DIY Power Feed for Milling Machine. Part 1

[@pirateman1966]

You are by far one of the best makers on YT. No talking, just doing. I love your channel. Everything you make, is a work of art.

[@bslturtle]

To add to this comment, I have found that if I need you to explain something I am not quite ready to do that project yet, when I understand the demonstration I am ready. Thank you!

[@RickRose]

Great lesson in old-school metal working. I forget what can be accomplished with a drill, hacksaw, and file. Thanks for sharing.

[@mikearmitage1577]

😊 Thanks for the video, Myfordboy. It’s taken me since first lockdown to finally get around to fitting your drive onto my Tom Senior M1 but it works a treat! I’m just making some small aluminium housings for the end-stop microswitches and it will be finished. I couldn’t hide the electrics in the base so had to screw them in an electronics box to the side of the knee.

[@gaveintothedarkness]

There is something about the white noise of your lathe that is so relaxing. Thanks for all the great videos over the years!

[@glennedward2201]

You should be able to do that without a driver. You have to connect 2 of 4 wires together each side with a resistor between them if I recall and than your voltage, pententiometer, and neutral bi directional switch. Making a powerfeed for my crosslide to cut clean tapers on my lathe. Looking for ideas and ran across this. Nice job by the way. You probably saved a few $$ and have a far better motor driving. The powerfeeds sold have cheap low grade motors in them.

[@BillSikes.]

Этот парень, действительно знает, что он такой, он настоящий мастер.

[@nowayjerk8064]

i was gonna say why solder and screws but just neaver mind nice bracket and love the chain drilling !!!!! thanks for sharing

[@josuelservin2409]

Is a real pleasure to watch your videos, always executed with beautiful precision.

[@castelsgarage1231]

Toujours aussi passionnant de regarder vos vidéos Un grand merci a vous et s'il vous plait continez longtemps Merci Merci Merci !!! Always so exciting to watch your videos Many thanks to you and please keep a long time thanks thanks thanks !!!

[@mikemoise6539]

Thank you sooo much for this video. I have actually been looking this stuff up for a little while now.

[@billsmith5166]

Really nice job. It's nice to see someone else use a non-arduino controlled stepper. I'm kinda surprised that there aren't more robust push button controller options out there. I looked for at least a week and ended up using the exact same one that you did.

[@mitchlees9622]

Hi, Is it possible to still crank the table by hand or does it have to be the power feed. I am not sure what the resistance of the unpowered stepper would be. If it is possible, this is a far simpler installation than having to design a clutch as I was intending to do for a windscreen wiper motor. Thanks Mitch

[@myfordboy]

I fitted a pin so I could disconnect the drive but it's not needed. You can still use the handwheel without disconnecting anything.

[@mitchlees9622]

Of course, I saw the pin, but didn’t grasp the significance. Sorry to be a nuisance but do you get troubled with swarfin the pulleys and belt? I am going to adopt your design, so many thanks for the excellent videos. New subscriber Mitch

[@myfordboy]

@@mitchlees9622 Swarf has never been near the pulleys no problem.

[@ricardo5178]

@@myfordboy Congrats on the very nice solution, will take your idea and do something similar for my Grizzly G0795z mill. I am understanding that you still can crank the table manually and there will be no damage to the step motor, correct? Is the resistance of the motor a big issue for manual usage?

[@cojones8518]

Got tired of cranking the x axis huh? :) I also have the feeling that a computer might be hooking up to that mill in the near future.

[@BillyTpower]

When u put the sprocket on behind the handwheel, did you have to extend the leadscrew to compensate for the extra width? 2:07

[@myfordboy]

No but I recessed the pulley to get it line up with the motor.

[@muskokamike127]

One of the things I have discovered about steppers: they have more torque at low speeds and less at higher. It drops off quite rapidly. To control this you do what you've done with gearing. I built a new 3 axis router table and went from rack and pinion to ballscrews. The rack was 1 rev of the stepper = 3.14" of travel. The ballscrews are 1 rev = 5 mm. WAY more torque at slow speeds but to get any sort of decent feed rate I had to step up my motors to 566 oz. The previous one was fast, could get up to 72 ipm but zero torque. It could be stalled by looking at it sideways.

[@HolgerBarske]

As always a pleasure to watch.

[@MrLukealbanese]

Nice work MB

[@CatNolara]

Hmm, the design seemed a litte bit overly complicated at first, but I think you have to mount the motor from the front, am I right? My idea would have been to make an L-chaped bracket on the front with three bolt holes in it. Did you pay attention to make the pulley so that you can pretension it?

