[gunlocators]

Is it possible to rebuild the X to have a longer travel the 12" lets say 34-36" travel. If so how would one complete this. Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated, Can it be done sub $1000 to $1200.00 for the x axis mod?

[Stepper Monkey]

The short answer is no, the Taig X axis isn't going to easily lend itself to a simple extension of that length for a number of reasons.

I think I see what you are wanting, and it is actually quite easy and possibly rather cheap to do if its what I'm thinking, but probably not the way you are suggesting here. We need to know exactly what you are wanting it to be used for to go much further giving any definite suggestions. Barrel engraving perhaps? Also, will it be a relatively specific purpose machine, or do you want a general purpose machine that also does this specific task? (Much taller order, BTW)

Let us know what your desired product and budget are and we can make suggestions from there.

[gunlocators]

well I am planning to add a 4th axis for pool cue inlays would like to be able to inlay entire length of butt of cue about 30"

[fretsman]

The short answer is no, the Taig X axis isn't going to easily lend itself to a simple extension of that length for a number of reasons.

What exactly would those be? I've often thought about just making a longer table/leadscrew setup.

I always like to hear your thoughts as you have quite a bit of experience with these

Dave

[CROSSHATCH]

The problem with doing such a modification is not in the difficulty of doing so but the effects of it. Once you start to expand the table in any direction, you are going too be adding huge amounts or torque on the ways/gibs and the entire machine. There are many things you can do but they are not suggested.

-Jason

[fretsman]

Jason, what's the difference whether it's 18" or 30" in table length, please explain?

[Stepper Monkey]

Since the X is self-contained, theoretically any length of slide could be substituted and function just fine. The problem with one of several feet is actually the width of the saddle, not the slide itself.
While it would be difficult cut dovetails of that length and keep them consistent enough to be tight and still not have some binding problems somewhere along the length, but that isn't why I think it would be tough.

It would be the torque on the ways.

Basically, saddles need to keep a reasonable ratio to travel length on a dovetail or box way setup. 1:2 is good but 1:3 is necessary at least. A three foot travel would be 1:6 on a Taig saddle, way out of range.

Since the saddle is less than 8" wide or so, and the actual bearing surface is slightly shorter than that, when out near one extension of travel or the other the longer slide would be cantilevered out so far it would bind up horribly, and also cause much wear on the saddle. The force would be concentrated at two points on the leading bottom edge and the trailing upper edge of the saddles bearing areas, not evenly distributed along the lower surface as in a more balanced setup. It is acting as a big lever arm at that point, not a purely compressive load. That stress concentration would cause a bind well before full travel was ever reached. Look at machines with 36+" travel on dovetail tables, and the saddles are invariably 20+" wide as well.

You could get around it easily though - you got me looking at the outfeed rollers on my table saw.

You could easily just place the machine on a wide sturdy work surface and have skateboard trucks or other rollers supporting either end of the X from drooping or applying any real torque to the saddle. It would look goofy but work like an absolute charm. Anything to keep the table from acting like a several foot crowbar prying the ways apart when out at extension!
If you could also just make a wider saddle to go with the slide, that would work too, but then you are getting outside of a reasonable mod and into essentially a new machine build at that point.

[fretsman]

You could get around it easily though - you got me looking at the outfeed rollers on my table saw

Exactly, what I was thinking if you were to get crazy lengths like 5 or 6 feet but I still don't think an aluminum table at 30" is going to be an issue.

Dave

[Stepper Monkey]

Exactly, what I was thinking if you were to get crazy lengths like 5 or 6 feet but I still don't think an aluminum table at 30" is going to be an issue.

I really couldn't say with any certainty exactly how long it would have to be to cause problems - a lot would have to do with its own weight and the actual live load placed on it as well. Deflection is a square function, it adds up damn fast that way, so a lightly constructed table may not be the answer. Wear on the aluminum ways would accelerate too.
It also is racking the Y at the same time, placing greater loads on its ways (one up and one down in this case), so it would be prone to seizure as well at some point. Although its loads would be both along the entire way as well as the ways being better supported than the X, it would still be an issue at some point too.
The welded steel frame itself is pretty stiff, but since it isn't designed for twisting loads it may also cause a problem at some point with tramming, as the table wouldn't always remain level to the Z if the base torqued any, causing the XY stages to possibly deflect relative to the head near either full extension too.

