# Accessories for a Milling Machine



## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

My milling machine is still somewhat new to me. I bought an R8 boring head with 1/2” brazed carbide boring bars, R8 fly cutter, R8 1/2” Jacob’s chuck, R8 keyless chuck, axial support dial indicator mount, table vise, end mills, a set of R8 collets, sine bar, gauge block set, parallels, some taps, tapping handles, spring loaded tap guide, 30° and 45° angle blocks, and an x-axis power feed.

I thought about buying end mill holders, some other collets that I don’t entirely understand, a dividing head, and a rotary table. I have heard of a Spindexer, but I don’t know what it is. I also wanted to buy dies, but I am currently financially embarrassed.

My oiler is a plastic sewing machine bottle, and that doesn’t work very well.

I was having a really fun time with my milling machine until my lathe arrived. I found the lathe to be a lot more enjoyable. My milling machine has a DRO, which I really appreciate.

I wonder what other milling machine accessories are out there that may spark further interest in my milling machine. Maybe it is normal for a machinist to prefer a lathe over a mill, or vice versa.


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## Maddogmech1 (Mar 13, 2020)

Rotary table is a must. Allows for milling various radius operations, which you will inevitably want/need to do. But it all depends on what your interest in machining is. I find making more tooling for my machines way more fun than building parts. 


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## erikmannie (Mar 13, 2020)

Maddogmech1 said:


> Rotary table is a must. Allows for milling various radius operations, which you will inevitably want/need to do. But it all depends on what your interest in machining is. I find making more tooling for my machines way more fun than making parts.



I just like learning new skills, which usually just results in operational exercises. I am fine if I don’t produce anything of value. I also like precision and just spending time on machine tools.

Do you machinists have some milling machine accessories that you use a whole lot, and then some others which rarely see use?


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## mmcmdl (Mar 13, 2020)

I find the lathe boring ( no pun intended ) compared to a Bridgeport . Thats just me , but I find the jobs more interesting and complex on the mill . As far as special tooling , buy as you need it . 

I figure that your spindexer is actually an indexing head such as a Hardinge head . It will index at 15 degree intervals . Now a whirly gig will index as well as spin freely , but I can't think of a use for it on a mill . They are more made for a SG .


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## Maddogmech1 (Mar 13, 2020)

Again, the tooling you need most is more dependent on what your primary interests are. I have a dividing head, but only used it a couple times. That’s just because of the type of work I do. Not sure on your lathe tooling or what you need it for, but I’d tool that up before the mill. 


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## Seedtick (Mar 13, 2020)

I use one of these a lot more than I thought I would. A digital angle gauge.
Greg


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## DavidR8 (Mar 13, 2020)

I think the big question is what kind of work do you want to do?


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## Aaron_W (Mar 13, 2020)

Collet blocks can be handy, for milling square and hex shapes. The link is for 5C collets but they also make them for ER32 and I think ER40 collets. I've also seen octagonal collet blocks.

5C collet blocks


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## Aaron_W (Mar 13, 2020)

Maddogmech1 said:


> I find making more tooling for my machines way more fun than building parts.




Guilty


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## mikey (Mar 13, 2020)

Erik, there are foundational tools that impact on accuracy for all your work, regardless of what that is. 

A good vise. You have this already, right?
A system to hold end mills. Since most of the work done on a mill uses end mills then this is a foundational tool. If you plan to use R8 collets then buy good collets; Hardinge, Lyndex, Crawford are all good. Imports are not that good. If it was me, I would buy a good ER32 or ER40 collet chuck, good nuts to fit it and high quality ER collets as this system will maximize the accuracy of your spindle.
Buy only new, good end mills. Niagara Cutter is the best in my opinion but there are many others.
Parallels, good drills and a good drill chuck are important.
A decent boring head and good boring bars. Imported brazed bars do not fall into the category of good.
A decent fly cutter or face mill. Everything starts as nominal or rough sawn stock that must be squared and dimensioned first and this is what you need to do it with. You can square work with an end mill but it is the least efficient and the most expensive way to do it.
All the above should be obtained first. Everything else can come as you need them. I highly recommend that you DO NOT buy a rotary table, dividing head, super spacer or any other equipment until YOU think you need it. Buying tools on the off chance that you may need it one day is the best way to break the bank.


