Well when you're as short as I am, working the draw bar can be more of a challenge.
I can reach the knee crank without a step ladder, not so with the draw bar.
Ed
I'm 5' 8" and have a low center of gravity (somewhat fat), so the drawbar can be a issue for me too. I avoided much of that issue by going to a ER40 style holder (actually a DIN 6188 holder), so now the tightening of the collets is directly in front of me.
I've been too lazy to take the spacer out of the column, Its a stretch to get to the drawbar when Im standing on a milk carton.
I have a 7" riser block in the Jet mill, I too need a crate or 5 gallon pail to get to the drawbar.
(06-25-2015, 06:23 PM)EdK Wrote: [ -> ]Mike,
Do you have the part number and brand for the cylinder you used? I want to get one so I have it when my mill arrives.
Also, what is the diameter of the base? The drawing doesn't show that dimension.
Oops! Never mind. I watched your video again and you said it was 6.8" in diameter.
Thanks,
Ed
Ed, I don't have the part number for the pnuematic cylinder as I bought it from ebay based on stroke, port size and thread size. It was a 1" stroke, 1/8" NPT threaded port, double acting (not the spring return style) and had a 3/8-24 threaded end on the rod.
You may want to check McMaster Carr's catalog and see if something fits the bill there. When I bought from ebay there were two in the lot and one looked to be slightly used, I used one for my original design, then had a hairbrained idea of building me another one (my current setup) after watching a youtube video and seeing a different design. I had a gentleman on garagejournal.com forum ask to purchase my original power drawbar which I sold to him as he too purchased a PM935TV recently.
(06-25-2015, 07:00 PM)the penguin Wrote: [ -> ]I must be getting old, the knee powerfeed is the one I'm really thankful for. Cranking the table up and down is not high on my list of things to do. I always lower the table as low as possible to making the change over to of from the rotary table, as easy as possible.
I thought about getting the power Z-axis (knee) but I already blew my budget to hell so decided against it. It really isn't that big of a deal for the majority of the work I do. I don't find myself having to go to either extreme much, maybe 6-8 inches in the middle or upper middle of its travel is where I spend most of my time.
I have to admit, last night I used my mill for about an hour to machine a new trailer plug mounting bracket and I am soooooo glad I built the riser stand to get it at a comfortable height. I am also glad I don't have to reach for the drawbar and especially happy to not have to stand on anything to reach the drawbar. I see that as being a safety concern or trip hazard when not being used. Another reason I dropped all my air and power for the mill from my shop ceiling as I hate cords running along the shop floor and becoming a trip hazard (besides the fact that hate the appearance of cords running everywhere). I guess that is the industrial mechanice in me and having to deal with 5S and process safety management for the past couple of decades.
Mike.
Thanks Mike. That should be enough details on the cylinder for me to source one.
Ed
(06-26-2015, 08:31 AM)EdK Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks Mike. That should be enough details on the cylinder for me to source one.
Ed
No problem Ed. Glad to help, sorry I don't have a part number.
If I can be of any further assistance please don't hessitate to ask.
Mike.
My new mill may be here sooner than I expected. I thought Matt had said 8 weeks but I went back and reread the emails and he actually said " The current shipment you would be on will be here late July or in to August.". Time sure flies. I guess I better get my butt in gear and get the area ready.
Ed
Looking forward to seeing your new machine arrive, get partially disassembled, moved, fully reassembled and running, Ed.
That should kill a couple hours and you'll be anxious to put it into regular use.
