# X2 mill modification for tram adjustment



## black85vette

I have been tweaking the mill to get things set up the way I like them. So far the spindle lock modification has exceeded by expectations and works a treat (do I have that phrase right?? I am trying to broaden my "English") The magnetic mount for the DI is functioning so well I doubt I will put a DRO on the Z axis.

This weekend I took on the tram adjustment. It just seemed dumb to have a single big nut responsible for holding everything in position not to mention trying to tighten the nut without knocking things out of whack. So here is my solution. I made two "L" brackets out of some existing scrap pieces.  They are about .20" thick. I drilled a vertical hole and tapped it 5/16 -24 so that it was centered over the bottom frame part.  Then I drilled and tapped some holes in the upright to mount the brackets. I put some tension on both sides and then loosened the nut. Using the two socket head bolts I could then move the upright back and forth until I had it where I wanted it. Then tightened the nut and everything stayed put. While I was adjusting I could easily make .001" changes in the DTI. 

Yes I know I can't tilt the head but for the life of me I can't imagine wanting to do that.


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## vlmarshall

Nice. Give those bolts some swivel feet and locknuts and they'll look like factory parts. ;D


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## websterz

OMG...give that man a cee-gar!! :bow: Simple, elegant solution to a PITA problem. I have moved this to the top of my mod list! Thanks for sharing!!!

One suggestion I will offer is to take that big washer off and replace it with a solid plate that spans the width of the column. As-is it compresses the column and affects Y axis tram. I have already done this to mine...now to add your mod!


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## Troutsqueezer

black85vette, you seem to have a knack for coming up with mods for this mill. I've been checking out the different motorized X axis mods a few have been making. There are a number of them out there but I haven't seen any that I really like yet. When your wrist gets tired of cranking the x axis, be sure to post whatever excellent mod I'm sure you will come up with so I can copy it. Thm: :bow:

-Trout


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## black85vette

Troutsqueezer  said:
			
		

> black85vette, you seem to have a knack for coming up with mods for this mill. I've been checking out the different motorized X axis mods a few have been making. There are a number of them out there but I haven't seen any that I really like yet. When your wrist gets tired of cranking the x axis, be sure to post whatever excellent mod I'm sure you will come up with so I can copy it. Thm: :bow: -Trout



Funny you mention that. I took my variable speed DeWalt drill and put an end on it to couple to the lead screw and then using the low speed range of the drill powered the table back and forth while cutting. I started looking on Ebay and Craigslist for a cordless drill with no batteries or charger. Should go pretty cheap. Then it will just be a matter of pulling the guts out and finding a way to mount it.  Hope to keep the project around $20-30.

One little :wall: I had in my hands on a DeWalt nut driver with a 1/4" drive but a broken handle that they threw out at work. It had a round metal body that would have mounted nice. But my curiosity got the better of me and I took it apart to see what the gear reduction in it looked like. When I did a BUNCH of ball bearings and roller bearings hit the floor and went everywhere.  I think it would have worked great.  oh:


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## websterz

black85vette  said:
			
		

> Funny you mention that. I took my variable speed DeWalt drill and put an end on it to couple to the lead screw and then using the low speed range of the drill powered the table back and forth while cutting. I started looking on Ebay and Craigslist for a cordless drill with no batteries or charger. Should go pretty cheap. Then it will just be a matter of pulling the guts out and finding a way to mount it. Hope to keep the project around $20-30.
> 
> One little :wall: I had in my hands on a DeWalt nut driver with a 1/4" drive but a broken handle that they threw out at work. It had a round metal body that would have mounted nice. But my curiosity got the better of me and I took it apart to see what the gear reduction in it looked like. When I did a BUNCH of ball bearings and roller bearings hit the floor and went everywhere. I think it would have worked great. oh:



black85vette, I have 3 extra 14.4 volt cordless drills that I picked up on Ebay. They are the same as the one I built my power feed with. I used a modified ATX power supply to power the motor, and this PWM controller I got on Amazon.com A 450 watt power supply can be had for $10, all you need to do is add a $3 resistor and a $2 LED.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WYAN92/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

The controller gives a very good speed range, and adding a simple DPDT switch between the controller and motor makes the unit reversible.

If you'd like I can pull the cover tomorrow and take some pics of my setup. We have the same mill so it would be easy enough to duplicate my setup. If you are interested in one of the drill motors it will fit in a $4.95 flat rate box. They are already out of the drill housing and still have the clutch and chuck on them. I might even have another aluminum project box like the one I mounted my controller in. If I do, and it'll fit in the mailer, I'll toss it in. PM me your address.


