A while back I got to the point I needed to tram the spindle on my new 48" x 48" Pro router. I read about and watched lots of videos on how people have been doing this. I guess if all I was cutting was wood most of these would have worked but I plan on also making small aluminum plastic injection mo…

[image] jjneeb: There are two things that can be off Well, the entire gantry could be leaning forwards or back (“nodding” in metal-mill terms) but I agree there are two results - whether the toolbit is ORIENTED perpendicular to the XY plane, and whether it MOVES perpendicular to the XY plane.…

Me too I think. One way to check squareness between the Z and X axis would be to mount a dial indicator on the spindle and run it up and down against a machinist square mounted on an a X rail. I think that would work. Does the Avid system take care of the squareness between the X and Y axis assumin…

[image] rwoerz: because you have the table as a reference surface. My plan was to use a framing square on the table I just flattened, I think that would be good enough.

Ya, I was going to use a good square and go up and down like you suggest, or maybe just take my longest endmil and cut a deep square and look at the sides. If there is no constand stairstep to one side in each axis, then its good enough.

Thanks for your concern. I think tramming of all types came pretty close to page one in my tool and die apprenticeship training back in the late 60’s.

Maybe I am a lazy bastard but I didn’t worry about squaring and tramming until the end, in my mind that’s the only time it mattered. I got it fairly close, planned my spoil board (HDPE), mounted my fixture plate and vice. Then got really serious about making sure the spindle was trammed to the plate…

[image] Bill: My thought was it didn’t really matter up until that point (within reason of course) I did the same. The molds look good.

Thanks man, it’s been a journey for sure!

I know I’m crazy as bat s*&. In the before time (right after High School) I started a tool and die apprenticeship, that was until Uncle Sam made other plans for me. Anyway I’m looking forward to making some molds and lots of other things. Maybe I shouldn’t have made the post because we are in the e…

[image] rwoerz: I know I’m crazy as bat s*&. Uh, no. Not as crazy as the rest of us :rofl: I just moved the spindle up a tad (thanks @djdelorie for the photos) so I will have to re-tram for the 3rd time this year. But as you pointed out, some of us get too caught up in chasing perfect to en…

Spindle Tramming

General Chat

Jaybird64 May 17, 2025, 11:08pm 32

What do you think about this?

Topic		Replies	Views
Conceptual GD&T Spindle Setup. Set it and forget it! Use tramming as a FINAL CHECK ONLY! General Chat	7	277	June 22, 2025
Squaring the X Gantry General Chat	20	226	July 8, 2026
Tramming issues General Chat	19	574	May 17, 2025
Z Moving Plate Out of Square General Chat	26	299	July 1, 2026
Tramming test Results General Chat	10	432	February 12, 2023

Spindle Tramming

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