# Put a ding in my mill table



## Jake2465 (Sep 27, 2018)

Well, I finally did it... After almost three years of owning my mill I managed to drop a tool holder with a drill bit in it on the table. It put a pretty little ding there the size of a center punch hole... I shuffled over to my tool box and got out my stone and WD40...


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## Cooter Brown (Sep 27, 2018)

Pictures or it didn't happen


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## Jake2465 (Sep 27, 2018)

Ima cover it up with the vice so no one sees it.


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## fradish (Sep 27, 2018)

Actually as Cooter said, just don’t take a picture of it and it didn’t happen!  I have to remember that trick!


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## Jake2465 (Sep 27, 2018)

Now every time I look at my mill table, I will see that ding and it will remind me of that treacherous #7 drill bit.


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## tjb (Sep 27, 2018)

Now it's officially a piece of equipment instead of furniture.  Congratulations.

Regards,
Terry


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## BtoVin83 (Sep 27, 2018)

Run a end mill into the table and you wont focus on that ding anymore


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## Jake2465 (Sep 27, 2018)

BtoVin83 said:


> Run a end mill into the table and you wont focus on that ding anymore



That's kind of like when Major Payne broke that guys finger so he wouldn't think about his arm that got shot. 

"Want me show you a little trick to get your mind off that ding? Here, gimme your end mill.. Now you may feel just a little bit of pressure."


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## Janderso (Sep 27, 2018)

Where is the picture?
I have a table that looks like the moon


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## Jake2465 (Sep 27, 2018)

Ill put up a picture some time this week. It was pretty much a virgin mill table before the ding. Perhaps I should put on on the other side to even it up.


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## TerryH (Sep 27, 2018)

Janderso said:


> I have a table that looks like the moon



Me too. My only consolation is that it looked that way when I bought it.


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## Ken from ontario (Sep 27, 2018)

Jake2465 said:


> After almost three years of owning my mill I managed to drop a tool holder with a drill bit in it on the table. It put a pretty little ding there the size of a center punch hole.


How did you manage to keep it ding free for 3 years, I'm impressed.


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## MikeWi (Sep 27, 2018)

I'm really disappointed at the lack of sympathy our fellow members here have shown you for your loss. I completely understand that this mill has lost all value to you and that you wish for nothing more than to be rid of it ASAP. I feel your pain and will humbly accept the mill from you so that you may move on with your life and start anew with newer, brighter hardware unblemished by a hard life in the shop. 

No, don't thank me, it's the least I can do. Ok, if you really must show your gratitude, you can pay for the shipping too.


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## Winegrower (Sep 28, 2018)

You could mill out the ding.


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## Bob Korves (Sep 28, 2018)

Use an A/C arc welder with a 1/4" rod to weld up your ding.  No one will ever notice the repair...


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## P. Waller (Sep 28, 2018)

That is the most tragic story that I have ever heard, you will have to buy a new machine.


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## bhigdog (Sep 28, 2018)

Yes,  I feel your pain. After 4 years of owning my mill I got some chips on it. Fearing I might scratch the table by using a brush I attempted to pick them off with tweezers. All was going well until, as I bent over to inspect what I feared was a scratch, my  Great Dane stuck his cold nose in my butt crack causing me to hit the start button. The spindle grabbed the rag I was using to buff the chuck. This frightened the dog who knocked over the ladder I was using to wax the top of the mill. The falling ladder hit the Z down feed causing it to drill through the table.
My wife hearing the commotion rushed in and attempted to shut the mill off but instead hit the x feed start. The vise ran into the chuck and now it kind of wobbles.
I just wish I hadn't been so obsessive..............Bob


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## P. Waller (Sep 28, 2018)

Many years ago I once left a chocolate cupcake on a new mill table to answer the phone, after having agreed to accept $29,000,000 from a Nigerian Prince I returned to the machine and found a stain on the table which is clearly unacceptable, I bought a new one. Another cupcake.