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## BtoVin83 (Mar 13, 2020)

edge finder


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## mmcmdl (Mar 13, 2020)

mikey said:


> I highly recommend that you DO NOT buy a rotary table, dividing head, super spacer or any other equipment until YOU think you need it. Buying tools on the off chance that you may need it one day is the best way to break the bank.



Don't think you slid this past us Mikey .   We're trying to spend money here ! 

Seriously , you can make anything you could possibly dream up and the possibilities are endless . I have drawer fulls of mill tooling that were needed for special jobs . Set up blocks , toe clamps , angle plates , pipe hold downs , right angle heads , straddle and gang milling accesories , extensions of all kinds , indexers etc . I wouldn't have them unless I needed them to complete a job though .


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## Chipper5783 (Mar 13, 2020)

I agree with Mikey.  Focus on using your machines.  Stop buying and get making.  You do not get competent at machining by spending money.  When you actually need something in order to complete a project - then you buy it.  Don't worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to drain your bank account.  Proficiency comes much more with practice than purchase.

Lathes and mills go hand in hand.  Use what works.  All I had for my first ~30 years in this hobby was a lathe and I made a ton of stuff.  I now have 3 mills set up, tool'd and working great - they all get used, depending on the task at hand.  However, I still probably spend more time on the lathes - I don't really keep track since the goal is to make stuff.  If a machine does not get used for a while - that's fine with me.

Share some pictures of your next "show piece" project.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 14, 2020)

mikey said:


> A decent boring head and good boring bars.


Do you have a recommendation for boring head and bars?


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## mmcmdl (Mar 14, 2020)

Criterion is top notch Dave . Expensive though unless used and in good shape .


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## DavidR8 (Mar 14, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> Criterion is top notch Dave . Expensive though unless used and in good shape .


Is there a second tier?


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## mmcmdl (Mar 14, 2020)

Regular old Bridgeport head . Plenty out there .


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## MontanaLon (Mar 14, 2020)

erikmannie said:


> I just like learning new skills, which usually just results in operational exercises. I am fine if I don’t produce anything of value. I also like precision and just spending time on machine tools.
> 
> Do you machinists have some milling machine accessories that you use a whole lot, and then some others which rarely see use?


I have found projects to do just because I found the tool. My first "big" accessory was an indexing head. So much you can do with it. Then a Kurt vise, so much nicer to use than the import vise that I got with the used mill.


DavidR8 said:


> Do you have a recommendation for boring head and bars?


You have an MT2 spindle, right? I know I saw one at Lost Creek, might be a while before I get up there, kids will be out of school for 2 weeks starting Tuesday so I will likely have daddy duty full time. Not worried about the kids getting hurt around all the big machinery but I am sure they have a "you break it you buy it policy". 

I looked at their website and everything online is R8, straight shank or BS#. They had a crap ton of them on the shelf. Seriously, I could go and spend a day going through the stuff while my bank account held out, and still not see it all. It wouldn't shock me if they had an MT2 shank that would fit on another boring head they have. You can always give him a shout there. Super nice folks there.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 14, 2020)

MontanaLon said:


> You have an MT2 spindle, right? I know I saw one at Lost Creek, might be a while before I get up there, kids will be out of school for 2 weeks starting Tuesday so I will likely have daddy duty full time. Not worried about the kids getting hurt around all the big machinery but I am sure they have a "you break it you buy it policy".
> 
> I looked at their website and everything online is R8, straight shank or BS#. They had a crap ton of them on the shelf. Seriously, I could go and spend a day going through the stuff while my bank account held out, and still not see it all. It wouldn't shock me if they had an MT2 shank that would fit on another boring head they have. You can always give him a shout there. Super nice folks there.


MT3 actually but good memory. I forgot about Lost Creek.
I spent a bit of time on the Bay looking at heads. There are a couple of straight shank Criterions, ~$200 range and a DBL-202B with an R8 taper that I threw a bid in on. It looks in good shape and I thought maybe I could turn the taper either to an MT3 or just make it a straight 3/4". We shall see.
But I will give Lost Creek a call, Thanks for thinking of me.


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## mikey (Mar 14, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> Criterion is top notch Dave . Expensive though unless used and in good shape .



I'm with Dave, Dave ...   I would look for a used Criterion DBL-202 head. These heads are all threaded in back to accept different shanks so in addition to the head, you'll need to find a 7/8-20 to MT3 adapter to fit your spindle. The DBL heads have the following ranges:

Boring Range Center Hole (in)             0.050 to 1.750
Boring Range Outboard Hole (in)             1.312 to 3.000
Boring Range Cross Hole (in)            2.875 to 6.687

There are two models in the DBL-202 lineup; A and B models so you'll sometimes see them inscribed as a 202A or 202B. If they are not engraved then it is likely a 202B. The difference is that the A uses 3/8" shanked bars, while the B uses 1/2" shanked tools. Both work but if you haven't bored with both then you won't know that there is a difference. 