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## black85vette

A note about the adjustment using this modification.  I got out in the shop to just do adjustments and test cuts tonight. Should have been obvious to me because of the position of the brackets in relationship to the mount of the column.  You have to go easy on these bolts because as you tighten them they push the column forward and affect the X axis tram. The more I messed with it the more it looked like a good thing.  I put a shim at the top of the mount for the column right at the pointer for the scale that shows the angle of the column. That pushed the top of the column back just a bit. Then I tightened the two bolts just slightly and adjusted the Y axis tram by always loosening one side and tightening the other. Kind of like doing a 4 jaw chuck. Then I set up and measured the Y axis tram and adjusted it by tightening or loosening the bolts together the same amount.  Had to go back and forth just a couple of times but ended up with good looking readings. The proof is in the cutting so I cut with a fly cutter and an end mill in both axis.  I got a good pattern showing the trailing edge was very close to the leading edge and parallel rows did not have stair steps from one row to the next.

I think this is close enough for now. I still want to put a plate on the back to try to stiffen it up just a bit since you can see a lot of movement in the DTI just lightly pushing on the motor.  Not looking for perfect, just better.


Websterz: Thanks. A PM should be on its way.


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## zeeprogrammer

Very neat mod black85vette. Very neat.
This might be dumb...but I wonder if a similar thing can be done for Y?
Long screw in back that can pull the column back or forward? But I imagine a support plate and shims is sufficient.


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## black85vette

zeeprogrammer  said:
			
		

> Very neat mod black85vette. Very neat.
> This might be dumb...but I wonder if a similar thing can be done for Y?
> Long screw in back that can pull the column back or forward? But I imagine a support plate and shims is sufficient.



Hello Zee; good to have you back.  I have been thinking about a screw in back and make it part of the plate on the back of the column.  Have not decided the best way to do that.  By using the two screws together I get enough Y axis adjustment for now, but a third screw should make it easier to adjust.


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## Bill S

Nice mod. I was trying to figure a way of having a similar setup, but just on one side so you could still angle the column if needed.
Here is a link to an x axis cordless power feed.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=3885.0

Bill


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## Troutsqueezer

black85vette  said:
			
		

> But my curiosity got the better of me and I took it apart to see what the gear reduction in it looked like. When I did a BUNCH of ball bearings and roller bearings hit the floor and went everywhere. I think it would have worked great. oh:



You're not alone. Two weeks ago I took one of my two 12V Ryobi screw guns and took the motor and clutch assy out of it intending on making my version of a motor drive. It wasn't easy to separate the main shaft from the chuck, it didn't want to unscrew and so I wound up having to grind it away with an angle grinder. Then, I too decided to remove the four screws holding the clutch assy together to see what was in there and.......viola! Tiny ball bearings all over the bench and the sound of teeny tiny steel balls hitting the floor! Holding the now-separated parts, one in each hand, there was absolutely no clue as to how they fit in there in the first place. I found myself wondering how in the world they ever assembled it in the factory. That was a perfectly good screw gun 2 hours before.


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## black85vette

Bill S  said:
			
		

> Nice mod. I was trying to figure a way of having a similar setup, but just on one side so you could still angle the column if needed. Bill



That would work also for just adjusting the X axis.  I would put the single bracket on the left side as you are looking at the mill. That way when you tighten the nut it will be against the bracket and bolt and should hold its position.

Thanks for the link to the other power feed. I had not seen it.


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## itowbig

websterz how about some pics of that plate and poss plan would be just great if you would please.

black85vette nice i really like that idea been wondering about that my self. as i dont want to tilt that anyway.


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## websterz

itowbig  said:
			
		

> websterz how about some pics of that plate and poss plan would be just great if you would please.
> 
> black85vette nice i really like that idea been wondering about that my self. as i dont want to tilt that anyway.



The support plate for the back of the mill column is just a simple rectangular plate, about 1/2" thick, with a hole in the middle. It needs to be at least as wide as the column, a half inch or so wider is actually better. This distributes the force of the nut across to the edges of the column where there is more material, and thus is less prone to flex. My plate is about 3 inches high, give or take. The measurements are not at all critical. Use what you have on hand...I usually do.


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## black85vette

PHASE II - make the column more rigid and provide a Y axis adjustment.