By far the best way to keep a machine looking new at all times is to buy two of them, one to actually use and one to admire.
This strategy never fails.


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## silence dogood (Sep 28, 2018)

There are three ways to handle a piece of equipment.  1) Abuse:  check out on utube what these morons did to a car by changing the oil with wd40 (and it was not just the wd40). 2) Unuse:  30 years ago I had to repair a beautiful electronic organ with full keyboards and pedalboard.  It had not  been played for over 10 years.  It took me hours  to get that thing to play properly because inside  was full of dust, corrosion, what ever. 3) Use: I don't mind paint chips, scratches, stains because it means that the machine is being used and used for what it was meant to be used for.


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## pontiac428 (Sep 28, 2018)

The first one always hurts the most...

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk


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## derf (Sep 28, 2018)

Battle scars give it character....


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## FOMOGO (Sep 29, 2018)

This is just a horrible way to have to live. To constantly have to worry about the appearance of ones machines, and to know that at any second I could disfigure one of my loved ones for life! (Sighs dramatically) I fear I must sell them all, and take up Salsa dancing. Cheers, Mike


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## Bob Korves (Sep 29, 2018)

Probably the best thing to do with a new machine is to just get a carbide scribe and put a big scratch right down the table, flat way. or other easily seen shiny part.  Stone the high points of the scratch off, and then get to work, a bit less fussy about it...  I hate to buy new machines.  Nice ones, yes, but with somebody else's marks on it already.  Those few scratches save thousand$.


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## Tim9 (Sep 29, 2018)

Kind of reminds me of people.... Or so called friends who won't let you use their pick-up truck to move something because they are afraid of scratching the bed. 
  It's a tool for Heaven's sake. Not a piece of furniture.


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## pdentrem (Sep 29, 2018)

About 95+% of the pickup trucks will only carry a case of beer at the most! Congratulations on your first ding! May it be a good sign for the future dings!


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## BtoVin83 (Sep 29, 2018)

When I worked for my dad we bought a new Mazak, blocked 24" lathe and 30 Hp. I ran that thing hard and my dad voiced his concerns. I told when we wear out this one we "ll get another. That Mazak moved a lot of iron and made a lot of money for the old guy.


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## Buffalo21 (Sep 29, 2018)

Tim9 said:


> Kind of reminds me of people.... Or so called friends who won't let you use their pick-up truck to move something because they are afraid of scratching the bed.
> It's a tool for Heaven's sake. Not a piece of furniture.




I started up a new 400 hp boiler in a battery factory, the boiler was 8’ wide x 38’ long x 9’ high, it came shrink wrapped on a truck form Michigan, to upstate Vermont. The put into the building, by riggers, the installed by the contractor. There were ladders against the unit, people walking on top of it and chains and straps dragged against it. About half way through the start up as I’m setting the combustion, the female plant manager, was obsessed with a scratch on the side of the boiler, to the point where she, actually tried to stop the start up to, demand what I was going to do about that scratch. When I told her nothing she exploded, demanding I look at the scratch and call the factory and get a new unit sent out to replace it. At this point I’d had enough and turned looked her and said “ Lady its a f*#king boiler, not a f*#king Buick”, a look of horror came across her face and I never saw her again. She called my office and told my boss, who told her, yep that’s Jack, leave him alone or we will pull off the job and the building can f*#king freeze. The start up progressed smoothly after that.


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## eugene13 (Sep 29, 2018)

derf said:


> Battle scars give it character....


My shop cat lost part of one ear somehow, I still keep her around, enjoy your hobby and don't sweat the small stuff, that machine will probably outlast you.