A boring head generates centripetal forces and the heavier the boring bar is, the greater the centripetal force becomes for all sizes of bores. For smaller bores, this isn't usually a problem but when you get to larger bores then a lighter bar will produce lower forces than a heavier bar. While it is not a deal breaker, try to find a DBL-202A head if you can. An added benefit is that 3/8" bars are also cheaper to buy. If you can't find an A-model but find a good B-model, I would just go ahead unless you can afford to wait.

For bars, I prefer cobalt boring bars. They are more reasonable in cost vs solid carbide bars and work just as well in most materials. I use Borite cobalt bars but LMS sells a 1/2" shanked cobalt set for a lot less. HHIP on ebay sells both 3/8" and 1/2" cobalt sets. I also have a set of 1/2" Borite inserted carbide boring bars but they're heavy and useful mainly for smaller bores. If you can only have one set, I recommend a cobalt set.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 14, 2020)

Thanks @mikey, I did find a 202B head but it's an R8 taper. I doubt I'll win the auction (currently at $25  ) but I'll see how it goes.
202A heads seem to be just that much pricier.
I'm curious what the divisions on the upper part of this one mean.








						Criterion S-1-1/2 Boring Head .001 Increments 1/2” Cap. w/Kwik Switch 200 Shank  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Criterion S-1-1/2 Boring Head .001 Increments 1/2” Cap. w/Kwik Switch 200 Shank at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.ca


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## mmcmdl (Mar 14, 2020)

A little late Dave , but I sold all of my boring heads on CL over the years . I had Criterions , Bridgeport sets , Phase 2 etc heads . My go-to was always the Criterion . Had all the cobalt and cemented carbide bar sets to go along with them . One day I decided to thin the herd and sold them all . I had 4 boring and facing heads at the time . I kept a Wohlhopter and a larger Narex and sold the two Encos . If I'm just blowing out material with a fairly open tolerance I go with the cobalt or cheap arse cemented carbide bars . If I need to hold .0005 or less , I'll pull out the solid carbide bars or insert bars . 

Most people don't really need these expensive heads or bars . I have to make parts in a certain amount of time usually which steers me torwards quality tools only . Any boring head will produce a round hole and hold tolerance , so if you're not getting paid by the hour , go cheap .


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## mmcmdl (Mar 14, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I'm curious what the divisions on the upper part of this one mean.


That's your adjustment .


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## mikey (Mar 14, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Thanks @mikey, I did find a 202B head but it's an R8 taper. I doubt I'll win the auction (currently at $25  ) but I'll see how it goes.
> 202A heads seem to be just that much pricier.
> I'm curious what the divisions on the upper part of this one mean.
> 
> ...



I haven't used a head with that collar before so I would listen to Dave.

Buying a used head can be a bit tricky because you have to know what a good one should look like. Here are things to look for:

The first thing to know is that a brand new 202B costs $300 USD. Selling a beat to hell used head for $250 is just stupid. Please don't fall for these bozo's pitch. If it is beat up, pass on it.
Boring heads like this have a gib and that gib is cut into the body of the dovetail on one side; this gib must be intact.




The seller should show the side with the screws. There will be 3 smaller gib screws and all of them should be there. There is a ball bearing under each of them. These balls contact the gib and the set screws contact the ball bearings. A good head will show all three present and all of them will be roughly set at the same depth. If one screw is deep then it suggests that the ball is missing so pass. The 3 larger set screws hold the boring bars in place. Many used heads are missing 2 out of the 3 because the user/shop lost them. Again, this means the owner didn't care enough to take care of his head and lost the screws so pass. Missing screws can be replaced if the rest of the head is pristine but I don't often see a pristine head with missing screws.




