# Husky A1S - 8x30... Just purchased my first mill.



## MikeInOr

Hello.... New here.  Like many others on here I have wanted a mill for hobby use for the greater portion of my life.  After many (20+) years of keeping an eye out the stars finally aligned and I found a mill that will fit in my shop, I believe will be big enough for most of what I want to do, and I had enough money in the bank to cover the price.  I just got home from purchasing a Husky A1S 8x30 mill for $1000 and another $200 for a Kurt vise... I am pretty excited.  The seller is going to bring it over tomorrow evening and help me unload it.  After watching a million youtubes I think it is in good enough shape to suite my purposes.   The spindle was quiet on high speed.  There were scrape marks on the ways.  The table appeared pretty tight.  I could not detect any runout on the spindle with my dial indicator.  I know the Husky is a generic Taiwanese mill and the big brother to many generic 6x24 mills.  I have been close to purchasing mill drills many times... I think this 8x30 will be a bit more capabable for what I want to do. I hope I did ok!

Like everyone else I want to learn about machining (I have had an Atlas 12x36 lathe for 30+ years now that I am somewhat proficient on).  Make some odd parts and maybe do a little gunsmithing.  I am an old machine junkie but mostly in the wood working world.  I have dragged home old machines and restored them just because I have felt sorry for them.  I have a bit of a weakness for old radial arm saws and a late 40's Redstar 16" 7.5hp turret arm RAS is the center of my woodworking shop.

I will post pictures when I get it unloaded tomorrow.


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## Ulma Doctor

Welcome to the Forum!
i can't wait to see your new girlfriend! 
congratulations!!!


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## richl

Welcome to the forum.
Ras are not my favorite machines, I've owned a few, worked on many. I guess it's because I'm getting older and know just one "senior moment" and you are missing a body part
Looking forward to seeing the mill though! Congrats!!
Rich


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## middle.road

richl said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> Ras are not my favorite machines, I've owned a few, worked on many. I guess it's because I'm getting older and know just one "senior moment" and you are missing a body part
> Looking forward to seeing the mill though! Congrats!!
> Rich


Heck I've felt that way about RASs since I was in my twenties. 
There are though, some magnificent designs in the old ones.

-=-
Welcome aboard Mike!


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## MikeInOr

Thank you for the welcomes!

My new mill comes with no tooling.  The seller got a great deal on a Bridgeport so he is keeping all his tooling.

My new 8 x 30 has an R8 taper.  I "Believe" I need a set of R8 collets.  A couple end mills to practice with.  Probably a R8 shank to mount a chuck.  I have a pretty nice Jacobs chuck for my Atlas lathe.  I think it sits on a #2 Morse Taper for my lathe.  Should I get a #2 MT to R8 adapter?  Or just pick up a R8 shank and a good used Jacobson to dedicate to the mill?  Where should I get a set of collets from?  I am a fan of Grizzley tools shaper cutters for woodworking... is there mill tooling acceptable?  Should I look on ebay?  Any other suggestions?  Any other tooling I should pickup to start with?  A set of parallels?

P.S. I spent a year watching a Walker Turner geared head RAS rotting under someones carport.  I finally offered them $40 and it followed me home.  Lots of work with a wire wheel and all new bearing... she turned out beautiful!  I feel ashamed about running an abrasive blade on it to cut metal... but I already have 2 nice RAS's for wood.  The WT has the nice cast iron base on it.


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## Ulma Doctor

Hi MikeInOr,
Yes a set of R8 collets is a good idea
Some r8 Weldon Tool Holders are very nice, but not completely necessary at first(unless you have the endmills with a flat machined in the tool)
Parallels is a must too, or at least some very accurately ground material ( HSS tool blanks can be substituted in a pinch)

Grizzly's tooling is import, some is good, others not so good- but they really don't sell junk.

