Building the Division Master and modding my RT

[Bogstandard]

Thanks for the compliments chaps, now it is up to me to get the best out of it, I am sure it is going to help me a lot in the future.

Ralph,

1.5" (about 38mm) diameter drill. But you've got to remember, I have the power to turn one at very low speed.


I did some fine tuning this morning, I adjusted the worm to wheel, there is a small grub screw on the casting that allows you to set it spot on and repeatable. It now runs like silk with no grumbling tight spots, and still no backlash. I will set all the ramp up/down and running speeds when I come to use it in anger, plus I have to learn all about those things first, before fiddling with the settings.

I also took the opportunity to modify and fit a small folding handle handwheel on there, just in case I still want to use it in rough manual mode.



If you decide to fit a handle for any reason, one thing you MUST DO FIRST is UNPLUG the motor from the DivMaster before turning it, as under certain circumstances you can turn the stepper into a genny, and you don't want power feeding back to all those electronics.

I'm sure I will do other little twiddle twaddle bits to it, like cable clamps etc, but now, mechanically wise, this is definitely finished.

John

[Divided he ad]

1.5" (about 38mm) diameter drill. But you've got to remember, I have the power to turn one at very low speed.

Indeed!  Damn huge bit as far as I'm concerned!  I'd have been boring it out from about 25mm (largest slot drill) Still would have got a similar result though, just a lot slower 



Looks good with that handle on now John   I went looking for similar but found nothing.... I'll look again next week.

Now awaiting the first results of the testing on a workpiece   




Ralph.

[Bogstandard]

Ralph,
It came from RDG, but not the normal site, this small size isn't listed on there, but from their shop on eblay.

John

[HS93]

I got a couple of these Ralpf they work well nice and strong but take up little room and fold  as it's supprising how strong a stepper of that size is.

the ones at the bottom of the page

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machine-Spares/Machine-Handles

Peter

[Divided he ad]

Tried the e-bay shop John as that's what you said when we were discussing the one you have there... Nothing listed?

But got that link from Peter that should do the job just as well 
I'll go measure the spindle on my machine and see what I can do about the old "handle in the wrong place  " issue 






Ralph.

[Spurry]

Ralph

This seems to be the one. Slightly different size to the Arc one ( -5mm)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290353081170&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Pete

[Bogstandard]

That's the one Pete, it is perfect size for these small steppers, and the smallest one they do with a folding handle.

They also do another one at 125mm.

This morning, I had another play about and did this vid to show a few of the things it can do.

This is by no means it's full capabilities, just what a basic learner can get up to very quickly.


John

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi John


Thats just the job   


Most of all good to see you back in the shop and posting 


Rob

[Bogstandard]

Thanks Rob,

It is really nice getting a bit of my own stuff done, and getting my confidence back. I nearly gave it all up a couple of times over the last year.

I have a few other small private jobs to do, but they can fit in anytime, just waiting on materials for one of them.

My problem is whether to finish off a few of my old projects, or dive in and have a go at some castings I bought last year at Harrogate. I have a large flame licker from castings that is crying out to be built, and it wouldn't be a big job either, say two weeks, then go back to the old stuff, or finish off the old bits first, maybe a couple of months, then build the licker.

Decisions, decisions.


John

 

[Divided he ad]

   Now that's a smooth runner 




I'll race ya John, I'll try to make one thing to fit any of my engines.... You finish one of yours   


Some day soon I'll surprise you all.... Yep, I'll actually finish something worth posting about 




Again, very nice machine you have there 





Ralph.

[HS93]

Go with the castings, it's about time you got DIRTY      



  Peter  

  

[ieezitin]

John.

I just watched the video, superb job.

Let me tell you watching what you did proves to me CNC machining is within reach of the home guy at least to me, and I think you have taken the magic out of electronic machining, your basic approach with practical appliance to problems has taught me a lot on this subject.

Thank you. My shop in the near future will have electronic aids of some sort, I am now on a sojourn to add a little of this to my inventory.

God bless,   Anthony.

[DeereGuy]

John, thanks for the video demo.  Looks like a tool to kick out some flywheels to me.  If you ever do a flywheel on that I would love to see a vid.  Didn't you tell me that that same unit could be plugged into a computer to run from Mach3?

[John Stevenson]

John,
Forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know but if you use the 1 and 3 buttons instead of the plus and minus it moves at a slog jog.

John S.

[Bogstandard]

Many thanks gents.

Unfortunately, even though the RT could now be used with a CNC set up, this is about as far as I will go down that route. It is now giving me easy control over a problem tool issue that I had. I am sure that there will be some things that it can't do, hence the fall back to fitting the handle if needed, and in the future, there will be a thin vernier scale fitted behind the handle for when it does have to go manual.


John S,

Many thanks for that. I did know something about that feature, but it hasn't of yet been inwardly digested. I am just picking thru the manual learning the major basic bits first. But I will do, when I get the box mounted up on the side of the mill head, in a better programming and use position.
 
I have to take things slowly nowadays, otherwise my single brain cell can't absorb it all. In fact six months ago, this project would have been a definite no-no. New meds can take a lot of getting used to, and do limit your capabilities more than you realise.

I could hardly have a decent conversation when they first started, lots of blank seconds while I tried to think of the right words, but look at me now, I have got to the stage where I can count both my fingers AND my toes, and I can order a curry or chinese, with delivery, over the phone. What more can you want out of life.


John

BTW Peter, I fitted a new half round file to the die filer last night, and did a bit of trimming up on a nicely cast bronze flywheel.

[sbwhart]

Great job John and a very interesting video

 

That bit of plastic would make a cool flywheel if it were a bit heavyer 

Thanks for showing

Stew

[Bogstandard]

Stew,

I can now make flywheel blanks as big as the machine will allow, even bigger than I could get on my lathe.

No more large friction turning for me, just wack on almost any shape of material and cut out the disc.


John

[madjackghengis]

Hi John, I had to go back to watch the video, and you've got a very nice piece of kit there, which will serve you in good stead.  I wish I were ready to just jump in and get my rotary table going, and get past these other projects.  I've got the cam blank for my radial engine sitting clamped on my table, and I don't much want to cut it having watched about two or three too many rotary table conversions, and almost want to hold off on the cam until I've modded the table.  Having watched the video, I think I'm going to knock out the cam at the next opportunity, thus clear the table, and then I can start working on it, and get it electronically controlled with no pressure.  That video convinced me of the quality of output, and the utility it has.  I'm sure you'll learn much more as to its capabilities, but it sure looks good, and from your description it should get you back in the shop.  If it were me, I'd celebrate by building something with castings, I always enjoy building with castings, and they look good.  Great build and very noce log for us to follow mad jack

[NickG]

John,

Brilliant demonstration I thought but the wife left about 1/4 way through the video  I can see that's going to be another useful bit of kit that you'll enjoy as well as making life generally easier.

That bit of plastic would make a cool flywheel if it were a bit heavyer

. Stew, you beat me to it, great minds think alike! A monster LTD stirling flywheel!

I know you don't want anybody to decide what to do next but my vote is Bruce Engineering Flame Licker! 

Nick

[Bogstandard]

Too late Nick, it is already under way, I thought you would have picked up on it.

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=4219.0


John

[NickG]

  it's like your favourite series coming back on the box - just about to tune in!

[Brass_Machine]

Just re-read this thread from the beginning. Turned out nice John. I hope you get a lot of use out of it. I know I want to do my RT now.

Eric