CNC X-Y Table Clock parts

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

[Stephen BensonParticipant @stephenbenson75261]

I have been thinking for a while that most clock parts are less than 5mm thick and they are made of leaded brass so a small X-Y table with 100mm travel either way mounted on a small mill would machine most clock parts.

The program could stop to allow the manual lowering of the cutter (1.6 slot drill) than start again until the z depth needs to be altered.

Not complicated but I guess ball screws would be better and speed would not be an issue either but accuracy or at least repeatability as backlash would destroy the idea, is there a commercial table or plans for same that would fit the bill or even a full setup?

[Enough!Participant @enough]

No plans but I've fitted ballscrews and steppers to one of these milling tables (which should be available from local dealers) and it turned out rather nicely. Fitting the ballscrews is pretty tight – I used 12mm RM1204 ballscrews from eBay – and involved custom-machining both the screw ends and the ball-housings. Both do-able with carbide tools.

You also need to remove/replace the ball-housings from the ballscrews. Quite easy and safe if you take your time, make some tooling and have a lathe. You need a lathe and mill to do the machining anyway.

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