I'd think about using 5/8" or 3/4"shanks on your different tooling, like drill chucks and fly cutters and use a collet in the spindle for quick change outs

you can buy quality used collets on Ebay
or
new sets are inexpensive from Shars (http://www.shars.com/products/toolh...?collet_category=Collet+Sets&collet_series=R8), or All Industrial Supply(http://allindustrial.com/all-indust...1-for-bridgeport-with-r8-collet-rack-12-slot/) or JTS Machinery (https://jtsmach.com/jtswebshop/Workholding/CH044.asp)

i hope the info is helpful

PS, i always wanted a WT drill press


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## MikeInOr

Ulma, thank you.  Very helpful!  I was just looking at a set of the Shars collets on ebay last night and realized I had no idea what to look for as far as quality tooling that I would not regret purchasing later.  The recommendations are very helpful!  Thanks for the tip on using a collet to hold a drill chuck for quick tool changing... something I hadn't thought of but it makes a lot of sense.

A couple pics from the CL add.


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## MikeInOr

What do you guys think of this chuck?  $96 on ebay... $200+ new w/o arbor.  The arbor on this chuck is 3/4".  To me it looks dirty but in good shape... it looks like it hasn't had much use to my eyes.





Ball Bearing - Taper Mount
■ Ball Bearing Construction Maximizes Gripping Force and Drilling Accuracy
■ Jaws Center-Ground for Straightness and Alignment
■ One-Piece Sleeve Eliminates Crack Between Driving Teeth Often Found in Other Designs
■ Through-Hardened Sleeve Teeth Plus Hardened Nose and Keyholes Provide Outstanding Wear Resistance
■ Fluted Sleeve Standard
■ Each Chuck 100% Inspected for Performance and Precision
■ T.I.R. 0.003"

Model: 14N
Min Capacity: 0.040 in
Max Capacity: 0.500 in
Closed Length: 3.88 in
Open Length: 2.97 in
Sleeve dia: 2.97 in
Weight: 2.44 lb


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## Dave Paine

That looks very similar to my Grizzly G1008 mill which also has 8x30 table.   I purchased this second hand end of Jan 2017 so almost 1 year ago.  The seller purchased this new in 2000.  






Mine came with a set of R8 collets.   I purchased a Jacobs chuck with R8 mount.  I have purchased a number of items from Shars in the past year.

My Grizzly does not have a quill lock, so I need to hold the quill pulley to tighten or loosen the collet.   Not a problem.

You will need a mill clamping kit.  Available from many places, even Harbor Freight.  Just measure your slots so you get a set with correct T nuts.


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## MikeInOr

Yes Dave, very similar mills.  I couldn't find much info on Husky mills so I ended up doing a fair bit of reading on your Grizzly before making my decision.  Most owners had pretty positive reviews on the Grizzly 8 x 30 mills.  Are you pleased with yours?  Did your mill come with the DRO and power feed?  Both options I would like to add eventually.  The one feature my mill doesn't have that really bothered me is the one shot lube.  It seems like a mill would have probably received better lube over its life if it had a one shot lube.

Do most people prefer the Keyless chucks over keyed chucks?  I see a lot of pictures of mills with keyless chucks.  All my drill presses have always had keyed chucks.


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## Silverbullet

Looks like my enco too. Sure made plenty with many dealers. I love the size for my shop and my being in a wheelchair it's perfect. I'm planning on making a riser tho , I'm thinking 4-5" , doubleboost on YouTube added 9" and his is rock solid and he really uses it ALOT. He just upgraded to vfd motor complete set up. And yes welcome to the site , there are no wrong questions on here. We help don't put off.. I have a favor could you give me a rough diameter on the swivel of the turret . I'm looking to buy metal for when I ever get out of pain to raise the head. YUPP be safe enjoy


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## Silverbullet

Looks really good condition wise.


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## Dave Paine

The Grizzly G1004 mill did not include the X axis power feed.   The G1008 was the model with the X axis power feed.   This model also included one-shot lubrication pump and coolant pump.

The previous owner installed the DRO, a CBX3 unit from Shooting Star, one of the lower priced units.   Works well, just bare bones.  It does not retain settings on power off, so always starts up with all axis at "0".  Also no bolt circle calcs.  I can enter a measurement or use "Centre" to get half the distance between edges, a feature I use often.

