# SX2 Mini Mill Modifications - Mutiple Pictures



## B-RAD

I :bow: to most of you, and have learned most of these modifications from the people here. This is my first post here, and I hope to keep this thread going, seems like once a week I'm doing something to the mill.

Top 3 threads to read!!!
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=6075.0 rudydubya
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=7098.0 black85vette
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=6007.0 rudydubya

I didn't get pictures of the first modifications I've done, but I will list them.

1st - I tore apart the mill into pieces and everything that was flat got wet sanded (WD40 as the "wet") with 600 grit sand paper on a piece of tempered glass from an old computer desk.

2nd - The ways were scrapped and then sanded with 600 grit by hand to smooth them out.

3rd - I aligned and deburred everything while putting it back together and coated everything in TriFlow lube.

4th - I trammed the mill and noticed that my head was nodding forward .006" and that was with the head almost all the way down, so I ended up putting aluminum foil shims under the column to base mount to nod the head back, I got that accomplished and then I ran into a thread here about aligning the head to the column, so... step 5..

5th - I aligned the head to the column, while the head was apart I took and deburred everything and sanded all the surfaces flat, and oiled it all, put it all back together with the head now aligned (took most of the day...) I then put the column back on the mill and what.... my column was now nodding back .006"..... hmm... so I took out the aluminum foil shims and BAM... DEAD ON!!! So the moral of that story is that China has no deburring or sanding tools, also they had some what I call loose bolts in the head... So yeah, probably most of everyone who has their columns shimmed can learn from this and make sure everything is cleaned up and flat...

6th - I added some Igaging DRO's I got off Amazon 2-12" and 1-6" remote display scales.

7th - I took the draw bar spacer out as it had way to big of a hole in center and when you would tighten down the draw bar it would make the draw bar be off center so the mill would vibrate a little when running at high speed, i made a spacer out of aluminum that is tight on the bolt.

8th - I made some handles on my 7x16 lathe for the mill that were larger than the originals so I could get some more torque on the wheels so I could make the gibs tighter... it really did help alot, I was surprised.

9th - I made a spindle lock, problem is all I had for the pin was aluminum, and the first time I used it the aluminum snapped as it's pretty small... So now I just use the aluminum bracket I made and I stick and old Philips head screwdriver that I cut the end off of and just stick that through the hole, It's just a temporary solution until I get some steel.

10th - I built a column support out of 3/4" aluminum the full length of the column and also added a brace at the bottom which will help with tramming if I ever have any nodding issues later on... I may end up with some tramming brackets for side to side tramming.

I tried to add pictures to this... said the pics were to large, I'll get that fixed and follow up with more posts...


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## B-RAD

Pictures...
#1 is the back of the mill - I have painted the box and added some stickers 
#2 is the "nodding brace" You will notice I have 6 screws instead of 4 like "normal" the reason for this is that 2 of them are just holding the brace to the column support, I feel this is better than the other ways I've seen.
#3 Is the drawbar with the spacer I made
#4 is the front of the mill, you can see my DRO setup (If you want pics of how they are attached just ask) Also you can see what use to be my spring loaded spindle lock, but now it's just a plate with a hole, it still helps hold the screwdriver when using the drawbar (Probably the most useful MOD besides the DRO and it's very simple)


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## B-RAD

More pictures... If you need any detailed pictures I do have more, just ask... I can always take some if I don't already have them. I also have a 7x16 lathe that I've done all the sanding and what not too.. I'm pretty pleased with it now, I've only added a DRO to the tail stock so far...

#1 is the back of the mill right after I got the column support made and put on, the top 6 cap head screws were later changed out to some hex head bolts with a thinner head so they don't touch the circuit board inside the electrical box. I also clear coated (spray paint) the back of the circuit board along with the screw heads just incase.

#2 Just part of the drawing of my Column Support dimensions.

#3 My little machine shop so far - You can get the 6 drawer roller cabinets at Sams Club for 200$ a piece (VERY NICE, take a while to put together tho...)


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## rudydubya

Nice job on the modifications, B-RAD, and welcome. Thanks for sharing the experience and pictures. We do love pictures. Really glad the information was of value.

