Adventures in tramming!

[ScrapMetal]

For my next trick I'm going to be doing some milling on the SOSE cylinders so before I get started I'm planning on getting the mill trammed properly. I read a lot of good things about the EZ-Tram - http://www.eztram.com/ so I figured it would be worth a try.



To head off all the helpful folk - I know that the plastic caps on the legs need to be removed! I just didn't have time to get everything set up this afternoon so I figured I'd wait until I was actually going to use it to pull off the protective "boots".

The one issue I may run in to is that the indicator doesn't have very much travel so if the head is way off I'm going to have to do a lot of "fudging" until it gets within a usable range. That could get a little frustrating.

I'll take some more pics and let you know how it goes as I get the chance.

Thanks,

-Ron

[Hawkeye]

If there's a chance your head could be way out you might try a plunger-type dial indicator first. Can't be more than an inch out, right?

If you need a way to hold the DI, I'm picturing an arm to fit your boring head with the end faced and threaded for a 1/4" bolt to go through the bracket on the back of the indicator. Get the head trammed within 0.001 with that, then switch to your good indicator.

[ScrapMetal]

That's a very good idea, no wonder I didn't think of it. I think the Noga arm/holder I'm using will take a plunger dial indicator as well. I wouldn't have to change anything even just switch from the plunge-type to the Mitutoyo.

I'll give that a try tomorrow.

Thanks much,

-Ron

[ScrapMetal]

I finally had the time to try and tram the beast today. Using the EZTram simplified things for sure. There was still much cursing and gnashing of teeth though. If I can avoid it I am never going to change the angle of the head again!



I did run in to some trouble in that it would have been nice to have a bit more travel with the dial indicator but I didn't have to resort to using my plunger dial indicator.

Regards,

-Ron