The one-shot lubrication pump had a cracked lens so the previous owner stopped using it.   The remnant of the oil had solidified in the bottom.   I was able to clean this out and happy to find it was able to pump with clean fresh oil.

I found one source of this size of pump in China, but decided to fix my unit.   I replaced the lens with a piece of acrylic, reusing the O ring.  The top was cracked on all 4 corners so I replaced with a thick piece of acrylic.   I decided not to bother with fill hole.   It will take me a long time before I need to refill and will just remove the screws.

I do wonder when the pump stopped operating for the previous owner and what, if anything he was using for lubrication.   He was not good at keeping things clean.   A number of marks on the ways of the knee from swarf getting under the table.

Finding a one-shot lubrication pump is easy.   Installing the tubing will take some time.   I was relieved my tubing was not blocked, so once I had clean fresh oil I was able to lubricate the ways.







This style of machine does not have screws in the head for tramming, so nudge-and-fudge needed.   Takes time, but only needed perhaps once.  In my case needing due to transportation.

I have been happy with the mill.   It has some constraints.   I did not like the speeds, 450 rpm then 910 rpm, nothing in between.

I removed the auxiliary pulley and flipped the motor pulley upside down, so now I have only 3 speeds, but more useful for my needs, 560, 860 and 1200.   I will eventually upgrade to 3 phase motor and VFD to get more speeds.  I am using a link belt, just easier to be able to adjust the length as I needed.   Runs quite and smooth.

I use the mill for metal and wood projects.    For wood projects the 7 1/2in distance from quill centreline to base is a constraint.   I wish I had more Y axis travel.  

I would love a Bridgeport, but would not be able to get one into my shop easily due to height constraints.

I have a keyed Jacobs Super Chuck I use on the metal lathe, and a keyless chuck from Shars I use on the mill.


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## Silverbullet

MikeInOr said:


> What do you guys think of this chuck?  $96 on ebay... $200+ new w/o arbor.  The arbor on this chuck is 3/4".  To me it looks dirty but in good shape... it looks like it hasn't had much use to my eyes.
> 
> View attachment 252805
> 
> Ball Bearing - Taper Mount
> ■ Ball Bearing Construction Maximizes Gripping Force and Drilling Accuracy
> ■ Jaws Center-Ground for Straightness and Alignment
> ■ One-Piece Sleeve Eliminates Crack Between Driving Teeth Often Found in Other Designs
> ■ Through-Hardened Sleeve Teeth Plus Hardened Nose and Keyholes Provide Outstanding Wear Resistance
> ■ Fluted Sleeve Standard
> ■ Each Chuck 100% Inspected for Performance and Precision
> ■ T.I.R. 0.003"
> 
> Model: 14N
> Min Capacity: 0.040 in
> Max Capacity: 0.500 in
> Closed Length: 3.88 in
> Open Length: 2.97 in
> Sleeve dia: 2.97 in
> Weight: 2.44 lb


Try looking on more eBay sellers that seems high to me , should run half or less of that price.


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## Mitch Alsup

MikeInOr said:


> I was just looking at a set of the Shars collets on ebay last night and realized I had no idea what to look for as far as quality tooling that I would not regret purchasing later.  The recommendations are very helpful!  Thanks for the tip on using a collet to hold a drill chuck for quick tool changing... something I hadn't thought of but it makes a lot of sense.



Looks a lot like my Grizzly G0730.

I use ER40 collets in an ER40-R8 chuck on mine. 
Straight R8 collets will buy you another 2" of nose height--always welcome on the 6*26 not so necessary on the 8*30.
I have a R8-1/2" keyless drill chuck on mine, too. About $120 new.


