Ways To Do A Lathe Operation With A Mill?

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Ryan Lee

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I don't currently have a lathe. But I have a mill/drill. I need to bore out some pipe to take a bearing.

I was going to clamp the pipe vertically to the table. My mill has a MT2 spindle and has a draw bar.

I've looked into boring bars but haven't seen any that are small enough in diameter.

I've looked into end mills to do a plunge cut; but haven't seen one in the size I need. Maybe a 1-3/4" that has been resharpened?

I was looking at 2" DIA pipe with 1/4" wall. The bearing is a 42mm(1.654") bearing. It only needs to be a light press fit. Pressed in by hand even. Just so it's not loose.

I know a lathe would make quick work of this; but I just don't have one.

Can this cut be done on a lathe? What setup would do it?

I've also looked at a vise that will rotate.

The pipe is 3" tall. This is a picture of the manufactured part:
 
Another method to make this part involves taking 2 pieces of pipe; slitting each one and welding them back together. Outer pipe is cut so it will fit the bearing. The inner pipe is cut so it will fit inside the outer pipe. I've considered this method and was going to do it; but I have not been able to source the right size pipe to do so.

Skip this video up to 2:45 to see it done:
 
if you were to hold the pipe in a 3 jaw chuck or otherwise on the table

you could make your own boring head easily that can could punch the hole you need
take a disc smaller than the diameter but thick enough to house a toolbit
make a center point in the disc and drill/tap & use a suitable stub arbor (3/8,1/2,3/4???) to be held in a collet.
drill in perpendicular to the drive axis for a suitable toolbit and make provision for set screws to hold the tool bit.
the idea is best expressed as it's kinda like a flycutter really, but without the downward angle-
a flycutter may be even be able to be adapted for your needs, now that i think about it.
you may need to take test cuts and do a bunch of measuring , but it can be done! :grin:
 
The issue I've seen with the boring bars is the holders tend to be quite large diameter.

Some version of a fly cutter may well work. I was unaware of those previously and hadn't looked at them yet.

6004 bearing. 12mm(0.472) wide; is how deep the cut will need to be.
 
Can you make a fixture to hold the pipe in your rotating spindle/chuck and clamp a tool to the table, then the tool need only be a piece of HSS ground to suit. Table travel will allow you to take light cuts
Basically I guess, using the mill drill as a vertically orientated lathe

Cheers Phil
 
Ryan Lee said:
The issue I've seen with the boring bars is the holders tend to be quite large diameter.
Click to expand...

The boring head does not go into the bored hole, just the boring bar that its holding. I have a 2" boring head that I have started boring in a .5" diameter hole. If you get a boring head with a shank that you can hold in your mill it will work.

Ryan Lee said:
Will I be able to make the cut I need using one of these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steelex-M1096-Fly-Cutter-Set-with-Tool-Bits-/131951127937
Click to expand...

It could would work but it would be a pita to adjust, also you would have to custom grind the cutter to get a flat shoulder for the bearing to seat on.
 
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