A few months ago I got my first VMC and most things seemed to check out okay, for it being an older machine ('99).
The dial showed that inside the spindle taper had almost no run out - or so I thought at the time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I started breaking my smaller drill bits faster then I could get new ones (1mm and 1/16"). The tool paths f/s checked out as I've run them before on different machines. Checking the run out at the end of the tool and I was all over the map. I figured it was the cheap import tool holders so I got a bunch from Maritool.
I continued to break even more drill bit.
It turns out that when I indicate the spindle taper beyond the first 1/8" into the taper everything is perfect. BUT the outer edge of the spindle taper is jacked up.
My new drill chucks are showing a consistent 0.003" run out along the entire length of several tools. (I even tried putting the check tools into the spindle 'backwards'.) It's consistent.
I need a lot of small drills and end mills.
Is there anything I can do to reduce or repair this run out? Or is it time to stop wasting time and look for a new machine? (If so, how the hell do you get rid of a VMC with 3thou run out?!?!)
Thx.
PS A machine this old - and has given me this many issues - is not likely to have the spindle 'replaced' so that's not an option but I should get a quote from Mori just to see.
The dial showed that inside the spindle taper had almost no run out - or so I thought at the time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I started breaking my smaller drill bits faster then I could get new ones (1mm and 1/16"). The tool paths f/s checked out as I've run them before on different machines. Checking the run out at the end of the tool and I was all over the map. I figured it was the cheap import tool holders so I got a bunch from Maritool.
I continued to break even more drill bit.
It turns out that when I indicate the spindle taper beyond the first 1/8" into the taper everything is perfect. BUT the outer edge of the spindle taper is jacked up.
My new drill chucks are showing a consistent 0.003" run out along the entire length of several tools. (I even tried putting the check tools into the spindle 'backwards'.) It's consistent.
I need a lot of small drills and end mills.
Is there anything I can do to reduce or repair this run out? Or is it time to stop wasting time and look for a new machine? (If so, how the hell do you get rid of a VMC with 3thou run out?!?!)
Thx.
PS A machine this old - and has given me this many issues - is not likely to have the spindle 'replaced' so that's not an option but I should get a quote from Mori just to see.