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## Silverbullet

Ck this chuck out ,14N mt3 $40. $5.95 ship. 16282617628 type this number in search on eBay there's one to bid on for $9.95 #352245582333


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## MikeInOr

Thank you SilverBullet.  The chuck I was looking at had a 3/4" straight arbor on it.  I was looking at the price on some of the Jacobs arbors and thought $97 was a pretty good deal for the set.  I have since found on the Shars website that I can pickup a 3/4" straight arbor with a 2JT taper for $5 - $10 making the original 14N chuck look not as appealing.  I have bids on a Rohn and a Albretch chucks that end in a little over an hour.  When I loose the bids on those I will probably put a bid in on the Jacobs chuck you linked to.  Thank you for the heads up!

I have a nice old Jacob chuck for my lathe (Probably a 14N) that I really like.  I have read a couple posts leading me to believe that the higher end keyless chucks maintain a better concentricity than keyed chucks????  I am torn between getting a keyless or keyed chuck.  Knowing how much nicer the Jacobs for my lathe is than the Chinese chuck on my Chinese drill press is... it makes sense to me to buy a nice chuck for my Mill.  I think I will get a fair amount of use from a chuck on my mill?

On the Shars website they have many different collet sets.  Is there any real advantage to getting a larger set of collets with a 1/32" increment than a smaller set with a 1/16" increment?  I figure a good chuck would be sufficient for all the off sized and metric drill bits?  Shars has a set of R8 collets 1/8" - 3/4" by 1/16" increments plus a 1" collet for $58.  This seems like it might a good fit for me.  Is there much need for a 7/8" collet?  I assume I will be using these collets mainly for holding end mills and most end mills have a standard shank size???

I am also looking at the Shars 3/16" to 3/4" tin coated end mill set to get me started... but I am open to recommendations?

I know everyones tooling needs will be different but it is helpful to know what others find they use a lot?

Are the ER40 collets just quicker to change than R8 collets since you can change them from the bottom of the quill without having to loosen the draw bar on the top of the quill?


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## MikeInOr

Dave Paine said:


> Finding a one-shot lubrication pump is easy.   Installing the tubing will take some time.   I was relieved my tubing was not blocked, so once I had clean fresh oil I was able to lubricate the ways.
> 
> View attachment 252806



In researching the Husky 8 x 30 I came across a post about the one shot lube on his Grizzly.  I recall him saying that he had to over lube his ways before any lube made it to the spindle... something you might want to keep an eye on.

I don't know if I am going to be up for a one-shot retrofit... seems like it would be a fair amount of work!

I do like link belts, I have them for several of my machines.  I feel like my table saws run smoother with them... but that might just be my imagination.  One of the belts on the Husky looks original and pretty tired.  Both will probably be replaced with a link belt.

Most of my larger wood working machines are 3ph.  I have a rotary converter I built 20+ years ago.  I have been slowly swapping everything to VFD's... since they have gotten so inexpensive lately and are so much nicer to work with.  A 3ph motor and VFD does sound like a really nice upgrade!


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## Dave Paine

The Grizzly one-shot lubrication is only for the ways on the knee.    The quill has a separate manual lubrication point.   Grizzly even provided the plastic oil can.   I have this oil can.

The oiler is on the left of the quill handle in this picture.   A Gits style oiler.   Flip the top up then apply some oil.

This picture shows my link belt with the auxiliary pulley removed.

I have two magnetic hooks on the side of the casting to hold the wrench for the spindle (19mm) and clamping nuts (17mm).


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## MikeInOr

I must have remembered the model or even the manufacture incorrectly.  The oiler not lubing the spindle just stuck out in my mind as something concerning.

She made it home in good shape!





I got 1 shot before the battery in my camera died.  I will have to add more pictures later.


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## Z2V

Looks good Mike. 
I have the Enco 8 x 30 version of yours. It’s a perfect fit for my garage shop.
A DRO would be a nice addition for your machine along with the VFD down the road. 

I picked up this drill chuck, I really like it so far.


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## MikeInOr

I scored a Rohm 1/32 - 1/2" and a Rohm 0 - 3/8" keyless chucks on ebay yesterday at $58 for the pair.  I will have to order a couple arbors for them but I think they will be a good start.