Finally, a good head looks like a good used head. It isn't all beat up and trashed, and it doesn't look like the user ran it into the side of a hole. A clean one may show signs of use but shouldn't be all dinged up and have rash marks all over it, then have the bozo selling it ask for nearly new prices on it. This is what a good used head looks like:




This is the head shown above. Most good sellers will show all the right views because he knows what a knowledgeable buyer needs to see. He is showing you this because it enhances his chances for a sale - smart. He is asking a big price for a used head but he is also taking offers. A good used head, in my opinion, drops to $150 just by the fact that it is used but I might go to maybe 60% of new, about 180.00. A good seller knows you're going to go low and I would go low at $150 USD and let him counter you. I bet he'll come back at $180-190. If so, you have a decision to make. The head above is worth $150, maybe $160. If you can handle that, go for it. If not, wait and be patient and another one will show up.


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## mmcmdl (Mar 14, 2020)

I went and checked out my Ebay site . I got about $40 bucks each for the Bridgeport heads , but no feedback was left for the Criterion head or bars . If I remember correctly , it sold for less than $150 and the brand new set of bars was under $50 . They were in A1 top shape so keep looking .


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## erikmannie (Mar 14, 2020)

Reading through all of the responses that came in while I was sleeping made me realize that I do love my milling machine.

Most of the mill tooling that I bought was the cheapest import stuff out there. In the case of the dial test indicator, this was a good thing because I turned on my spindle during the course of my first trammeling. 

Having zero money and a large amount of very cheap mill tooling is not the best situation to be in, but I could work with it. At one point, I stopped buying showers and now I only buy Sterritt or similar high-quality.

I had hoped to buy a shell mill, but I have not learned yet how the cutting head interfaces with the arbor. I also would not know whether to buy insert type, carbide or HSS.


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## benmychree (Mar 14, 2020)

An insert face mill is a good choice, they hasten the work being done and do not need sharpening, unlike HSS shell mills. Shell mills use a shank that fits the ID of the cutter which is retained against a shoulder by a screw.  Smaller insert holders may have integral shanks, I had a 2 1/2" diameter and another smaller one, both had integral shanks and used TPG (triangular positive rake) inserts, they worked well on all common metals.


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## Alcap (Mar 15, 2020)

I got my first mill just recently and in the same process as you . I'm doing a little different then some of those mentioned . I'm keeping an eye on CL and Facebook Marketplace for any deals . My thought is if I wait to buy it I'll be paying more . My advice is put money aside and be ready to buy when a good deal comes up because the really good ones are gone quick !  I saw a Equipto cabinet with unknown contents for $130 on FB , it was gone in an hour !


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## FanMan (Mar 15, 2020)

Buy what you need, when you need it.  I bought a rotary table when I had a project that required it.  I still don't have a boring head; I'll buy one when I need one or  when I come across a good used one for a good price.  I still don't  have a sine bar, gage  blocks, angle  blocks, or power feed, nor have I needed them.  The swivel vise that came with my [used] mill has been very  useful, ditto for the complete set of number drills my Dad gave years ago (replaced as necessary).  Files and deburring tools also  essential.  And good lighting.


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## greenail (Mar 15, 2020)

a good vise is a must but it is hard to know how good a good vise is until you get one.  I got a great deal on a used 5" screwless vise for $90 on ebay.  It is a real monster and it makes a 3" vise look like a toddlers toy.

get a set or 4 of 1-2-3 blocks.  there are good ebay deals where you can get 4 or 5 sets for like $45 bucks.

I'd also recommend one set of 2-4-6 blocks.

get a set of adjustable parallels and make some machinists jacks (good lathe project).

all of the above are nice for workholding.


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## Aaron_W (Mar 16, 2020)

Alcap said:


> I got my first mill just recently and in the same process as you . I'm doing a little different then some of those mentioned . I'm keeping an eye on CL and Facebook Marketplace for any deals . My thought is if I wait to buy it I'll be paying more . My advice is put money aside and be ready to buy when a good deal comes up because the really good ones are gone quick !  I saw a Equipto cabinet with unknown contents for $130 on FB , it was gone in an hour !




I do the same, watch CL, Ebay, FB marketplace and also for new items to go on sale. picking away $50 here, $200 there over time I've acquired a decent selection of stuff, without putting too big a dent in my monthly fun budget. Waiting until there is a need can mean paying more.

This has worked really well for measuring doo hickeys, as I was able to start with cheap calipers, micrometers and such, then over time I've picked up better quality used ones.


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## Joeman77 (Mar 16, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Is there a second tier?


Shars boring bar set
I've honestly had good luck with the Shars kit like this. Mine has 3/4" bars with the inserts, (I had the braised carbide, not so impressed) works well on either the Lathe or the Mill and if necessary you can always make reducers for smaller sizes.


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