[@myfordboy]

The motor only just fits when the table is fully to left so I had to make a custom bracket and not mount it behind the bracket.. This is why the hand wheel pulley is recessed a little too. Belt tension can adjusted by the mounting holes if necessary.

[@glennedward2201]

With that controller how do you plan to enclose it? I see the on/off and reversing switch pointing up. Would’ve made sense for them to leave those off and have you use your own.

[@gvet47]

How can I come up with the parts for your drill press taping jig. If you turned the press adapter I could probably 3D print one to fit my drill press.

[@eddietowers5595]

as for the the stepper driver, is it necessary to to adjust the DIP switches in any configuration printed on its casing? there is a point in my stepper driver and stepper speed controller, that seems to make the motor vibrate and sound as if its stalling, although, I can avoid it, i can't to make it speed up.

[@myfordboy]

Yes you have to set the DIP switches to suit the motor and speed range you want. I have added the settings here myfordboy.blogspot.com/p/stepper-motor.html

[@eddietowers5595]

Thanks a million, it really helped.

[@eddietowers5595]

eddie Towers Just to confirm was that a 24vdc SPST relay, or DPDT relay? My steppers are acting weird, and I don’t know if they are the motors themselves, or the relays

[@myfordboy]

24v spst

[@eddietowers5595]

Ok, cool, thanks

[@dumbravatraian198]

Hi there i intend to do same power feed for bigger mill viceroy do this kit will have enough power to move table and i found different kit same motor but different driver is really matter? Thanks

[@myfordboy]

I can't really advise as I only have experience with the items shown which work extreemly well on my mill.

[@dumbravatraian198]

@@myfordboy thanks for replay i will give a try in case not enough power i will add up a gear reduction to give torque, only one things if explain on your diagram one you add up limit switch ca be mounted only one? How important is looking even if is X-/+ with hit one switch so table should stop

[@myfordboy]

@@dumbravatraian198 Not sure I understand the question but the drawing shows how 2 limit switches can be fitted. One feature of using a stepper is that it is imposible for me to stop the table under power but if it does hit something solid the motor will skip so preventing damage.

[@dumbravatraian198]

Sorry my bad I think dictionary goes wrong , I was thinking to use only 1 limit switch Can be that possible?

[@myfordboy]

You can use one limit switch for one direction only if you wish.

[@iankleinschmidt712]

why didn't you weld it instead of soldering?

[@bobuk5722]

Hi. Excellent! Just what I've been looking for. Suprised how quietly it runs and the torque is impressive. Of course, with a stepper you can also readily convert to CNC, should you wish to.I have a BF30 that I want to add power feed to. You've just solved the electronics part for me. Thanks. BobUK.

[@ccomito1223]

I can figure out what the relays job is. Can you help me understand?

[@myfordboy]

Please look here for an explanation myfordboy.blogspot.com/p/stepper-motor.html

[@ccomito1223]

@@myfordboy thanks for that. Could this same thing have been achieved with a 3 pole double throw then?

[@myfordboy]

@@ccomito1223 That would work too.

[@davidwillard7334]

TO !! STUFF !! THE !! MOTOR !! UP !!

[@TinkerInTheShop]

Hi, What are the details of the power supply, the link sadly says the seller is no longer providing the item so i'm unsure as to the power supply i'd need for the stepper listed. Many thanks.

[@myfordboy]

I used a 24volt 15 amp switching power supply.

[@keithlester9152]

It is nice watching a real Craftsman.

[@airwolf08]

where did you get the pully from please

[@myfordboy]

I made the pulleys but they should available.

[@gadjetsvideo]

Hi, the link to the supply is no longer available, can you confirm the voltage and current capacity of the supply you used please?

[@myfordboy]

24v 10 amp This one would be suitable goo.gl/5v2JhD

[@gadjetsvideo]

Thanks

[@markchriestenson3257]

Was that an asbestos blanket you were using when you were silver soldering the motor mount?

[@myfordboy]

Ceramic wool blanket.

[@alvitrejean1745]

Bravo, c'est génial! Bravo, it's great!