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## Dave Paine

The Rohm chucks should be a good start if they are in good condition.   

I forgot to mention earlier, if you need to replace the belts and they were made by "First Rope" do not trust the code on the belt to be the same as a US brand belt.  Measure the length.

My mill had the original belts and they were in dire need of replacement, the outer fabric had worn off or was coming off.   They were made by First Rope.   The code was B-35.  I wanted to replace the solid belt with a cogged belt so I purchased a BX-35 belt.   I foolishly did not measure.   When the belt arrived it was too big.


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## MikeInOr

What size parallels?

I have a cart started on the Shars sight:
R8 collet set 1/8" to 3/4" + 1"
3/16" to 3/4" TIN end mill set
5/8" shank for 1/32 - 1/2" chuck
1/2" shank for 0 - 3/8" chuck
Edge Center finder set
Small fly cutter set

*Parallels are more expensive than I had expected!  I have no clue what size parallels set to get?  1/32" set and a 1/4" set?  Or look for a adjustable set on ebay?

Machinists precision level???  I believe I will need one... but wow they are kind of pricey!  I have MANY levels for woodworking and construction but have no clue about machinists levels?  Can someone point me in the right direction on a precision level please?*

I have many bits, HSS and Carbide for my lathe... I hope I have something that will work with the fly cutter set.  I think I will be doing smaller work like gunsmithing... installing sites etc.  So I figured I would be using smaller mills and smaller collets hence 1/2" and 5/8" arbors for the chucks I just picker up.  Good idea?


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## Ulma Doctor

Nice score on the Rohm chucks.
they are high quality tooling- most German Manufactured tools are high quality.

there are 2 methods i use to determine belt sizes...
1) if you have the belt and the belt is broken or otherwise unsuitable for use, simply lay the belt out lengthwise if broken and take the measurement of the broken section. if the belt is in one piece cut the belt and lay it out flat and take the measurement

2) if you don't have the belt ...
take a piece of small rope or string and loop around the drive pulleys tautly, and mark the rope/string where the free end meets up .
then take the measurement. i usually add 1" to the string/rope measurement to avoid getting too short of a belt


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## Ulma Doctor

i have both the thick and thin parallels
the thick ones are nice when working on larger pieces in a vise, the thin parallels are sometimes useful, for smaller work so the jaws of the vise can close more.
both are valuable to have, although the thin ones are a little more versatile, but a bit more of a PITA to use sometimes
Precision machinist levels can be very expensive and can have resolutions of .0005" in a 12" span
i have a Blanchard Level that is .0003" in 12"
if you are vigilant, you can find old Starrett  spirit levels for less than $125
an 8" or 12" level would be preferable, but 6" levels can be useful too


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## MikeInOr

Ulma Doctor said:


> i have both the thick and thin parallels
> the thick ones are nice when working on larger pieces in a vise, the thin parallels are sometimes useful, for smaller work so the jaws of the vise can close more.
> both are valuable to have, although the thin ones are a little more versatile, but a bit more of a PITA to use sometimes
> Precision machinist levels can be very expensive and can have resolutions of .0005" in a 12" span
> i have a Blanchard Level that is .0003" in 12"
> if you are vigilant, you can find old Starrett  spirit levels for less than $125
> an 8" or 12" level would be preferable, but 6" levels can be useful too



Thank you!  That is very helpful to get me going in the right direction!  Having a ball park on price and size gives me a reference to start looking!

My understanding is most milling operations start with a well leveled mill then you level your work piece knowing this will make the work piece parallel to the mill table.  Is my understanding correct?


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## Dave Paine

You need to tram the head to ensure it is 90 deg to the table and then when the vise is installed the fixed jaw is parallel to the X axis.

I leveled my mill since I had the precision level, but I am not sure how critical this is since no method to remove twist - if any - in the table.

Leveling the metal lathe is important to remove any twist in the bed.   It is amazing how a tiny adjustment of a foot can alter the twist in the metal lathe bed.