All in all not an unsolvable problem by any stretch, just a lot of unknowns and a lot of experimentation. Since the Z table appears to be a simple extrusion just sawn to desired length, I wonder what the raw stock length of the extrusion available to Taig is? Be interesting to just buy a few foot long chunk and play a bit. Screw length would also definitely get to be an issue with that type of screw setup at some point. Since I have an extra machine I use just for experiments, I can better risk doing stupid stuff to it, so I might just try this out sometime and see exactly where it chokes and why.

[cyclestart]

From the dreaming department:
A purposebuilt machine would be much better than a Taig for these pool cues. An example of a machine built to match a purpose
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showpo...4&postcount=45

Of course this would go far beyond $1000-$1200.

Honestly imo a Taig is not a god fit in this case. Otoh not imposssible. Going as light as possible with th 4th axis components would help.

[Fixittt]

a long gantry style machine would be best suited for this, but If I were to undertake the task of modifying a taig. I would make a wider block with dovetails that would replace the existing X table. if the existing X table is say 8 inches I would make it XXX number of inches wide. 12 to 14 inches. Have it lock into the saddle with the gibs. Then have either Thompson shaft and bearings make the replacement X table. You would loose a few inches of Z travel for new spacer ect. It would be an adapter to do away with the dovetail ways and convert the X slides to a more efficient way design.

[Hunter12]

Check this out. There is a company selling purpose built machines for doing pool cues. They use the Taig as a base.

http://www.briannaproducts.com/taig.htm

[Stepper Monkey]

Looks like a standard short-table Taig. It seems most pool cue folks use Taigs for inlay, but for what he wants to do it is way too short.


While as an abstract concept I don't think the extending of a Taig table to 36" is by any means impossible, I don't necessarily think it is a very good idea. There are just simpler ways to accomplish this.

My personal take would be to order a generic Z column assembly with a laminate trimmer mount, and bolt it to a square steel box section upright attached to sturdy work surface. I like 3" thick maple glue-lam industrial tables, but anything beefy would work. Bolt a cheap or so 36" self-contained slide assembly from ebay to the same table, even a belt drive unit, mount the rotary axis and fixturing on a slab of aluminum, slap it on top, and you are done. All you need here is XZ and A, why bother with an XY stage at all, X is enough and keeps it much simpler. A two axis setup with a rotary is exactly what is needed here. No Y necessary, as Z needs to be on centerline of A at all times anyway.

It would do essentially the same stuff as cyclestarts most awesome unit, if nowhere near as trick, and still cost under 1000-1200 bucks.

I know a wood base and a belt drive just isn't the way we normally do things, its more CNC router territory, but in his case its still massive overkill, and any induced errors are likely not going to be as bad as the runout on a lot of router spindles like he'd be using anyway...

[gunlocators]

Check this out. There is a company selling purpose built machines for doing pool cues. They use the Taig as a base.

http://www.briannaproducts.com/taig.htm

Yep well aware of his machine its lacking in full travel of the x axis you haveto move this cue lathe bed and reset it will only do a 12 cut at a time

[gunlocators]

Now that I am on my pc not iphone maybe I can elaborate better my needs. This is going to be dedicated for cutting inlays and points in pool cues. Accuracy has to be spot on. I want little as runout as possible due to gluelines when a part is fitted to a pocket. I planned on a moving gantry cnc and was advised the accuracy would not be there. I am tring to kepp the total build sub $3500-$4000 This should be a 4 axis machine I would think since I need the cue to rotate. Any suggestions are appreciated. I do not want to spend more than my budget or I might as well but a cnc cue machine in the $8000 range. I just think it can be done cheaper. The reason for the Taig idea not only has Brianna products shown to do glueline less inlays it would be nice to have the bulk of the build already completed