CNC Lathe Conversion

[andre]

Hi guys My Name is   Andre I turn  this year. For my major high school project I am converting Myturn sl7 lathe to CNC.

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi Andre

Cool project ,    I hope you share doing the conversion with us here on Madmodder 

Rob

[andre]

I have started the bracket which will bolt to the rear of the lathe and hold the stepper motor. I also need to fit thrust bearing to the lead-screw although I am not to sure how to do this 


laying out holes in the mill



Hole sawing excess stock



Using Boring head as a flycutter to make a slot

[John Stevenson]

This might help ?

http://www.jeffree.co.uk/pages/ml7-cnc/part-1-files/myfordcncpt1.htm

[andre]

Making the section which will actually attach to the lathe. I had to mill out a groove the allow the bracket to sit on the raised section of lathe bed.

[vtsteam]

Andre, very interested in this one. Thanks for sharing!

John Stephenson, excellent link!


 

[andre]

Okay I have installed the thrust bearings onto the lead screw and boy what a difference it makes I can now move the carriage by turning the lead screw with one finger 



I then machined a new bush for the end of the shaft with two flats and a thread to replace the previous nut and collar arrangement It will also give me a shaft to mount the lead-screw drive pulley on.

[John Stevenson]

Just a heads up but that is not a Myford ML7 lathe but one of the Taiwanese clones. Not that it matters but there may be slight differences for anyone following on.

ML7 has split plain spindle bearings.

These were often marketed at Colt lathes.
see the last photo's at the bottom of this page.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford/page15.html