Must Have Mill Machine Accessories For A Beginner?

Not sure if it was mentioned but a horizontal band saw is really helpful and almost essential for a mill or lathe. You will need to trim your stock down for many projects and the horizontal band saw makes it so much easier.
 
Cadillac STS said:
Not sure if it was mentioned but a horizontal band saw is really helpful and almost essential for a mill or lathe. You will need to trim your stock down for many projects and the horizontal band saw makes it so much easier.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Yes, on my list. I am just going to get the Harbor Freight unit... do not use it much to justify anything more expensive. I went to see it over the weekend. But right now, I have no space in the garage for it... must clean up and make the space for it... yeah, for that and for a lathe next year... I sure hope I can build a workshop soon....
 
The Harbor Freight horizontal band saw is fine. The cuts are mostly not the finishing cut, just to get closer to size and the size of the saw is what you would need.

Keep an eye on Craigslist to maybe find a used one. Also regularly search Craigslist for "Lathe" "Mill." Never know when the orbits of availability and your funds will match up..
 
Cadillac STS said:
Not sure if it was mentioned but a horizontal band saw is really helpful and almost essential for a mill or lathe. You will need to trim your stock down for many projects and the horizontal band saw makes it so much easier.
Click to expand...
I'll second that. A few years ago, a guy GAVE me (you read that right) his old horizontal bandsaw - a 'Carolina Equipment' machine - with a handful of extra blades. It had been collecting dust in a corner of his shop for years after he bought a monster machine.

I welded a couple of pieces of heavy-gauge 4" square tubing to the base and tack welded some 5" casters onto it so that I could easily move it around the shop. That has become one of my most useful machines. Combined with a couple of adjustable rollers for height leveling, it's great for rough-cutting long pieces of stock down to manageable size. Other than cleaning it up, and adjusting the cutoff switch, I've never had to do anything to it. The motor was fine, and I've never even changed the blade on it. More than once, I thought about getting a newer one, but this one does everything I need. Wouldn't want to be without it.

Regards,
Terry
 
Finishing a few projects while I wait for the rest of the stuff to arrive for the CNC conversion...

Machine (make them parallel) the sides of the 5C indexing spin jig I just got, drill holes to make it easier to secure it to the table...

img_3033-jpg.311782


I ordered an E32 adapter for the 5C jig as well... along with the wrench and collects. Figured, why not, might have use for it in the future (since I am new to this and learning)...

s-l400.jpg
 
wachuko said:
Reviving the thread as I am going to get a few more tools...

Looking at this 6" rotary table - eBay link - seems like everyone is using a 4" vise (already have it) and a 6" rotary table with the G0704 mill...

View attachment 311637

Also got this as well with a set of collects... Heavy Duty 5C Indexing Spin Jig Fixture

View attachment 311638
Click to expand...


I'll be curious to see what you think of this Rotary table. I have a dividing head so don't need all the rest that comes with this one, but I see several sellers that have what looks to be the same rotary table alone for about $200 which is pretty reasonable if it is a decent RT.
I have a 4" RT for my Sherline that I can use on my larger mills but a 6" would be a more useful size.
 
Aaron_W said:
I'll be curious to see what you think of this Rotary table. I have a dividing head so don't need all the rest that comes with this one, but I see several sellers that have what looks to be the same rotary table alone for about $200 which is pretty reasonable if it is a decent RT.
I have a 4" RT for my Sherline that I can use on my larger mills but a 6" would be a more useful size.
Click to expand...

Will not get it for another month... spent the $ on components to convert the mill to CNC...

I did get these to try out... ER20 chucks and collets.

IMG_3039.jpg

IMG_3037.jpg

IMG_3038.jpg
 
Last night I also milled the sides of the 5C jig and made holes to be able to secure it to the table. Do not mind the bolt in the photo, I just used whatever bolt was closer to me to test.

Someone suggested to make it a slot instead of just a hole... might do that at another time when I figure out how to firmly secure it.... you can see the bite marks on the label... I was going very slow on making the hole to avoid the part slipping from the vise... pretty sure someone will call out a better way and I am all ears...

IMG_3042.jpg
 
Looks like it will hold pretty well.

One suggestion for milling on the base - grab as precise (and large) a shaft as you can in your largest collet. Then hold the shaft in a well aligned mill vise (V block helps here) and take a light skim cut around the base of the indexer. This will ensure that the edges of the base are perpendicular and parallel to the axis of the collet and workpiece. Then you can either hold the indexer in the mill vise, bolt it down and tram it in by indicating the edges, or else get a "rough and ready" alignment by using a machinist's square against the front edge of the mill table and the appropriate edge of the indexer's base when bolting it down.

PS - Very nice job cleaning up all your cast iron surfaces!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top