Any word on a z-axis upgrade kit?

[wespor]

Could find any updates, figured I'd ask here but I started pestering Dianna. I need that extra height bad, been considering selling my Desktop, eating the loss and buying another.

[bob_dodd]

Weston

I use a round spindle on my Desktop , I'm able to slide the spindle up and down in mount as needed for clearance
I made my mount with my Desktop , you can put thicker material on bed and raise spindle up so your not topped out with Z

[scottp55]

Weston, Hold off for a little bit.
There's a 4'th option
Just talked to another Desktopper, who has a Z Modification being fed ex'd today to him by a machinist. I can't say anymore as he wants to use it for a while before he posts any info, and wants to get approval to give info out.
I have seen a clip and pics.
If it works out, he'll post
Might well be worth the wait!
How much Z?
How tall is your gantry?

[garyr6]

Intriguing, the plot thickens.......
I mean , who doesn't want more "z"
A desktop owner.

[scottp55]

Sorry to be so mysterious, but promised to keep it "sub rosa" until he had a chance to make sure accuracy doesn't suffer and installation is triple checked.
He said instal planned next week, and MOP blanks all ready to cut for the trial.
Identical intricate inlays compared to standard 4"Z factory set-up will be his "litmus test"
In Meantime Weston, How much Z do you need right NOW?
Maybe some tricks from others?
Bob D and I have both taken advantage of Adrian, Dana, and ScottW's help in the "Modify C2 Command" Thread from last week, and you have the Z prox already, so might help if you're working on tall material? Saves a little time as well lifting up to put dust foot on as well. Your prox's are set same as mine so look at Scott W's "setup" method that is already built in from Shopbot as it takes less time to install than it does to explain it.
Can't imagine how hot your garage must be

[Max Girouard]

Hello all. I'm the individual Scott speaks of who is having the modification made to my machine by a machinist. To make a long story short, a guitar builder in VT, came down to my shop to check out my desktop. He really liked it and ended up ordering one. When he was visiting, I told him the only shortcoming of the machine was the limited Z travel. He told me he may have a way to over come that issue, so after he got his machine, he disassembled his machine and sent it on over to his father for the modification. Some of the parts for the mod were purchased from Shopbot and the rest he made himself. Shortly thereafter he sent a video (which I'm trying to figure out how to upload to this thread) It shows his machine with total Z travel sufficient to get the face of the collet 4.5" above the lowest point of mechanical interference (the bottom of the z ball screw.) So if everything lines up the same once the mod is installed looks like I'll have about 9.5 inches of Z travel. This will finally allow me to carve instrument necks that would require a 4 inch cutter. He gave me his fathers contact info and after a quick phone call I decided to have him make the mod to my machine. Since he had already done the modification, he did not need me to send him any parts of my machine while he worked on the mod. He is sending it out this week and I should have it installed sometime next week. I'll have more photos and do a video of mine traveling in the Z axis as well. I have no reason to believe that the mod will decrease accuracy, but as always I test everything new in the shop so I'll post those results as well. Feel free to PM me for his contact info. I don't want to post his contact info on the forum to prevent those spam bots from infiltrating his email account. Also, I have no financial interest in this project.

[scottp55]

Max,Can you link it to YouTube somehow. That vid showing it going up,up,and UP was Great!

[Max Girouard]

OK, here is a link to the video clip I just posted of his machine with the Z installed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAxu...ature=youtu.be

[Max Girouard]

Also, here is a shot of the bits n pieces as they were being worked on.........

[scottp55]

Enough Z for you Weston?