Abene DRO

jmbecker · Oct 5, 2015

Anyone willing to give advise on installing a 3 axis ( Sino ) DRO on a Abene VHF 3 ?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated !

adatesman · Oct 6, 2015

On mine they drilled/tapped holes at the ends of the slots for the feed cutouts.

jmbecker · Oct 7, 2015

Could you possibly post a picture ?

Because it does not ring any bell's what you are describing.

Gr. Jack

jmbecker · Oct 7, 2015

Also some other issue came up : I removed one of the plugs in the front base to get at the slush and dirt in the cooling reservoir in the base.
" Of course " it turned out that the plug consisted of TWO parts : an inner and outer part !
You guessed it : the inside part disappeared into the base and I can't figure out how to get it back together again.
Any idea's / tips ?

adatesman · Oct 7, 2015

Pics? Sure...

I have to admit that this is speculation since the machine didn't have a DRO when I got it, but it's highly likely that's what the extra holes on mine are for given they're English thread rather than Metric (like everything else on the machine) and in the only places it would be possible to fit DRO scales.

I don't exactly recall whether the X axis was bolted to the back of the table or used a slot, do recall seeing evidence there was one mounted there in some fashion.

adatesman · Oct 7, 2015

jmbecker said:
Also some other issue came up : I removed one of the plugs in the front base to get at the slush and dirt in the cooling reservoir in the base.
" Of course " it turned out that the plug consisted of TWO parts : an inner and outer part !
You guessed it : the inside part disappeared into the base and I can't figure out how to get it back together again.
Any idea's / tips ?

Yikes... Offhand I don't recall what that looks like in there, as it was almost a year ago I popped those open. A magnet on a stick maybe?

Just so we're talking about the same plug... Not the one with the arrow, but the large ones on either side, correct?

jmbecker · Oct 8, 2015

Thanks !! About the plugs : yes the large ones on either side ; unfortunately the inner part is plastic !

Maybe one is not supposed to remove them wholely ? I also asked the same question to Abene rep, but no answer yet.

AlfaGTA · Oct 8, 2015

Can you tell me what if anything is in the space behind the large plugs ?

What purpose do the plastic inner pieces play? Perhaps you don't need them, or you can work around them.

If the space is just open behind the plugs (coolant sump perhaps? ) could you use an extended set of needle nose pliers to reach in and
grab the plastic part and withdraw it....

I have a pair of "GearWrench" double joint 45* needle nose pliers that can reach 12" or so....the double joint arrangement makes the width fairly slim...

GearWrench 82006 Double X Pliers - Needle Nose 45 Degree - - Amazon.com

Or perhaps a long reach gripper :
2 Flexible Claw Pick Up Tool 24" Reaching Grabber GRABBING Mechanic Pickup Tool | eBay

Cheers Ross

adatesman · Oct 8, 2015

Wow. I've been very pleased with the build quality of my Abene, but hot damn is that plug a **STUPID** design. Two steel plates with a piece of plastic between them and a bolt to squeeze the plastic enough to seal the hole is fine, but there is no provision for holding the plug still while tightening the bolt (and thereby make it seal) or keeping the plug from simply pushing through the hole. And from the look of things, getting it out once it is pushed through is likely impossible. Absolutely stupid.

Good luck, as I think you're going to need it...

adatesman · Oct 8, 2015

AlfaGTA said:
If the space is just open behind the plugs (coolant sump perhaps? )

Exactly that. They're for draining/cleaning the coolant sump and it's completely open behind them.

AlfaGTA · Oct 8, 2015

Forget the plastic....unless it is quick and easy to remove now that it has fallen inside......
Turn up some plugs from steel or aluminum and groove the OD for some (at least 2) o-rings to seal them off....Drill and tap the face in the center so you can pull the plugs out via
slide hammer and move on....
Cheers Ross

jmbecker · Oct 8, 2015

Got it out !

The inner part is part steel, part some sort of silicon plastic.
I used (as suggested by Adatesman ) a magnet to grab the part and was able to very carefully get a bolt in the threaded hole and could get it out by clamping to the bolt." Pew "
I agree : very silly design !

dominus164 · Oct 12, 2015

Ok i don't know if i m late but here some pictures of factory installed Magnascale (Sony's separate company) scales.
1st for X axis
Kyriakos

dominus164 · Oct 12, 2015

Y and Z axis

jmbecker · Oct 12, 2015

Thanks a million !

Danny VanVoorn · Oct 12, 2015

jmbecker said:
Got it out !

The inner part is part steel, part some sort of silicon plastic.
I used (as suggested by Adatesman ) a magnet to grab the part and was able to very carefully get a bolt in the threaded hole and could get it out by clamping to the bolt." Pew "
I agree : very silly design !View attachment 151211 View attachment 151212

We have automotive freeze plugs here that use a similar design, I think there for fixing a leaking/rusted through plug and getting it back on the road. One of those deals where they can't get to it without pulling the motor so they install one of them instead, I guess they hold up well enough?
Dan

jmbecker · Oct 13, 2015

Have'nt tested them out yet but they seem to be in good shape although one is missing in the back.

mdo · Nov 10, 2015

I'm probably late to the party, but here are my pictures.

jmbecker · Nov 11, 2015

Better late than never ( as a saying in dutch goes )
Thanks !

pianoman8t8 · Nov 22, 2017

I'm toying with the idea of adding a 3-axis DRO to mine as well, but man they don't seem to be very good at maintaining use of the feed stops at all. Not that I really use those anyway I suppose... But still...

Abene DRO

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Cast Iron

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