Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!

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awemawson:
Well I had to fix it Adev - it's too big a lump to keep tripping over when it doesn't work! But thanks for the kind words.

Today my task was to remove all the VDI tooling from the tool turret to ensure that none of the driven tools were seized before I spun up the tool power motor.

VDI tools are retained by a stout pin sticking into a socket on the turret, with a rack shape cut into the pin. A similarly racked wedge piece pulls them onto a mounting face and is secured by an allen headed bolt. To remove them the bolt is loosened, and the top of its head bears on a washer that in turn bears in a circlip acting as a shoulder. This pulls the racked wedge out releasing the tool.

Several of the circlips had been lost. It turns out that the tooling was so firmly in, and the wedge so tight, that it wasn't coming out without a few stout raps from a copper mallet on the tool block. Eventually they all came out:

awemawson:
It turns out that there was only one powered tool installed:

awemawson:
So this let me get on with testing the tool power motor. Long shot is that it works and can be driven cw and ccw at a controlled speed - I think it's 2 HP so Bridgeport sort of power.

Along the way a couple of irritations happened:

Firstly that temperature relay failed again for no good reason - I temporarily linked it out of circuit and got on with it, but I've just again dismantled it, cleaned the relay contacts, re-soldered the pcb joints and put it back with no definite fault found apart from it can only be the relay contacts or wires going to them, as the relay was energised when the fault was present.

Secondly the monitor screen went blank, then came back - loose mains connection found in its sealed box (only 14 screws and a gasket :) )

As I was testing the drive, I also played in MDI mode starting and stopping the main spindle - hey what's that odd clicking noise :( It turns out that while a program is running the amber beacon that I repaired yonks ago lights up, and when it ends it flashes - the clicking was its relay :clap:

Have an amber beacon:

awemawson:
I eventually got to the bottom of the Temperature Relay issue - in fact the relay contact wasn't being pushed firmly enough against its partner. Although I've given it a tweak and it now works fine, I've ordered a replacement relay for better reliability - only £2 off ebay !

I think I have now got all functions that I can test at this point working - even the little 'parts catcher' flipper scoop that can be extended under the part before parting off. A few things cannot be checked until I fill her up with coolant (220 litres :bugeye: )

So time to start putting the tin work back round the X axis and Tool Turret. It needs a clean up before fitting, and close examination shows one part has some horrid corrosion - Very odd as it is limited to one small location, some swarf must have got trapped there that they had been machining that set up an electrolytic reaction with the steel:

awemawson:
Options - Cut out the offending bit and mig in a replacement, or re-make it

I decided to re-make this part - but when I checked my stock I had no 1.5mm sheet, only 1.0 & 1.2 - as this mounts wipers to keep the coolant out I don't want to go any thinner.

I thought I'd had a go at 'lead loading' - the old fashioned bodywork repair method - not done it since the mid 1970's when I did the doors of my late brothers MG TC !

So - sandblast clean:

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