which stepper motor would you use for the sherline
mill or lathe??  Do stepper motors come set up to
step in different increments or is this what you are
doing when you build your pic controller??

Thanks in advance...

If you have a specific stepper motor that you have used
on these particular machines, let me know.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Kraut" <engalt@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2000 9:09 PM
Subject: Re: Openings in Project boxes [OT]


> I have one and I use it more than my 30" table Rockwell Mill.
>
> Thomas McGahee wrote:
>
> > If you are REALLY interested in a great way to drill your own
> > PCBs and fabricate holes and slots and any shape desired in
> > panels and cases, you should take a few minutes and check out:
> > http://www.sherline.com
> > In particular, take a look at the Sherline vertical mill:
> > #5000-CNC (inch version):
> > Standard vertical mill w/ 10" base plus 3 stepper motor mounts
> >  (Metric P/N 5100-CNC)
> > $750.00
> >
> > This has the stepper motor mountings so you can put three
> > stepper motors on and have yourself a PIC numerically controlled
> > drill press/milling machine. A quick excerpt from the data available
> > at the website:
> >
> > ****************** Beginning of Sherline text.
> >
> > The main difference between a lathe and a mill is that on a lathe, the
work
> > turns and the cutting tool is stationary, while on a mill, the tool
turns and
> > the work is stationary. Because of the tremendous number of operations
that can
> > be performed on a vertical mill, it is commonly regarded as the most
important
> > machine in the modern machine shop... the work horse of the industry. At
first
> > glance a vertical mill looks similar to a drill press, but there are
some
> > important differences, such as a spindle that can take side-loads as
well as end
> > loads and an accurate method of moving the work in relation to the
spindle on
> > all three axes. The SHERLINE MILLING MACHINES can perform all of the
tasks and
> > operations that a large commercial machine can perform. Operations such
as
> > milling, fly cutting, precision drilling, and boring are all routine
tasks for
> > the SHERLINE. Because the tool turns rather than the work, much larger
parts may
> > be worked on in a mill (these parts need not be round). The work is
securely
> > held, thus extremely accurate hole patterns can be drilled or bored
using the
> > SHERLINE vertical mill. The longer "X-axis" throw also increases the
machine's
> > versatility over that of the Lathe with the vertical milling column
attachment.
> > It is an extremely rigid, accurate tool which accomplishes tough
machining jobs
> > with ease.
> >
> > Model 5000 (5100)
> > The Model 5000 (5100 metric) features a solid 10" (254mm) aluminum base,
> > precision machined dovetailed slides with adjustable gibs, permanently
> > lubricated spindle bearings, adjustable pre-load anti-backlash feed
screws on
> > "X" and "Y" axes, two 1-5/8" (41mm) laser engraved aluminum handwheels,
one
> > 2-1/2" (63mm) laser engraved handwheel with thrust bearings, and many
other
> > features found only on the best commercial machines. This machine along
with a
> > SHERLINE LATHE will enable you to complete almost any job in your own
machine
> > shop.
> >
> > *************** end of Sherline text
> >
> > These can be controlled both manually and by stepper motor.
> > For a one-off you would use manual control. If you have a lot of
identical
> > pieces to be done, then you make up a jig to hold the case/panel in
place and
> > produce a control file that tells the CNC machine how to make the shapes
you
> > want cut. You get identical results each time.
> >
> > Fr. Tom McGahee
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Max Toole <MaxToole@AOL.COM>
> > To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
> > Date: Saturday, May 13, 2000 11:58 AM
> > Subject: Re: Openings in Project boxes [OT]
> >
> > >In a message dated 5/12/00 11:57:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > >amberscreams@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
> > >
> > ><< I just wanted to say first that this is a great list. Everything is
> > > informative or interesting. Anyway on to my question.
> > >
> > > I have a product that goes into a Serpac box. I have a few round holes
for
> > > switches that are easy to drill. I also have two rectangular openings
for
> > > the 9V power supply and for a terminal block..
> > >
> > > I am cutting the openings with a Dremel tool now but it doesn't look
real
> > > good and I can't seem to get any accuracy. What is everyone else doing
to
> > > make openings in off the shelf enclosures.
> > >
> > > Thanks for any advice
> > >
> > > Bill >>
> > >We use a small milling machine from Sherline.  You can see them at
> > >http://www.sherline.com.  Works well.
> > >
> > >Max