Warco WM16 milling machine and Sino DRO -

[Paul]

Just taken delivery of a new WM16 Milling machine from Warco with a 2 axis DRO fitted.

For others thinking about buying this model I thought I would post a few comments as I use the machine pointing out positive and negative issues.

To start I have to be negative.

As the  saying goes - 'Read the B****y manual', which I did.  However, I have to say how poor the manual is for the milling machine giving the hobby model engineer very little help in setting up, using and maintaining the machine.  In desperation I used Google to search for the VM16, without much success. Eventually I found on the Grizzly website, a manual for a Grizzly Milling machine very similar to my machine.  What a difference - well written and illustrated.

On to the DRO.  I have never used one before so started to read the manual.  After a few minutes I gave up as it is almost impossible to follow. I'm not sure who translated the manual but they certainly weren't English speaking.

So far I have turned the DRO on and managed to do very little else.  If anyone can point me in the direction of any YouTube channels or pdf (English) manuals I would be very appreciative.

Not a good start lets hope things improve when I get to machining next week.

[jem]

I bought a milling machine and lathe from worco a couple of years ago, both with dro's, the lathe Manual was useless, but the mills Manuel was good. It seems that most dro's work the same, so any Manual should help
. I am on holiday at the moment, but if you pm me in a week's time, I should be able to help you sort things out a bit.

Best wishes

Jem. [e-mail]

[rrmrd66]

Hello pmm

"You were lucky", as they say.

Read my Warco experience further down the tools and tooling page.

Yes the Grizzly hand book is the best way to go. All these milling machines come from one or two Chinese factories and are "badged" for world wide distribution.

For DROs it's the same. They are all very similar. There are a couple of UK suppliers of DROs who have good web sites. Googel them.

I have found that after the initial play with it you only ever use the straight forwards X and Y axis feature. (This feature I would not want to be without BTW)

You don't have to buy accessories from Warco if you don't want to as people like Eurotrade, Chronos and RDG can supply almost everything you need.

Good luck with your milling.

What are you building? Post some pictures maybe?

regards

Malcolm

PS Use Carbide tools. So much better than HSS

[Deleted]

Can I ask for a link to the mill manual you found on Grizzly please, I've struggled to find anything in recent times, it used to be very easy to identify which was closest? Also, well done on choosing the VM16, putting aside the manual issue, the mill itself is a good mill, more so with a DRO fitted.


Regards


Pete

[rrmrd66]

Hi there Greenglade

Working on the basis that the WM16 is equivalent to the Grizzly G8689

the User manual is;

cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g8689_m.pdf

If not look at other Grizzly machines. I am certain that there will be an exact equivalent

Good Luck

Malcolm

[Deleted]

Thanks, Malcolm but that's not a VM16...I did take another look and this looks the closest.. cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g0704_m.pdf

kind regards

Pete

[Paul]

The Grizzly g0704 is the one I found. It has been very helpful. I noticed it suggests running the mill with no load for a while to ensure lubricant is distributed around the bearings. Nothing like that mentioned in the Warco manual.

I have set up the VM16 and found it pretty accurate. Only had to tram the head, which probably shifted a little when I hoisted it on to the stand.

Malcolm, in answer to your question I am building Lifford Hall 31/2" which I started 40 years ago! I have found a few posts relating to this loco. I have the frame partly completed with many other parts I machined in the past. I have plenty of experience using lathes although less with milling machines. Not too sure about tackling the boiler yet. Probably look at that when I have the frame and cylinders completed. I will post some pics in the near future.

One quick question - I have castings for both slide and piston valve cylinders, which would you choose and are O rings the way to go these days for pistons?

PMM (Paul)

[rrmrd66]

Hello Paul

You deserve a prize for perseverance! I am getting twitchy after only 18 months. However, my boiler is ready via Western Steam and will be here the week after next.

Hunslet is my first engine and this has balanced Stephenson's slide valves. I have no experience of piston valves, so cannot really advise.

Roger (Paddington thread) is probably the best guy to advise on the sealing of piston valves.

Beware though "sealing engineers" are notorious for a) having trenchant opinions and b) are not always right!

Good Luck with the build. Yes. Photos would be good

Regards

Malcolm

[92220]

Hi.

It's always a lottery when you buy a far eastern machine. Some manuals are 'OK' and others, like the pmm's, useless! I have been in the same situation, though not with any of my machinery as I bought secondhand British made. However, that is neither here nor there. When I have had anything that has a manual that is useless, I get on the phone to whoever sold the item to me and asked to speak to someone who could tell me where I am going wrong....play dumb and helpless. Then, when the tech guy comes on the phone, I play completely dumb and get them to talk me through whatever operation I need. When it's all done and working, THEN I tell them what I think of the manual that they provide with their product. At least then, if I have offended them and they put the phone down on me, I have got my equipment (whatever) working.

With machinery though, you may need their help again, in the future, for warranty work. Because of that it's best to stop at the point BEFORE you blast their product manual and service, and let them finish, feeling important! Another point to remember is that everything you buy in UK, MUST be fit for purpose. In the unfortunate event that a piece of new machinery cannot be got working because the manual is useless to set it up, that piece of machinery is not fit for purpose and you can demand a refund and that they come and collect it at their expense, under the Consumer Rights Act (2015) which replaced the Sale of Goods Act.

Bob.

[Rob]

I too have a Warco mill, albeit the WM18, with a DRO I fitted myself afterwards. I seem to recall I hunted out the Grizzly manuals as well as they are much better written.

One thing I'd bear in mind Paul - for me, the Z axis and quill move laterally when using the locks. Worth checking if the same is true of your machine. The result is that if you find a position using your DRO with the locks off, then put the locks on, you may well no longer be in the same position as you thought as the head has moved.

[Paul]

Rob

Yes I found that soon after trying out the mill. I don't find it a problem and make sure that I double check the DRO and adjust as necessary.

So far I am pleased with the WM16 especially the quick release draw bar.

Paul

[nick952]

Machine-DRO have some good videos on using the DRO functions:- www.machine-dro.co.uk/videos Although they use a different make of console, they are virtualy the same as the Sino under the skin (Badge Engineering).

Nick.

[Deleted]

thank's for the link Nick, I wasn't aware of these...I need to learn my new DRO...these will help..

cheers

Pete

[Roger]

Nov 2, 2018 10:51:45 GMT Rob said:

I too have a Warco mill, albeit the WM18, with a DRO I fitted myself afterwards. I seem to recall I hunted out the Grizzly manuals as well as they are much better written.

One thing I'd bear in mind Paul - for me, the Z axis and quill move laterally when using the locks. Worth checking if the same is true of your machine. The result is that if you find a position using your DRO with the locks off, then put the locks on, you may well no longer be in the same position as you thought as the head has moved.

This issue is a problem on all machines with a quill, you need to have an appreciation of how much it moves if you're going to mill with it locked and drill with it unlocked.
On my machine it can account for 50 microns at the drill tip, so if I'm doing something that needs to be really accurate, I'll clock it up again with the quill unlocked before drilling the holes.

As an aside, the play in the quill is another reason to power the knee rather than the quill if you ever convert the machine to CNC