From: Robert Bastow <"teenut"@ hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: More Clausing Knee Mill Questions
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 03:49:48 GMT

Drill the holes clear through the table and stamp "OIL" beside them!!

Actually the best way is to drill and ream the holes oversize and pound in a
couple of slightly tapered plugs made of cast iron.

Before sending the table for grinding, cut the plugs to within ten or twenty
thou of the table and peen all around the edge with a ball pein hammer.

You won't be able to find the plugs when it comes back.

teenut

rlaury wrote:
>
> Hi Group:
> I'm rebuilding an 8520 that I just bought. It has a couple
> of endmill gouges in the table about .050" deep X .500" dia.
> Is there a (safe) method to fill these with weld and have the table
> regound? I'm gonna have the table off anyway so I'm not concerned
> about the labor. also, i'm not sure if it's possible with cast iorn.
> Also I'm planning on posting the rebuild progress on a website
> showing before and after pix.
>
> Thanks
> Ron

Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Bridgeport table material.... Cast iron?
From: Robert Bastow <"teenut"@ hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 16:12:38 GMT

When repairing gouges in machine tool tables, my preference is always to spend
the time and effort, in inlaying pieces of cast iron in the table top. This can
be as simple as reaming out a drill hole and tapping in a lightly tapered
plug...Or as complex as milling a dovetailed pocket or keying in a shaped piece
with a few strategically placed set screws,

The inlays are then milled to within a few thou of the surface, and gently
peened around the edges before finish machining, grinding or scraping.

The results, if properly done, are invisible.

Similar techniques have restored badly worn or gouged slide ways.

It may take a bit of imagination..but a way can usually be found to restore even
busted out tee slots, without loosing strength..Where there is a will..There IS
a way!!

Finally..don't forget the old "OIL DAILY" trick!!

8^)

teenut

Tim Leech wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 27 Feb 2000 00:10:20 GMT, mikegraham@sprintmapson.ca (Mike
> Graham) wrote:
> 
> >On 26 Feb 2000 05:54:54 GMT, Doug Goncz wrote:
> >
> >>Aged cast iron is pretty stable. Your fixes may warp the table.
> >
> >  I've considered that.  I'm planning on doing 'a ding per day' until
> >they're done - I'm not going to do tons at once.  There's only one really
> >bad gouge where some bonehead didn't tighten the collet enough and an
> >endmill dug for china right on the 'overhang' of one of the T-slots until it
> >actually went right through (!) and greatly weakened that T-slot in that
> >area.
> >
> My mill table had a number of shallow 'accidents' near the centre,
> enough to cause problems clamping small items truly flat.
> I'd bought the machine from an engine reconditioning company, I took
> the table off & took it back there for them to put through their head
> grinder. They took enough off to lose the smaller damage, left one
> deeper one. The improvement in useability is tremendous, the remaining
> damage doesn't bother me, and they never sent me a bill ;-)
> 
> Might be worth you considering this path, but make sure they take
> shallow cuts & keep it cool, otherwise it may bow as the top heats up,
> so the nice flat ground top will be dished when it cools again.
> 
> I'd be v. wary of welding it, myself - Devcon sounds a much safer bet.
> 
> Cheers
> Tim
> -------------------------------------------------
> Tim Leech
> 
> timleech@dutondok.u-net.com
> 
> Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs
> 
> -------------------------------------------------