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## derf (Sep 29, 2018)

I remember a few decades ago when I worked in a mom & pop job shop, the owner (the old man as we called him) was very OCD and a real jackass. He looked upon his machines like they were classic cars or something. Anyway, there was a young apprentice who worked there that had about 3 months left on his apprenticeship. He was a very conscience worker that gave up a better paying job to get into this apprenticeship, as there were hard to get at the time. Chuck was a meek, mild mannered guy and kinda religious and really put his heart into everything he done.
 He came to the break area one day, acting very out of character, fidgety and nervous, looking a little pale. I knew something was a miss, so when the other guys left the break table, I asked him what was wrong. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one else was in hearing distance, then he told me. "I was drilling some holes in a set-up plate, and I accidentally drilled into the mill table. If the old man finds out, they'll carry me out in a body bag".
 I could see why he was so nervous, the old man was very intimidating, and he not only feared for his job, but getting his journeyman's card as well.
  I could see that the guilt was eating him up from the inside, so I offered to help him if I could. I strolled over by the mill and casually looked at the table without drawing too much attention to myself. On the pristine table top there was an 1/8" hole, about 1/4" deep, that just happened to be centered between the T slots. It was to the right side of the table, far enough out that a vise would not cover it.
 As he told me, he was drilling a series of holes and broke a bit. He replaced the bit, but forgot to re-set the quill stop.
 I came back to his work bench to see the fear in his eyes, and said "Relax......I got this".
I finished my lunch early, and went back and run a 6-32 tap in the hole, added a set screw, then stamped O-I-L around the screw.
  The old man never caught on......


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## silence dogood (Sep 30, 2018)

Tim9 said:


> Kind of reminds me of people.... Or so called friends who won't let you use their pick-up truck to move something because they are afraid of scratching the bed.
> It's a tool for Heaven's sake. Not a piece of furniture.


July 20 is the Ugly Truck Contest. day.  I once had a truck that the engine finally blew.  The truck was so ugly that the only way that the wrecker would take it to the junk yard was that I covered it in a paper bag.


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## Jake2465 (Oct 1, 2018)

There it is, right there!!


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## Boswell (Oct 1, 2018)

Jake2465 said:


> There it is, right there!



You might have to hit it again so it stands out. Kinda hard to see as is.


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## tjb (Oct 1, 2018)

Wow, that's terrible.  Thanks for posting the pic.  It's way worse than I anticipated.  Actually, it looks totaled to me.  Condolences.


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## GK1918 (Oct 2, 2018)

I'm also on this bus, but my table also has two end mill marks but its 55ys old so i filled those with liquid steel crap sanded and stoned the
I rubbed in with a rag never sneeze across the whole table.  buff with dry towel spray PB blaster wallah  try that....Now keep cardboard  
on the table for the night gremb'lens  when ya sleeping.,,!!    and then my pristine rotary table I slightly ran into the table cause my pocket
caught the knee handle.  We know I know this will not hurt but I don't like it.  What I did was run the same end mill in the pock mark and
made a perfect pock mark, then I printed a decal of the mfg. and stuck it in there... Like My thoughts were lathe chucks. Don't they have
a milled recess with a sticker on the face like my big lathe says "Rohm"  on the chuck..  sam


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## Tim9 (Oct 2, 2018)

derf said:


> I remember a few decades ago when I worked in a mom & pop job shop, the owner (the old man as we called him) was very OCD and a real jackass. He looked upon his machines like they were classic cars or something. Anyway, there was a young apprentice who worked there that had about 3 months left on his apprenticeship. He was a very conscience worker that gave up a better paying job to get into this apprenticeship, as there were hard to get at the time. Chuck was a meek, mild mannered guy and kinda religious and really put his heart into everything he done.
> He came to the break area one day, acting very out of character, fidgety and nervous, looking a little pale. I knew something was a miss, so when the other guys left the break table, I asked him what was wrong. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one else was in hearing distance, then he told me. "I was drilling some holes in a set-up plate, and I accidentally drilled into the mill table. If the old man finds out, they'll carry me out in a body bag".
> I could see why he was so nervous, the old man was very intimidating, and he not only feared for his job, but getting his journeyman's card as well.
> I could see that the guilt was eating him up from the inside, so I offered to help him if I could. I strolled over by the mill and casually looked at the table without drawing too much attention to myself. On the pristine table top there was an 1/8" hole, about 1/4" deep, that just happened to be centered between the T slots. It was to the right side of the table, far enough out that a vise would not cover it.
> ...


