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Hi Nevadablue:

Aluminum on Aluminum, expect gaulding. I would use a steel thread.

Carl.

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Hi Gang:

I was thinking about a printed tailstock and how to fit the left handed screw. What if you just tapped the whole tail stock M12x1? You could put a collar on the headstock end to stop the drill chuck and a hand crank on the back end for advancing the tools or centers. Yes the chuck would rotate as you advance it, but would that be bad?

Carl.

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Hello Rick:

I really like it! And you can still bore it from the head stock.

I might like to print one for use with the head stock riser block!

Thanks, Carl.

I'm in your debt. Thankyou.

lol I will forever refer to my 3d printers as "plastic poopers" from here on out

"not so confident on the various curved surfaces and what not"

If you've got a 3D printer, use your plastic-pooping-robot to print yourself some radius gauges, that's what I did.? I've got a set of 2-20mm internal/external radius gauges printed out now and that covers most of what I need, plus it's pretty easy to print more when you need them.? I print them about 1mm thick so they print pretty fast.? I wouldn't trust them for professional usage, but for light-duty hobby use - they work for me.

Don

Also if anyone felt it was truly a thing worth chasing, I'd bet it wouldn't be difficult to model around some off the shelf parts to make it a bit more functional without needing any of the original parts.? Threaded rods, brass sleeves etc are all pretty easy to come by in a lot of sizes.? I was just bored at the office and wanted to see if I could make it more printable for now lol

Not sure if this would work but I modified the tailstock model to make it easier to print.? If printed in the orientation of the screenshot it shouldn't need any supports.?

Huge "I haven't even tested this" note on it though, I was just curious after seeing you talk about 3d printing the tailstock if I could make it an easier/better print.

Yes, teasing in a way, but ‘guide pin’ for something that looks like a spacer bushing??

Thanks SMJ for that model. I’m completely incompetent (at a lot of things) at CAD so what you made should make it possible for others to replace missing parts.?
I just ordered some aluminum stock to make the quill for a replacement tailstock. If it works, I will show the process. I really believe that ordinary 3d printed parts and aluminum and brass parts are sufficient for most Unimat use.?
I’m now debating about an aluminum feed screw in the aluminum quill or if I should use brass for the screw. I’m not worried about corrosion, I don’t store my tools in salt water.?

I wish you had, looks like you did a great job on the U3 model lol.? Hopefully I'm up to the task.? I do a lot of modeling and reverse engineering at work.? I trust myself to get the important dimensions right, not so confident on the various curved surfaces and what not.? I'm starting on it soon though.? Mine is getting stripped down starting tonight

I'm the one who made the U3 CAD models up on Grabcad.?
I thought some day I might get my hands on an older version and do the same, but that hasn't happened yet : )
I was using the free student version of Inventor -?

On Tue, Mar 26, 2024 at 11:15 AM, Nevadablue wrote:

"Note the strange names on some of the parts in the original drawing."

Strange names??

I’m going to try this one:





It looks like a good possibility that it can work. All 3d printed except for fasteners I think.?

Nevadablue:

Did you also machine the dovetails?? I think you're going to have an adjustable gib on one side, but the layer lines may be an issue on the other side.? They may tend to "lock" together.? Or they might not, I guess you'll find out one way or the other.? Also, did you radius the leading and trailing edge of the side without the gib?? I'd think a sharp edge there would want to dig in if there was an movement in the gib adjustment.

If you are looking for "free" 3D CAD you are kind of limited in your choices:
1) Fusion 360 has a "free" version but it's limited.? It is available free to hobbyists and can be used professionally on a very limited basis, you have make less than $100K a year using it, and professionally you can only use it free for for a limited time.? I think that limited time is something like 3 years.? If your business makes more than $100K/year, or if you have been using it in your business for 3 years they will require you to purchase a subscription.? Fusion 360 uses Parametric Based modeling, and it is VERY powerful.? Some people find it easy to use, I didn't.? Most people that I have talked to, at least those that also have a long background in 2D CAD, seem to have a hard time with Fusion 360.? Fusion 360 needs an internet connection to verify your license, even though the software is installed on your machine.? The current "free" version of Fusion 360 also is less powerful than the "free" version before they went subscription.
2) DesignSpark 3D also has a "free" version.? DesignSpark is the software I used to learn 3D modeling, it is Direct Based modeling and is easier for some people to learn to use.? Last year the makers of DesignSpark decided to do the same thing that Autodesk did with Fusion 360, they switched to subscription.? The "free" version that they now offer is less powerful than their previous versions.? Both Fusion 360 and DesignSpark will deactivate your license if you don't use it often enough.? DesignSpark is less powerful than Fusion 360 and some times it felt like you had to force it to do what you wanted.? DesignSpark also needs an internet connection to verify your license, even though the software is installed on your machine.
3) FreeCAD is an Open-Source CAD package and as such is free to download and use with no restrictions.? It, like Fusion 360, is Parametric Based modeling.? FreeCAD? works, and there are a LOT of tutorials on how to use it.? I would recommend finding somebody whose tutorials that you like and stick with that person.? FreeCAD being open-sourced has had many developers, sometimes everything doesn't play well together.? ?At times it feels that you could ask 10 different people how to do the same thing in FreeCAD, get at least 12 different answers - and they'd ALL work.? It's very powerful, does a LOT of different things, but it can also be very confusing.
4) ONSHAPE also has a free version, and subscription versions.? It's cloud based and the free version requires you to make your work available to one and all.? I personally am not OK with that, so I don't use it but it's still there.
5) TinkerCAD and Sketch-up... I've seen people make some really fantastic stuff with these, but to me they didn't seem all that precise - so I never looked at them very hard.? I'm probably just biased because of a long 2D CAD experience with Autocad.

HA! I found it. BricsCAD Shape, can be directly downloaded. That is what remains after the trial. I’ll just start with it. Link here:

Keith, thanks for the tip on the Bricscad. I just sent them a note about the trial. It looks like (from their website) that it quits working after 30 days. I don’t want to learn it and then not have it working. Hmmm…

I have read that PLA will creep or warp under continuous pressure. I haven’t experienced that yet, but I did make something that collapsed in the sun. A Black PLA mousetrap will die in the sun, LOL. And again, ‘read’ not experienced, that PLA+ is much stronger and resists creep. I intend to leave the printed parts unstressed when not in use, if I remember.?

Eric, it even feels sort of like Delrin. Kind of ‘greasy’ feeling. I have high hopes for it.?