[@FishmanEricRussell]

Nicely done. Looking forward to seeing this up and running

[@muzaz]

Hi myfordboy, I have seen quite a few powerfeed projects, but this is the best design I could find, so much so that I'm basing mine on yours. Something I did differently is the on/off switch. Rather than a relay, I bridged the "off" pins on the freq gen board (which are hot) with a 10k ohm resistor. Enough current will still flow through to keep the motor off. Then I put a switch which bridges (bypass/short) the resistor to the "on" pin on the freq gen board, this will enable on/off switching without creating a short circuit.

[@myfordboy]

Another solution. You have a better understanding of electronics than be so I took the easier route!

[@rizalardiansyah4486]

Nooo....now i have to wait for part 2.... Keep up the good work!

[@muskokamike127]

Damn, it must be SO nice to have a machine shop. I have to make some 12 mm od x 5 mm id x 7.4 mm l spacers and a local shop wants $6.50 each. I need 20. The cost is the same as replacing all my thrust bearings with linear guides lol. It'd take me 10 minutes on a lathe to make them out of 1/2" aluminum rod.

[@CatNolara]

Do they have to be precise? I have made some simple parts using a cordless drill and a file and drills, mostly spacers. If you rotate the part in the drill you can use a drill in a tap wrench or similar to drill it centric. Might not be as acurate, but is good enough for most things. The short length would be a problem though. I would propably hand the task to my CNC router lol. Maybe ask around where you live, maybe someone has a lathe and could make you these parts cheaply.

[@muskokamike127]

Thanks for your input. I did have a buddy with a full machine shop but we had a falling out when he started dictating to me on how I should run my business and how he knew better then I on all things. I made 4 with files and emery paper but it took forever to turn down 12.7 to 12 mm. Just about an hour ago I was experimenting with drilling subsequently smaller holes into 1/4" steel plate and reaming the aluminum down. Then I thought "how about just using the sharp edge of the hole"? So I took a chisel and made a "burr" in the edge of the hole, it started cutting. So I got a piece of 1/4" mild steel, sharpened one corner to a point, clamped it to the drill press table, then chucked up the 1/2" aluminum and ran it up and down this point. It actually worked pretty nice! Now since it was mild steel I had to sharpen it a number of times but I just made 6 in the time it took me to do 1 with a file. I got to thinking: how well would this work with an actual lathe point? Now the 1/2" rod flexed so I had to adjust the pressure but overall, worked like a charm!

[@CatNolara]

Yeah, sometimes you have to work with the stuff you have with some ingenuity :) There are people that have used their CNC mill as a lathe, chucked the workpiece in the spindle and fixed some lathe tools on the table. If you're interested just look for "cnc mill turning" or similar on youtube, it's quite interesting.

[@muskokamike127]

Yup, there's a crude saying that AVE (youtube channel) says all the time, something about pissing with the ____ ya got lol I can see the mill turning/lathe idea. Just mount your tool to the x table and the piece in the chuck. Not the best but hey, you do what you can do. So many times I've wanted to buy one of those cheapo mini lathes from Harbour Freight et al but really, there's many more machines I need than a metal lathe. I'm a woodworker by trade and I'm only machining to get my new CNC running. Funny though, I had someone come by and said "you know, you've got an $8000 CDN machine here? You could sell that in a heartbeat for $8K. I only have $1200 into it...got me thinking, maybe I should be making CNC machines instead of woodworking? lol....

[@muskokamike127]

It's funny: when you see guys like Myfordboy using paper and cardboard and doing other things that you do. I thought it goofy when I made up pieces of cardboard and masking taped them into place then used that as a template. My thinking was that I can easily cut cardboard with scissors, not so much steel haha. Nice to see great minds think alike. I tell ya, I don't know HOW we got anything done before youtube. I tried and failed a LOT of times in the past. Now? Just do a search and you can pretty much find anything. We owe guys like Myfordboy a huge dept of gratitude.......

[@waynemurray1106]

What toothed wheels did you use?

[@myfordboy]

I made mine but you can buy similar ones.

[@brynyard]

That torch isn't a bit overkill for doing soldering?

[@myfordboy]

Not for silver solder. The metal has to reach 640C.

[@brynyard]

I was thinking of the the size, not them temperature it could reach. I'm using a small handheld MAPP burner for soldering/brazing, and it seems to provide plenty of power and a bit more ... precise :)

[@larrytellinghusen1733]

Another great video that I'm sure will empower many to build

[@MaturePatriot]

I love the drill press table tapping head! - That bracket would have taken an "Engineer" a month just to design. - Very nice work.