Using the same approach as others on the forum have done with some changes. Used a .5" x 4" x 10 steel plate.  As I looked over the issues the problem did not seem to me to be flex in the column.  It looked more to me like the cheesy mount system. So I did not focus on reinforcing the vertical part as far up as others.  This seemed to be confirmed when I measured the amount the spindle moved in the Y axis when pushing and pulling on the top of the motor. I get about the same amount when the spindle head is at the top or the bottom. This makes me think the mounting is more the culprit.

So I made these changes: I did not go as high up the column. I went almost down to the workbench. I only used a couple of medium sized bolts since I was not going after the column. I added a bolt at the bottom pushing against the frame. I added a 10 thou shim in front of the mount for the column. I think this will work for me. Not trying to make a CNC mill out of this and I got the amount of deflection under the spindle head reduced from five or more thou to about one and half thou. Close enough for me.

Here is the adjustment process I used. Starting with the bottom adjustment screw back away from the frame and the nut just past hand tight.  I adjusted the two bolts on the sides until I got the X axis pretty close, then tightened down the nut and check the X axis again. Looked good. Part of the key here is to not tighten them TOO MUCH. They should be snug but not really tight. So loosen one and then tighten the other to make the adjustment.  If they are both tight you start to push the column forward too far. So just enough to hold things in place as you tighten the big nut in the back.

Then I used the 3rd bolt at the bottom of the new steel plate to set the Y axis tram. It took some trial and error to find the right sized shim. Too big and you have to really put a lot of force on the screw. Too little and the column is too far forward and cannot be adjusted by the bolt.  Just right and just moderate pressure with the bolt will put the adjustment right on the money. 

I am thinking that adding the 3 bolts gives the mount more support in the rear where it needs it. The bolts also provide some opposing tension which helps with stability and rigidity.

For now I am satisfied with the results. I will post more when I have a few more hours of time actually making chips. Some pics of this phase are below.


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## Jared

Hey, I like that! I'm thinking I'll do mine like that, but I'll wait and see how you like it after making chips.


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## zeeprogrammer

Hi all, I'm interested in doing some of the same mods that black85vette, rudydubya, and others have done to the X2 mill...in particular the angle supports for tram...

The only angle metal I've found so far is aluminum, stainless steel, and A36 steel from SpeedyMetal.

I don't know much about metal...

Would aluminum be strong enough? Maybe 1/4"
I wasn't considering stainless.
The A36 is hot rolled...is there any consideration I should have? Can I just cut it to length and drill as needed? Or is there some heat treatment that's needed?

I also want to support the column...1018? 1/2 x 4 by 10.

Thanks.


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## Kermit

Hey Zee, I also plan on doing some mods as well and since I have access to lots of 1018, I'll be using that for the stiffener. I would think(no experience) an ability to flex would be a good thing for large piece of metal used in this way. Something harder might crack or break if a jam occurs and it can't move with it to some degree. At least that is the un-initiated view I have currently  I Welcome any other more educated viewpoints.


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## zeeprogrammer

Thanks kermit. Yeah, I expect the 1018 will be used for the plate.

BV...you put the plate on after doing the angle brackets..would you still do the angle brackets?


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## black85vette

zeeprogrammer  said:
			
		

> Thanks kermit. Yeah, I expect the 1018 will be used for the plate. BV...you put the plate on after doing the angle brackets..would you still do the angle brackets?



Yes I think so. I looked at doing the X axis by putting screws at the bottom of the back plate. But having the two angle brackets provides some vertical support for the column at the rear where it needs it the most. So now I adjust tram for X with the two screws on the sides (very light tension) and then adjust the tram for Y with the single screw in the bottom of the back plate.


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## zeeprogrammer

Rick (black85vette),

Let me know if you'd rather I post elsewhere...

Took a run at making the Z extension mod on the X2 today. Overall it went well but I wanted to post a couple of observations and I'm wondering if I did something wrong...

First the observations...

a) The template they (LMS) give you to drill the two holes at the top is not to scale. Measure instead.

b) It was not clear to me where center was. Center of the column? Or center of the dovetail. I used the dovetail but I don't think it matters other than you should use the same reference for the hole on the back of the column. But even that's not critical.

c) The instructions don't explicity say (at least I didn't see it)...but remove the motor.

d) When you loosen the rack and/or insert the new one...you will see the handles of the head turn as you push or pull the rack.

e) The Z stop is the last thing to attach. Also, at some point they talk about moving the head all the way up...if you do, you'll run off the old rack and it can be difficult to get it back on.

f) I believe the X distance given for placing the support on top of the head is too short. When all is said and done, the two shafts do not appear parallel to me.







