Dowels for locating machine parts
Dowels for locating machine parts
(OP)
We have an older, large milling machine that has had the ways scraped once, several years ago, and is starting to wear out again. We had the table and ball screw off recently. The ball screw bearings were originally located by tapered dowels. Of course when it was rebuilt, the dowels had to be moved a little bit. The dowel holes are now slightly oval. Now when we put it back together, the dowels need to move again, a little bit.
What is the standard practice in this situation? It seems that going to larger dowels would be one way, but it is tricky to do accurately, and the dowels start to get pretty big as well, but is this the recommended way to do it?
Tom Stanley
What is the standard practice in this situation? It seems that going to larger dowels would be one way, but it is tricky to do accurately, and the dowels start to get pretty big as well, but is this the recommended way to do it?
Tom Stanley





RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
Robert Setree
www.advanced-grinding.com
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
Our machine has the tapered dowels as grinderguy describes. It is just that the machine is now about 14 years old and has been run 7 days a week almost 24 hours a day so its wearing out. As it is wearing out the dowels have to move, and now they don't fit very well. I was hoping that there was a simpler solution as we're not really equipped with the tools to do the job as you describe.
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
Those were two helpful names.
Tom Stanley
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
Robert Setree
www.advanced-grinding.com
RE: Dowels for locating machine parts
I would drill with a taper drill bit and the hand ream to size. You can get any size and length taper pin that you need.
We have made 4' long extensions to get the drill motor above the machine to drill 1" holes in 2" CI on top of 1"CS. All this work and then we had to make barrel nuts to get a wrench to work.