Gib tightness

[JimM]

Hi guys

How tight should the gibs be on the milling machine. I've got an old Elliott Juniormil which has a 28" table and if I grab the ends of the table and rock it back and forth I can feel the table moving, if I put the gib lock on the table feels solid. I've tried tightening up the tapered gib but although I've screwed the adjuster in quite a lot the table still rocks. Do I keep going until the table feels solid or will I never get it to that state because the leverage I apply at the table ends is more than the slideways can resist ?

Cheers

Jim

 

[d.bick]

I would keep adjusting the screw. Maybe count how many turns, that way you can keep a track of whats happening.
It would be best if you had no movement when pulling on the bed. That said most of the wear is probably in the middle of the table where most of the milling has been carried out. Try tightening the gibb with the bed in the middle and if it dose get tight at the end of the travel of the bed ether back off the adjuster till you get the best possible average, or failing that if you want a bed free of movement and can live with the reduced travel aim for a nice tight fit in the middle (you can always adjust it for the jobs outside this limit.
Hope this helps Dave Bick

 

[hammers-n-nails]

id say the if you can sense the table moving its way too loose, tighten the gib until you can feel some drag when turning the wheel, dont make it so tight you wear yourself out using it. also put a di on the side of the table to see how much its moving.

 

[rake60]

My Sieg X2 isn't exactly well known for it's rigidity.
I tighten those gibs up as tight as they will go while still allowing
movement.

Gibs are cheap when compared to smashed tools or scrapped parts.

Rick

 

[JimM]

Cheers guys, I'll wind the adjusting screw right in.

I take it there's no secret to setting tapered gibs, I'm just loosening off the locknut at the rear of the table, screwing the front adjuster in a bit and then locking at the rear again?

Thanks

Jim