Looks worse in 'real life' than in the picture.

[EDIT: Hold comment until I get a chance to look at this closer. I think there's a part from the torsion spring assembly in the way that needs to be removed first.

My biggest concern follows...]

[EDIT: Woke up in the middle night calling myself an idiot. (Not unusual.) I realized the lack of lower Z was due to the same problem. I needed to remove the torsion spring.]

g) Sure seems like I lost a couple of inches down below. Not that I'm unused to that...but I didn't expect it here...






That seems to be a function of where the hole is drilled in the back of the column and where the spring rod is attached.

So that's the bit I'm wondering if I did right...

Anybody else who's done this see that?

You would think it could go another 4" but if you do, then there won't be enough spring rod at the top end. Maybe 2"? In other words...instructions say to put the hole at 12" from top...what did you guys do?

For all that...you get maybe 2" at the top...but if that's at the loss of the bottom...I'm not so sure this is worth it.


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## rudydubya

Good info zee. Got one ready to be installed, but I think I'll wait to see what you find out. Thanks for sharing.

Rudy


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## tel

Isn't that kit supposed to come with the longer rack, that allows the head to come down more?


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## TimGS

I have performed this modification on an X2 with a cncfusion ballscrew upgrade already installed.

To determine where the hole in the back goes...
1) Mount the new rack on the Z-Axis.
2) Mount the solid bar, rod, and air spring mount on the mill head per the instructions.
3) Move the mill head to the top most position
3a) From the back of the z-Axis:Hold the top of the air spring to the top air spring mount (from step 2)
3b) Mark where the bottom of the air spring mount touches the back of the z-Axis 
4) Lower the mill head to the bottom most position
4a) From the back of the z-Axis:Hold the middle +1in or +25mm of the air spring to the top air spring mount (from step 2) (this simulates fully compress air spring....try it yourself but be careful) 
4b) Mark where the bottom of the air spring mount touches the back of the z-Axis 
5) Select a point between the two points you marked in steps 3b) & 4b) and centered horizontally in the z-axis column....That's where you should put the hole.

The air spring at the top most position will not be fully extended or bottomed out if you do this

...Good Luck...and don't forget to support the head when you remove the torsion spring )


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## zeeprogrammer

I edited my post. I woke up in the middle of the night giving myself a head slap.

The lack of lower Z was due to the same problem as the parallelism...that is, I needed to remove the torsion bar. There's a rod that goes through the column in X and the upper portion of the spring bar hits that.

The instructions aren't not clear about how you go about removing the torsion bar other than they say to remove the pivot pin at the end of bar first.

I then removed the nut on the main assembly...but not sure if that was needed. Then I removed the set screw on the other side of column. Then you can slide the whole thing off. Depending on how well made, or installed, the spring is...the spring may be stuck in the housing. Jiggling it around freed it...or there's 3 flat head Philips screws inside the housing you can remove.

I left the torsion spring housing on as well as the post that held the pivot. But you can remove them too.

This is not really a 'Z extension kit' nor does LMS call it that. You get less than inch more height. This is about replacing the torsion-spring with an air spring. And so far it does seem easier and nicer to move.

Easy enough to install.

The kit came with a small collar looking thing. It's not shown in the picture of the parts, nor is it ever referenced in the instructions.

One of the screws is supposed to be M8x20 but the provided one (and pictured one) seems more like M8x15. But it works fine.

Some of the parts come packed in red grease. I just cleaned it off with WD-40 and a brush. Pay particular attention to the rack...it looked like the teeth were packed with swarf.

The kit does not come with drills and taps. I purchased the LMS tap and tap drill kit. But I only used the 6mmx1 tap and the 5mm drill bit. If you have the tap, then you probably have everything you need.

Top of column looks a tad ugly. I'm thinking of taking the old plastic cover, putting a notch in it, and reinstalling it. It's just glued on. Which reminds me...they don't tell you how to remove the cover. I just put a screwdriver in and it popped off.

Thanks Rudy, tel, and TimGS for your responses.

TimGS...then it sounds like I can convert to CNC and leave this mod in?


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## TimGS

You will be able to easily perform the cncfusion upgrade if you left about 11mm between the air spring mill head mount bar and the z-axis column. If you use another MFR's kit you may have to modify the air spring mount and the mill head.

In any event you will also have to remove that nice new z-axis extension rack you just installed because it is just not needed.


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## pollaccia

I like your modification.


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## Max762

My column reinforcement. Nothing really new here, All ideas came from this forum. but I thought I'd show it anyway.


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