Taig mill update

On 3/15/2018 10:37 AM, rangerssuck wrote: > As you may remember, I've been making prototype printed circuits on my Taig micro mill. I was pretty well stuck, not being able to get traces small enough. It didn't seem to matter much what my z depth was, the conical bit wouldn't cut a line that was anywhere near as narrow as its 0.1mm tip. > > Then one day, it dawned on me that that the head was vibrating like a sonofabitch. I mounted a dial indicator on the bed and positioned the

killer when trying to mill lines less than 0.008" wide. > > I have since replaced the whole headstock with a 1.5KW 400Hz spindle motor. It runs up to 24,000 rpm and there's no detectable vibration. This is great. Of course, now that that problem is fixed, it made others more visible. I noticed that lines in the +Y direction were a different width than those in -Y. This turned out to be loose gibs, so I took apart the whole XY mechanism, tightened the nuts to remove all but

0.0005" of backlash in X&Y which I had previously compensated for in mach3, and adjusted the gibs properly. > > All I can say is that I wish I had taken the time to do these things from the get-go. What a difference. Next (after I get some work out of the way), I'll do the same with the Z axis. >

Hmmmm... I think somebody here might have suggested the 24K spindle on the Taig. Did you use Paul Heinreichs spindle mounts?

I can tell you from experience its better to adjust out backlash to the best of your ability and ignore the Mach 3 backlash compensation. I've watched it steadily work a profile cut across the part as it gets confused before.

My experience showed me a Taig mill could be adjust reliably to under .001 backlash and run ok, but it would limit the ability to rapid without losing steps. With it loosened up to about .003 backlash overall mine would cut upto about 60IPM and rapid up to 80ipm. Of course that is also dependent on your motors and controller. Whether or not that is "good enough" depends on the type of job you are doing and how you approach the job.

Yes, you did suggest the spindle. No, I did not use his mounts - he only of fered me a complete set including 220V motor & VFD, radiator, water pump et c for a bit too much money. So, I bought a kit with 110V motor & VFD (easie r for me) and a mount. I made a bolt-on plate that replaces the dovetail pl ate, and it works fine.

I also have the material and tools to make a dovetail mount. I have tested the design in a plexiglass scrap and it fits fine. I still need to come up with a locking mechanism for it, and I'll get it done after I finish some " real" work.

I got the backlash down to

That's too bad. He used to sell his mounts separately on EBAY. I have two sets. One for a 65mm and one for an 80mm spindle.

I need to break out some dovetail cutters and make some specialty tool holders for the QCTPs on my lathes.

a

y offered me a complete set including 220V motor & VFD, radiator, water pum p etc for a bit too much money. So, I bought a kit with 110V motor & VFD (e asier for me) and a mount. I made a bolt-on plate that replaces the dovetai l plate, and it works fine.

ted the design in a plexiglass scrap and it fits fine. I still need to come up with a locking mechanism for it, and I'll get it done after I finish so me "real" work.

offered me a complete set including 220V motor & VFD, radiator, water pump etc for a bit too much money. So, I bought a kit with 110V motor & VFD (ea sier for me) and a mount. I made a bolt-on plate that replaces the dovetail plate, and it works fine.

ed the design in a plexiglass scrap and it fits fine. I still need to come up with a locking mechanism for it, and I'll get it done after I finish som e "real" work.