Zimmermann FZ-5

[Brian]

Hah, these things do make you wonder what a wood floor can handle.....how much does the machine way?

These things do add up quickly, but once your setup you can drag out the costs of tooling for a while. The vise is a major one. Did you pickup stuff like t-nut and stud kits as well? All of your paring blocks are going to be serving dual purpose now, lol. At the machine shop we used to keep everything that could be dual purpose... heavy wrist pins....now part of the work-holding, massive studs that happen to be the right thread...part of the work holding. I dont actually ever recall using a 1-2-3 block, hah.

I can't help much with regard to the wiring, though I do find it interesting. My personal experience extends out to single phase, we had someone that my Dad knows setup the wiring for the bridgeport.

You may end up using some 120v as well if you are setting up lighting for the FZ-5V.

[Chris Hall]

One of the reasons that 3-phase 120/208Y is convenient is that because it is a 4-wire system, to obtain a single phase 120v circuit, all you have to do is pair one of the phase wire with a neutral.

Speaking of the lamp, by coincidence I just came across an articulated dental lamp, and and thinking it would work well for this application.

[Brian]

Hah, yeah I think that will work nicely.

I'm ruined for lamps, I like Tolomeo with a clamp base.....and a friend of mine who is even more of a lighting snob likes Jielde lamps (the real thing, not the cheapo knockoffs). Both of these were designed as industrial lamps, though not surprisingly they find their use much more commonly in residential situations.

A warning however, if you do proceed with these you will be ruined as well. My wife, who thought this was the most ridiculous of my fetishes, now only likes these sort of lamps.

[Brian]

Chris,

Reading your blog. Is it possible that only one head is meant to offer easy travel in the Z-axis (at least with a handwheel)? Often times with my mill I will fix the quill and adjust cutting depth by raising the bed.

[Chris Hall]

Nope. The main quill is supposed to travel up and down. They wouldn't have provided a capstan lever and locking arm if it wasn't meant to move up and down. Also, the 90˚ angle attachment could only mount to the quill when it is in the lowered position. Also, there is provision for tapping on the head, and this is done by quill travel, not saddle travel.

I think the locking lever must pull a couple of wedges inside the casting to lock the quill, and for some reason they aren't releasing. The slotted screw holding the lock arm in place is somewhat chewed up, suggesting it has been apart before.

~C

[Brian]

Ahh I see, originally I was thinking that the handwheel operated rotation of the head, but now I realize that didnt make a whole lot of sense.

[Chris Hall]

There is a large wrench which can be moved to various points on the machine, to slide the ram back and forth, tilt the head, and rotate the head. It works nicely.

[Brian]

Cool, same way on a Bridgeport (further reason to wonder about my original thinking, lol). I'm sure you are glad this has finally made its way into your shop....and also wondering how much effort it will require.

I like your comment about the nice clean hole it drills, I felt the same way the first time I used the bridgeport in that function. At the time I was working in my father's shop and we happily put all of the drill presses on the curb side.

BTW it's tough to picture you as a scorpion fan

[Chris Hall]

Quill now unstuck...

I liked the Scorpions for their music from the 1970's and early 1980's, but lost interest after that. Their song 'Sails of Charon' from 1977 is a cult hit among guitarists. There's a you tube video that is worth checking out if you like (hard rock) guitar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoI7deS76Ck

A much riffed-on piece of music.

[Chris Pyle]

Wow, their guitarist was awesome. Not really into the lead singer's voice but I liked the melodic nature of the song.

From all of the data* I've been able to gather, nothing beats Tool

I've been waiting nearly a decade for Tool's next album. I'm beginning to think it's a farce they continually perpetuate with interviews and small bits of music released.

On an unrelated note, glad the quill is unstuck...