Todays Project - What did you do today?

[Highpower]

Worked on putting a round peg in a square hole today. I bought a Z axis power feed for a Bridgeport mill during Enco's 20% / free shipping deal last month.

Step one: Install the extension shaft on the knee. Easy to do on a Bridgeport - just screw it on.

Too bad I don't have a Bridgeport....

The knee shaft on my "CCC" mill (as DaveH would say...) has a slightly smaller diameter and different thread size/pitch than the extension shaft to fit the Bridgeport. The extension just flops around on the mill's shaft and won't screw on. I'll have to improvise, adapt & overcome.


Re-cut the threads in the adapter from 3/4-16 to 20x1.75mm. Check.


Drug out a piece of 3/4" round stock (slightly on the long side) to make a 4" long sleeve and drill a 1/2" hole through it for boring bar access.


Turned the OD of the round stock for a snug fit in the extension shaft and parted it off. Cleaned the parts and slid the sleeve into the extension with some Loctite 620 for good measure. I'll let that set up then bore the sleeve for a close fit to the shaft on the mill.