Best Laugh I had all week. That's awesome !!!!


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## aliva (Oct 2, 2018)

It's quite oblivious your not going to get much sympathy here. Good grief it's only a small ding from a #7 drill. I have wood covers on my mill, some thing to concider


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## Aukai (Nov 5, 2018)

I felt so bad about my first BAD ding(as in major), I bought a brand new table, it's still leaning against the wall.


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## PHPaul (Nov 5, 2018)

I am, by nature and practice, a weisenheimer.  I've been making a conscious effort to behave myself on this board as I'm a newbie and everyone seems so polite and professional here.

A couple of posts on this thread had me laughing until I had tears running down my cheeks.  I feel MUCH better now.

After buying a new vehicle, I've often said I should just take a ball-peen hammer, pick a random spot and give it a whack just to get it over with.  Especially trucks.

Condolences to the OP, know that feeling well.


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## MrWhoopee (Nov 5, 2018)

Tim9 said:


> Kind of reminds me of people.... Or so called friends who won't let you use their pick-up truck to move something because they are afraid of scratching the bed.
> It's a tool for Heaven's sake. Not a piece of furniture.



This is why I have 2 trucks. One for show, one for work.....




Unfortunately, the pretty one keeps taking the hits. I don't think I've ever dented the GMC. There's a lesson there somewhere.


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## RJSakowski (Nov 5, 2018)

Wait until you get a CNC mill and the controller runs amok.  Early on, the controller failed and tried to drill through to the axis ball screw.  Fortunately, it hit in the way and I was able to E-stop it before it broke through. A plug was turned and inserted in the hole and  trimmed.  It is barely noticable now and only if you know it is there.  Three more holes happened with a similar incident.  They are about an 1/8th inch deep and 1/8th inch in diameter and serve to remind me to double check  and then recheck my machine parameters.

I had another incident where the z axis driver failed and managed to cut a 1/8" groove in the nose of my new 5C collet chuck and a 7/8" collet.  Surprisingly, the 1/8" carbide end mill was unscathed.


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## cjtoombs (Nov 5, 2018)

I bought my Tormach 1100 second hand and it already had some serous milling done to the table.  Luckily, it is covered up most of the time by the vise.  Between that and the inevitable rust that forms under the vise from coolant, it has a well used look to it.  It still works great, though.  May your future be filled with only minor table dings.


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## WalterC (Nov 5, 2018)

Jake2465 said:


> There it is, right there!!



 You should seal that ding up. Fresh exposed metal can contract steelybactosis- a rare, but hedious infection..


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## Cooter Brown (Nov 5, 2018)

Look at the end of the table of my Burke Horizontal mill this should help you sleep at night.....


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 5, 2018)

reminds me of a story...
there was an eccentric man who purchased a brand new Cadillac.
He marveled at how shiny and straight the body was.
He signed the paperwork and got the keys to his new joy, but before he drove off- 
He kicked the rear quarter panel behind the tire on the drivers side.
In disbelief the Salesman asked "what the $#@% did you do that for???"
"i don't ever have to worry about getting a ding on the car", was the reply


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## skrewd (Nov 14, 2018)

The easy solution is get a damp towel, make sure it’s clean water. Set your iron to max, resist the urge to use tool steel and a kiln, a simple Proctor Sylex is sufficient. Apply even pressure over the dent with the towel and cover at least ten square inches. Leave towel in place overnight, in the morning the rust stain should mask any small nicks or dents. Apply more water if needed.


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