[@MaturePatriot]

ANDREW MICAS - You must be an "Engineer." I was not criticizing, I was complementing him. I have only worked with two College educated "Engineers,. " in my 50+ years working life, that I really respected. Most were book smart, but street dumb. Every man made disaster starts with an engineer.

[@MaturePatriot]

ANDREW MICAS - I don't know myfordboy's background. If he is a college educated engineer, then I am impressed! I would count him as one that I would be glad to work with because he can not only think, he CAN DO!

[@myfordboy]

I am only a self taught mechanical engineer. My career was electrical engineering.

[@MaturePatriot]

myfordboy - You are a very accomplished "self taught" mechanical engineer. You are the type of engineer I would be proud to work with. It has been my firm belief, since I was old enough to work on cars, and equipment that an "Engineer" should have to work in the field for 3-5 years before they are allowed to design anything. That experience would help eliminate things like pins inserted into blind holes, or having to remove a fender to get to the ventilation fan. Enough of my rant. Hope you are having a great day over there.

[@catman1976able]

Did you reduce the drive gearing between the motor and your feed screw? I'm doing a similar set up on my Gorton 1-22 but I'm not sure if I should reduce the gearing between motor and screw. I though I would need a big stepper motor but looks like you're having success with a smaller unit than I had in mind.

[@myfordboy]

I used some toothed pulleys I had. there is a small reduction. I would suggest though using a smaller pulley on the motor to give say 1:3 0r 1:4 reduction. You can increase the motor speed on the stepper setting if necessary.

[@maiknakas]

Hello Hello from Greece, if you want to tell me how much is the diameter, and how many teeth your new pulleys, thank you very much ..very beautiful work..

[@myfordboy]

38 teeth 60.5 dia and 36 teeth 57.6 dia.

[@maiknakas]

Thank you, the diameter is in mm?

[@myfordboy]

maiknakas Yes mm.

[@maiknakas]

thanks good day..

[@redneckmachineshop1754]

Hi- Did you mention where the pulleys came from, or did you machine them from previous casting? Thanks

[@miguelcastaneda7257]

Damm tapping attachenent dead simple...thanks will do that

[@garymucher9590]

I truly like your videos and have a question. In past videos, you used a reddish colored clay like material to use for making your casting molds. What is that mixture and have you ever tried Georgia red clay as such? The two sure look the same. Just wondering.

[@myfordboy]

I image Georgia clay is a US product. I am in the UK and this is the sand used www.artisanfoundry.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=38

[@garymucher9590]

I didn't know you were in the UK. The Georgia red clay I was talking about is actually the soil in the state of Georgia in America. It looks like the forming material you are using. Just wondering. Thanks for the reply and have a wonderful day. Thumbs Up!

[@Dzonemp]

Beautiful work.

[@robertsulley]

What a cliff hanger!! I can't work out how you're going to tension the belt! Maybe your engineering is that good!!!! (If so, how are you going to get the belt on??!?!)

[@bobpackard9527]

Considor putting a pin clutch between the driven gear and the hand-held.

[@myfordboy]

There will be a means to disconnect the handwheel from the drive. Already sorted.

[@bobpackard9527]

myfordboy i would've been very surprised if you hadnt thought of it. Only two more axis' to go, plus, of course, the rotary table and the dividing head.

[@dizzolve]

Love the tapping attachment! 10:00

[@wildbill23c]

That's great, very easy to control your feed speed for precision work. I'd probably need something like that if I had a milling machine too, my hands aren't that steady I've found that out with my metal lathe, not so noticeable on a wood lathe, but man trying to manually move the feed in and out and even the carriage & cutter assembly I am far from steady.

[@pgs8597]

Nicely done. Cheers Peter

[@American_Valor]

Truly awesome project my friend!!!

[@ياربيارب-ص1ظ]

Very nice

[@isettech]

For the space and torque required, a smaller NEMA 23 stepper would work fine with a smaller pulley. This looks like the first steps to converting the mill to full CNC. Nice job. A USB break out board for under $70, some limit switches and a little time learning CAD CAM and CNC and you can automate much of the tedious tasks such as facing and drilling.

[@strudders2112]

I really enjoy your video’s and this is no exception. :)

[@omc-stepperonline]

This video is really awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[@jessestrum]

hi myfordboy enjoying the vid , please can you tell me what that white heat proof blanket is cheers john

[@myfordboy]

Ceramic fiber blanket. www.castreekilns.co.uk/25mm-ceramic-fibre-blanket-96kg-1260c-1218-p.asp In one video I demonstrated it by holding it in my hand with a blowlamp on the other side. Glowing red one side cold the other.

