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Making an Index Head...?

ohspyro89

Cast Iron
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Location
44667 Ohio
This is just a thought, as a side project mostly.

I have a small CNC mill, and I'd like to have a small index head with it also.

Has anybody actually made a small index head with a chuck before? I have a 4 Jaw chuck that came with my southbend 9" and I'd like to have it doing more than just sitting on storage.

My question basically is, how is the shaft that the chuck or collets are in spin while still being rigid? Is it just a good tight fit, or are there bearings?

I have wanted a project for a while now, and it's between an index head, or a cross drilling tool post for my lathe, but I just can't decide which!
 
Do you want an indexing head or a 4th axis for the mill? Best bet is to buy an indexing head off ebay. Or get a rotary table and add your motor.
 
or are there bearings
Very good bearings - like class ABEC 7 angular contact ball bearings - that can be preloaded.

Take lots of time, skill and understanding to reinvent the wheel and do a better job than you can buy.

John
 
I have three or four manual ones for sale and you are in the heart of machine tool country.

Of course if you mean a fourth axis thats different. Someone posted a website a year ago with pictures of a manual to CNC conversion of a dividing head.
 
I am unsure if I could add a 4th axis on the computer. That means I would need a breakout board I do believe.

I have the xylotex 3 axis board. a 4th axis would be great!

I know I can find a ton of ABEC 7 bearings on google, but where is the best place to get them at a decent price?
 
Nick,
It sounds like you're talking about making a 4th axis for your HF CNC mill. You will need the software to control it (unless yours will control more than 3 axis) and another driver board, another stepper motor and some more pulleys and a belt. For what you are doing you could convert one of the $29 indexers from Enco which takes 5C collets, plenty good for what you want even without any bearings. It'd be simple for you since you built your own CNC already. -Mike
 
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Imagine having a toothed belt where I have my round belt, and drive it with a stepper. I used the spindle out of one of the cheap indexers and added a set of bearings. If you hadn't brought it up I never would've thought about using it for a 4th axis. I'll have to add it to my todo list now! -Mike
 
Once I get paid, I'll have to pick up one of those indexers.

Sadly, I got rid of all my spare motors, I'll have to find another stepper, and it probably won't have to be too big.

I'll email the xylotex guy and bug him about how I should go about doing the extra axis.

I do need a better program, maybe something that isn't free ware and something that supports tool comp!

Oh, and Mike, did you get your mill retrofitted yet? I could only imagine the cost so far, with ball screws and such.
 
Pardon the hijack


I still have half a dozen brush type DC servo motors, tested and ready to go to work. These are BP axis size, such as SEM MT30 and similar.

PM me if interested.

John
 
Nick,
The mill conversion was my winter project and I ran out of winter. All of the mechanicals are done, now I need three (now maybe four) Gecko drives to finish the control. I will be using mach3 for the program. In the spring I started a total rebuild of my grandfather's old Atlas lathe and just finished it up this week. I have quite a few smaller stepper motors here if you need one. After I started the mill project they all just kind of showed up.

You can just add a single axis board to your breakout board. There again, depends on your software. -Mike
 
I think I am going to have to switch to mach 3. The only bad thing about mach 3, is I couldn't ever find a keyboard jog feature. And I live by that feature!

I'll have to order a breakout board and figure out how to wire it. The board I have now has the printer port wire, and no terminals I think. There are some on the side that may be what I need. Who knows, I should go check sometime!
 








 
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