Emco FB2

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Kev,

I don't have an Emco FB2, so my interest is just curiousity …

Are you the Kev Drake who trades as turbosuzukis ?

MichaelG.

[Jeff BatesParticipant @jeffbates19503]

Hi All…

No that is a "stage name" I was told never to use your real name on these forum things, I'm afraid I am a silver surfer and somewhat a novice at the internet, I am struggling with this i phone as the font is so small.

ANYWAY..Back To Business…

I have just spoken to Karl who is a senior Production Manager For Haas..

He reccomends EN24T, to go with the Bronze Nut, anything else will simply be overkill.

The Stock Emco Leadscrew is EN6, Which Karl agreed is way to soft for Leadscrew application on any milling machine

But EN6 is Nice & Soft So Lends Itself To Thread Rolling, and Ideal for Emco in the fast manufacturing & low cost of producing them

With That I shall Order the material When I Return From The U.S Tomorrow.

Best Regards

"Kev"

PS…I Shall post pictures on here of the Leadscrews being made, all will BE TP20 x 3 ..(Metric) EN24T

[Steamer1915Participant @steamer1915]

"ANYWAY..Back To Business…"

You don't give up do you!

Steve. (Yes, that really is my name)

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

On the general subject of nuts and not having an emco anyway this type of adjustment doesn't look too brilliant to me though the lengthways cut is easy to manufacture. The range of adjust ment only works because of the sloping flank on the trapezoidal thread. That gives limitted range and must put a bit of ridge on the nut flank that gets in the way of adjustment too.Thought Gray would have redesigned it.

I noticed in looking at far eastern small lathe manuals that some have an even worse cross slide adjustment using a cut part way across then screws to close or open the cut so it is only one side of a short part of the thread is providing the bearing. Probably doesn't last long but they hope a hobby lathe doesn't get enough use to matter,.

Interesting to read the emco lathe history. There is an Elliott yahoo group with a bit of modern company history but it makes no mention of Maier. The group does not cover the little lathes just shapers and surface grinders.

Although the 'advertising' might be a bit naughty I found it good to see that small British engineering companies still exist and are able to show some enterprise. ( yes I know about you too John)

That gives me an idea that I'd like the occasional article in ME about such Companies day to day activity. I always enjoyed reading the articles from an exmillwright written in the sixties about his work 'in the old days' and those videos of a one man machine shop linked on another thread recently.

Edited By Bazyle on 12/06/2013 18:23:21

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I'd still like to know what Haas fits PB nuts and Trapezoidal screws.

Sorry my bullsh*t meter is going overtime on this. Quote a price on a component before he's even found out what to make it out of and the finishing operation on EN24T is far different to EN36 if that's what it was.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Gray,

You probably know but others may not.

Haas whilst being a large, possibly the largest ? producer of CNC milling machines is also the cheapest.

Might have something to do with sales ?

 

Anyway these are built to a price, a DMG will cost about double for the same size machine.

As such like most machine tool builders these days they will use as many off the shelf components as possible.

Ballscrews being one, like most users of ballscrews they probablt don't have a clue what grade material goes into them and leave that to the manufacturer.

In Haas's case they are probably more interested in cost.

 

As I say my bullsh*t meter is going overtime on this one. Smacks of blatent advertising and stretched truth.

Edited By John Stevenson on 15/06/2013 08:16:42

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

John

My take on this Haas connection, is that the man with two names mentioned he knew a Hass employee who he would ask what were suitable/good materials to make leadscrews out of.

Unless I missed something I dont think it was stated that Hass machines used Steel/Bronze on their products.

Ian P

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Slightly off topic, but this video from Haas is worth watching.

"Works Racing" Manx Norton engine.

… it's Saturday, we can all dream a little.

MichaelG.

.

P.S.  There was a good article about the engine, in the May 2013 issue of "Classic Bike".

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 15/06/2013 10:28:13

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Gray

I am not conversant with the Haas range of machines, but I would have expected every one of them to have ballscrews, maybe the VM a lower cost version, actually though the post you quoted only asks what/how they make the leadscrews, so the answer from the Haas man might be 'bought in ballscrews'

Ian

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Graham Meek on 15/06/2013 09:57:56:

Posted by Jeff Bates on 08/06/2013 08:05:36:

Hi Graham,

… It was the same gentleman I contacted before making the nuts last month, i have made them from the exact grade if phos bronze as Haas use for their machines, again regardless of cost !

.

Ian,

For clarity, I have extracted the relevant words from Gray's post [quoting]

MichaelG.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Michael

Well, that sentence clearly states that Haas use Phos Bronze in their machine although to be pedantic it does not say what for. Granted nuts are mentioned but those are the ones the man with two names made previously, and presumably not for Haas.

Like JS I done see Haas using steel/bronze for the leadscrews, but is possible and likely that they use that metal combination in other parts of the machine (even for screw threads and nuts) say in a clamping system.

Ian P

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Ian Phillips on 15/06/2013 10:52:21:

Michael

Well, that sentence clearly states that Haas use Phos Bronze in their machine although to be pedantic it does not say what for.

Ian P

.

Quite so, Ian

MichaelG.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Well, that sentence clearly states that Haas use Phos Bronze in their machine

IIRC, Haas started out making rotary indexers & moved on from that. They manufacture a range of CNC rotary tables as well as lathes, machining centres etc. (including compound tables for 5 axis work), so it would not be unusual to find Phos. bronze wormwheels in (at least some of) the rotary table mechanisms.

Probably of no interest, but both of the Taiwanese FB2 clones I have owned had "yellow metal" nuts on all axes – the table nuts are castings, the vertical nut an internally threaded tube. I replaced the vertical nut on my first (well used, s/h) machine when it wore out – the metal used looked more like a brass than a bronze (the replacement was made from PB bar as I had a bit the right size). The castings for the table nuts look a quite bit darker, so may be a bronze.

Should I wear out either of the table screws or nuts, it will be getting ballscrews. Experience of using a ballscrew-equipped manual Bridgeport clone at my previous employment gave no problems at all – dovetail slides are pretty "draggy" at the best of times & clamps are there to be used !

Nigel B.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Ian Phillips on 15/06/2013 10:52:21:

Michael

Well, that sentence clearly states that Haas use Phos Bronze in their machine although to be pedantic it does not say what for.

Ian P

.

I live in hope that Mr Bates will put an end to this speculation, by simply telling us which Haas component he is using a his reference. A Photo, or a Part Number, would do nicely.

MichaelG.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

If you ring Braithwaites up, they are the main Bridgeport reconditioners in this country they will tell you they only fit ballscres now to recon MANUAL machines.

I know this for a fact as I rang then 3 weeks ago looking for a new X axis screw for a Bridgy for a customer.

Haas may have stared off making 4th axis heads as accessories but if you follow their web site and sales blurb they only do CNC machines.

And as regards 30 UKP for a bronze blank for a FB2 Mr Bates has obviously not heard of Leeds Bronze.

I don't mind giving these guys a plug as they are the most obliging when it comes to all types of bronze.

Want a 2" long piece of 1" bronze ? they will cut it and deliver it for you probably far cheaper than the rest of the online metals merchants.

As a price guide i bought three 1" long slices of 6" PB2 bronze the other month for 80 UKP delivered including VAT

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