time you try to tap something.........

Gunner

STOP! Use the drum switch to control fwd/stop/rev

Gunner

My own VFD is different, it is a Delta S1. It has a pot and on/off buttons, OK to use with a greasy hand.

I'll trust power tapping... once I find a nice used CNC with RT option... until then I hand tap.

Its your machine, use or not use it as you choose.

Shrug

Gunner, who power taps regularly with his Gorton MasterMill and a VFD

Do you use a tapping head or what? How do you hold taps?

I generally use the same drill chuck I drilled the hole with. If Im going to tap more than 10 holes, I might install one of my Versa Taps in the big drill press (also with a pendant and a VFD btw)

Gunner

A big AMEN to that. I do it on a Bridgeport and wouldn't think of going back to hand tapping for 80 or 90 % of the threaded holes. Peice of cake. ( It did scare me the first few times I saw it being done ) ...lew...

Don't know about Gunner but here is what I do:

Personally, I have a tapping head that is good up to 3/8. MT2

What's the advantage over simply holding the tap in the chuck? Up to

So, Ned, does the tap ever slip inside the chuck?

On Thu, 22 May 2008 20:07:01 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm, Lew Hartswick quickly quoth:

Ooh, nice tubafore, lew! What finish is that? ;)

-- The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man. -- Euripides

I have a Hardinge HC Chucker that I would sell. $2000 OBO. Some tooling included. The machine is located in Central Illinois.

Bob

I have a Hardinge HC Chucker that I would sell. $2000 OBO. Some tooling included. The machine is located in Central Illinois.

Bob

The last time I can recall a problem was tapping 3/4-10 holes in a big piece of 1-1/4" Blanchard ground plate. The tap I had on hand looked OK, but on close inspection was dull. With a new tap I was able to drive the tap in a 5/8" ball bearing chuck.

I have a tap driver that has an adjustable clutch and end float, but about the only thing I use it for is tapping the ends of 80-20 or Item aluminum extrusion. You occasionally get a length that's unusually gummy and the clutch helps to avoid buggering the hole.