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For this design the work piece is held fixed to the mill bed while the Y and Z axis are moved along the x-axis as a single unit. The Y axis, pictured left, forms a U shape supporting two rails. The Z axis is driven along the Y axis by a piece of threaded rod. |
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In order to drill the sides I marked, center punched, center drilled, then step drilled the holes. All in all a lot of work and I was still 1/1000 th of an inch off. I need to practice this a lot more. Problem is I am really not sure what I am doing wrong. |
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The shuttle for the Y-axis is cut from a piece of aluminium bar stock. Rather then file the edges square I tried something new using the horizontal milling attachment for my lathe and fly cutting the surface square. It worked but only just. In the future I think I will file pieces to as close to the size I need as I can before fly cutting or milling them smooth and square. |
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In order to mount the Z-axis to the Y-axis shuttle I needed to machine the shuttle. Since I have a horologist's lathe I had to cut the bulk of the material by hand. I hack sawed out the sections in question, filed them close to true, and then milled them to just where I wanted them. Time consuming but it worked fairly well. |
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Pictured left is the modified Y-axis shuttle, brass bearings, and driving nut. I need to come up with a better design in the future this one was a little over engineered; too many parts. |