I bought a HF mini mill and I can't get the cross feed hand wheel to turn (circled in picture) and I believe I found the issue. I need somebody to confirm my understanding. In the parts picture, part 02 and 26 are assembled together, and the key 02-1 holds them together. I believe that the key should just hold part 26 from sliding off of part 02. Part 26 is bolted to the machine, therefore my understanding is that 02 should rotate independently since this "screw" (you can't tell from the diagram but 02 is threaded) is attached to the underside of the table and thus turning it advances/retracts the table. Is this correct? I believe the issue is improper assembly since the key is jammed between 02 and 26 causing 02 and 26 to be one part. Thanks in advance for any help. I'd like to be know what I am talking about when I call HF. I initially called within the 90 day warranty period about the issue, and now it is outside the 90 day warranty.
Unlock the Y axis gib. That key doesn't get inserted until after the screw passes through the bearing block. The key is for the handle or part 05.
This. Somebody put the key in and then incorrectly bolted part 26 down onto the key. Done correctly, 26 goes on, then the key, then the hand wheel.
This sums up what I was thinking and am trying to confirm. All of the travel locks are unlocked, hence the investigation and why I took the thing apart. I tried seperating the two parts (02 and 26) but they are jammed together tight by that key.
can you rotate the handle at all? even 1/8th of a turn? If you cant, than the handle and rod assembly are jammed. if you can move it back and fourth a bit but no more, than the table is jammed....
Can you get the handle off the screw at all? If they delicately installed it with a hammer then it may be bound up. Once the nut is off the handle should slide right off. If it requires a puller to get it then you know that's the issue. I don't think that machine has tapered gibs so it's unlikely that the gib is jammed however they may have adjusted it to tight from the factory.
I can't turn the handle, but as soon as I remove the two bolts (27) that bolt 26 to the machine, it turns and the table moves freely. Of course 26 spins as well and it is not supposed to. I tried to tap 26 free (I removed 2 and 26 from the machine as a unit) with a hammer and blocks of wood, but it won't budge.
That sounds like the shoulder on the lead screw is in the wrong location or the bearing pocket in the bearing block was milled to deep. That's going to require some mearuring to find out which one is the culprit.
Lol I was going to acknowledge the haters in my first post, but I wanted to see how long it would take.
It will be good enough, way better than my drill press. I've accepted the limitations and quality. Except for non-functional, that's below my quality standard.
Just curious, what were you planning on making with it? I have thought about getting one of those to play around with but it seems most people say it's too small and low quality to do anything useful with.
