Arc SX2P head drop

[TiddlerTadParticipant @tiddlertad]

Thanks Howi.

John – many thanks for the offer. I'll get familiar with the machine first to see how I get on. I might pm you at some later date. Cheers. Andrew

[ZebethyalParticipant @zebethyal]

I have an SX2, hated the standard spring and opted for a side mounted gas strut modification, (cost of modification £13.00).

I did not like how most of the centrally mounted ones had been done, and was still undecided on where I was going to mount the Z axis motor as part of the CNC conversion I am still working on, the install still allowed for tilting the column.

I have since replaced the column and base for fixed versions and re-fitted the gas strut to the new column.

I can leave the column unlocked at any height and it will not move (obviously I do not machine with the Z axis unlocked). It also has the same level of resistance throughout the complete travel of the Z axis (unlike the spring) which is usefull for drilling operations.

By the time I have finished converting the mill to CNC, I would probably have been better off simply buying the parts I needed (if they were available) and building from there – I will have almost enough parts left over to make a new mill! – but then I would not have had a machine to make all of the new parts on either.

Edited By Zebethyal on 24/01/2018 11:34:28

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Zebethyal – you might be interested in my conversion of an ARC SX2P to CNC **LINK**

No gas spring etc;, and no head drop!

Russell

[TiddlerTadParticipant @tiddlertad]

Hi Zebethyal – thank you so much for the info and pics. Your gas strut mounting is definately on the same lines that I was thinking, as I don't want to undertake anything too complicated at this stage. Would you be able to tell me the spec of the strut and where you got it from? It also fits in well with your Z axis DRO scales. Is the DRO from Arc?

[ZebethyalParticipant @zebethyal]

@Russell, thanks for that – not one I had seen before. I may yet remove the gas strut once I have converted to CNC, If I keep it, it will be to keep the load on the Z axis motor the same both up and down.

@Andrew, The strut came from Ebay and is 500mm long (210mm compression), has M8 threads and requires 15Kg (33lbs) to compress – similar spec to the one used by Little Machine Shop in their conversion. I use a lock nut to secure the top thread so it sticks out far enough to clear the Z axis scale.

The DRO is a set of Igaging scales (from US ebay seller Taylor Toolworks), I use a Yuriy's Toys based DRO for which I built my own interface – total cost of the scales, interface, cables and tablet was around £120.00.

Edited By Zebethyal on 24/01/2018 12:51:48

[TiddlerTadParticipant @tiddlertad]

@Zebethyal – thanks you so much for taking the time to provide me with the above info. Very much appreciated. I definately plan to do the gas strut mod as a priority. I get my machine tomorrow together with all sorts of goodies. Really excited at setting it up and having a play!

Cheers mate.

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