[@jessestrum]

thanks john appreciated

[@myfordboy]

Not John!

[@jessestrum]

sorry

[@KW-ei3pi]

Excellent! Thank you for this. I am going to do this on my Bridgeport right away, I want to add two limit switches to stop the travel. I'm not too familiar with electronics, but I believe I will need to add a control board to accomplish this. Could you suggest where I can get information/ask questions, etc. on this? Thank you. Great job!

[@myfordboy]

I could work it out. Just a.matter of wiring in the switches

[@michaelstorm8578]

Great job, could the motor mounting pins be welded to the bracket? I have never silver soldered.

[@myfordboy]

You could weld it but I like silver soldering it gives a neater joint.

[@Windgonner]

As usual nice things. My only concern would be the handle on the hand wheel, keep your hands away when using power feed or it will take your fingers off.

[@myfordboy]

The hand wheel will be free rotating when power is applied so no danger. I'll show this in the next video.

[@Windgonner]

Sorry for preempting your videos :-)

[@myfordboy]

No problem, suggestions are welcome.

[@rubberrocket692]

Fantastic work again. Have you considered designing a 2 axis cnc tool post that could be added to your lathe and controlled with an arduino?

[@myfordboy]

I can't see i would have a use for that but a nice idea.

[@jeeplvr2000]

would something like this work for a drill press power feed?

[@myfordboy]

You can add the DRO to any moving part although I can't see why you would want it on a drill press.

[@redditroom2981]

Would that motor setup be powerful enough to make a belt sanding knife grinder?

[@myfordboy]

I would think so although is is not usual to use this type of motor in that application.

[@redditroom2981]

myfordboy yeah it’s normally maybe s 2hp motor with VFD, but what you got there seemed pretty fast and plenty torque, and maybe cheaper than the other option

[@dudanken]

What about CNC conversion for your mill?

[@Coffieman5150]

Do you not own a welder?

[@justtestingonce]

You got the speed controller, just get a cheap DC 775 motor, has more torque and you can even gear it down for even more torque, cuts your cost in half

[@davidwillard7334]

WHY !! ENCOURAGE !! IT !! THEN !! ???

[@paulmorrey733]

Great work Thanks for Sharing

[@jrand2631]

Nice work sir.

[@ralhmcc47]

Sir was looking at one of your older videos, Raglan Vertical Milling Machine, and started searching the web for info on the Raglan. And found something called knee Milling Machine. What does knee mean ? This is from the USA thanks Ralph

[@myfordboy]

On a knee machine like my Raglan the table moves up and down and the spindle is fixed.

[@EmmaRitson]

following with a lot of interest

[@TH-pg9hn]

Is that powersuply 24 volt unit? How many amps?

[@alanbenson2936]

Can you give us the specs on the power supply as the one listed is no longer available. Thanks.

[@peterl1699]

What type of turning machine is that? So quiet!

[@myfordboy]

This is my lathe kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKHMpIuEacahfbM

[@Morkvonork]

This stuff got so cheap nowadays. I paid 8 years ago 40€ for just the stepper and another 80€ for the driver!

[@premierd8988]

Cool tapping gizmo .....

[@BramBiesiekierski]

You need to buy yourself a holesaw and TIG machine. Watching you cut out the large radius on the bracket was cringeworthy. Then the solder of the bracket. Well a nice small TIG bead would have been easier.

[@daniloagostini4156]

Brilliant!

[@maxhammontree3169]

I wish you had a welder.

[@shanedrake2]

i cannot believe that you dont have a bandsaw lol

[@davidwillard7334]

MORE !!! JUNK !! FOR !! THE !! METAL !! SHREADDER !!! TO !! HAVE !!! RIGHT !! NOW !!!

[@peterpocock9062]

I love cardboard engineering. If I can't get the concept using paper, card or wood it does not get a run in metal. One could argue it is more work initially but carving lumps of steel for the hell of it is a waste of time! Don't ask me how I know 😝

[@d4rk5tar97]

Power feed ? if u just add an old pc u gonna have a cnc ... way bether than a power feed , there u can simply "JOG"

[@Balsamancnc]

Not so much "even at low speeds" as "only at low speeds".

[@shantellamend8986]

With Avasva plans doing something like that was easy.