When you get a chance, tell us a little more about yourself and your past and future projects with a post in the Welcome section. Sounds like you may have had some machining experience, and novices like me are always looking for a chance to learn more about the hobby.

Regards,
Rudy


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## lazylathe

Welcome to the forum B-Rad!

Nice mods!
I have never seen the back bracing taken all the way to the top of the mill column before.

Looks like you have also made some custom Alu handles to replace the plastic ones.

Andrew


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## B-RAD

Step 8 was handles. They helped out alot giving me increased torque to be able to tighten the gibs more.

Thanks guys, I'm just getting into machining and have basically no prior experience, just through reading. I'm really only here for these mods as I dont really have any projects in mind that would fit with the site. Just hoping to help some people out. This may be a good reference for x2 owners.

Please let me know if you want more Pictures of something 

388 Views - figured more than 2 would find this useful in someway... :'(

Here one of my threads in another forum, as I planned on doing CNC eventually - Mutiple Pictures here > http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop_machines/134729-cnc_lms_3900_build_help.html


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## ahooper

Thanks for the pointers B-RAD. I have been having issues with my SX2 and although i'm converting it to CNC would like to get it working well first.

A mod that you dont seem to have added (or may have and its not listed) is to install a reverse switch. As part of my conversion I am building a controller board that will allow MACH3 full control of the spindle speed and feed back in to MACH3 the RPM in addition I will be adding a reverse.

Regards
Andrew


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## B-RAD

I haven't seen a need for reverse just yet.


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## ahooper

it works well for tapping threads but other than that I have not found any other use (as yet). 

I pulled the head off the mill last night ready to start the modifications and found that the gear in the back that drives the head up and down had big wear marks in it. also the gibs are appalling as they look like they have been sanded with 60 grit and i'm not 100% but pretty sure the one for the head has a curve in it.

Still my view is this is just like owning a 4X4 truck, a good 4X4 is not purchased its built


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## B-RAD

If anyone knows about "HOSS" I'm now mentioned on his website aswell - (let the link load, it will take you to the part where I'm mentioned about my column brace, you will also see many other ways) http://www.hossmachine.info/Shop_Info.html#x2 column

I got this LED ring from Tricled.com, how I first found these lights was through research on lights for my Can-Am Renegade 4wheeler. They are coated in a silicone type material and wipe clean very easily.

My camera corrected for brightness, its actually very bright, first pictures were taken in my very bright garage in the middle of the day, the night pics were taken a few min ago.
































Hope this helps someone!


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## Schutzie

That ring light is a good idea. What diameter is yours?


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## B-RAD

The ID of the light ring is 2.75"

Here is a thread on it. http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=18097.0


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## B-RAD

I just bought a "3131" Rotary Table from LMS does anyone have this setup, is there any good guides on using it?


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## Max762

B-RAD said:


> #2 Just part of the drawing of my Column Support dimensions.



I'm hoping you can clear something up for Me. I have not received my X2 mill yet so I can not get any dimensions from it. But I would like to get a column support made for it so I will have it already to go when my mill arrives.

In your drawing, the 15/16" hole is located 3.250 from the bottom of the support, seems pretty straight forward. But you also show an angle cut starting at 2.024 from the bottom. Can you please explain that for me. I am not concerned with being able to tilt the column and I assume that that measurement has something to do with that.
To sum up my question, how far should the 15/16" hole be located from the bottom of the plate.

Thanks for your help


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## ZipSnipe

Congrats on your mill and great job modding it.

I just want to point out that as a glass shop owner I can tell you glass and especially tempered glass is not perfectly flat.  Go to a kitchen counter shop and dig through their dumpster and grab a chunk of granite or some other hard rock kitchen surface.  Their polishing machines usually polish it out to .001 or better.  Glass is cooked in an oven and is left to air dry. Tempered is cooked a second time to temper it and get very wavy.

Are you going to do the counter balance mod?


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## DJ_99Wing

Max762 & ZipSnipe  I have been following B-RAD's posts also and have the same interest.  He has done several very COOL things.

Be advised that B-RAD last post on this site was on 11-12-12.   I'm not sure but he seem's to have gone underground.


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