I have a set of 1/8in parallels which I use often.   I recently purchased some 1/2in thick parallels which are useful but do not get as much use as the 1/8in parallels.  

I got a relatively inexpensive precision level from CDCO.

If you need arbors for the drill chucks, I would get R8 arbors.   The collet chuck will consume some of your Z axis.   If the drill chucks already had a straight arbor, I could imagine using it is a collet chuck, but since you have to get arbors, I would want to minimize the Z axis consumed.


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## Ulma Doctor

The more level your machines are, the finer work they can produce.
But you can still produce square and parallel work with a machine out of level
Naval machinery is almost never level underway but the macinists can still produce
parts to specifications


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## ddickey

Never really thought about leveling the mill.


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## MikeInOr

Thanks guys!  I won't worry about leveling the mill for now.  This will give me time to look for a good deal on a precision level.

I decided to get an R8 arbor for the big drill chuck I purchased and stay with the 1/2" arbor for the smaller chuck.  I figure this will give me the best versatility of precision, maximizing the Z-axis and quick change.  The arbors are pretty cheap so I am not investing too much to have both options.

I decided on 1/8" parallels to start with.

I appreciate all the help!


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## wrmiller

ddickey said:


> Never really thought about leveling the mill.


 
Leveling a mill is not critical like leveling a lathe. And 'leveling' a lathe is about getting both ends in the same plane, not leveling the machine to earth's core. 

Regarding a mill, getting it close (grab a carpenters level) is probably fine. What is important on a mill is the relationship of the spindle to the Z-axis and to the table. Perpendicular to the table, parallel to the z-axis.


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## Bob Korves

About the only real advantages to leveling a mill are so things do not roll off the table and for being able to use a level to help with setups.  I think it is worth doing...


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## Radials

Mike,

Funny but I actually saw your mill on the trailer heading north bound on hwy 97 back in January. I passed (the seller?) at about the Cooley intersection. I thought to myself that "looks just like my mill". I bought mine last May and it's almost 100% disassembled right now in the middle of a rebuild and overhaul. Mine too is another flavor of the 8x30 mill that sat unused its entire life on the showroom floor of a machinery seller in socal. Coincidentally I'm located in Redmond and setting up a home machine shop as well. Anyway, small world and a local resource. While I have no experience yet running the machine I sure have a lot on disassembling one and the inner workings of it. Glad to see you getting set up yourself.


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## MikeInOr

Hello Radials,

Wow, you are going to have a real beauty when you get her back together!  Very nice paint job!  I hope you will post a lot of pictures as you reassemble your mill?

Yep, I would guess that would have had to been my mill on the sellers flat bed trailer you saw cruising down 97.

I have only been posting here for a month or so but feel comfortable enough to greet you with a harty "Welcome"!  This forum has been the friendliest forum I have found on the internet, some really good guys.  Unfortunately this forum has really thrown a wrench in my milling plans!  A week after I bought my mill someone on this forum posted a link to a craigslist ad with three too good to be true lathes over in Portland... and I ended up buying one of them.  It took a fair bit just getting the lathe unloaded and now my shop is in complete chaos.

If you need a reference for how something on your mill goes back together IM me and I will be happy to let you take a look at mine for a reference if you need to.  The only concern I have on my mill is the Y axis has a bit more backlash than I would like.  I would be very interested in any pictures of how the Y axis ACME screw and nut go together and if there is any mechanism for tightening the backlash?

I am a complete novice when it comes to a mill but am looking forwards to learning.   I noticed COCC has a pretty interesting machining program.  Seperate classes on manual lathes, manual mills, CNC mills... etc.  What peaked my interest is it is a self paced program so there is no set class time, you just go to their shop when your schedule allows to work on the assignments and I think they have knowlegable instructors there to help you through any questions you may have.  I am really considering giving one of the classes a try.


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## BROCKWOOD

Welcome Mike! I too am relatively new to the site & especially to the machining hobby. Having an instructor with a self paced class would be fantastic! Of course I attend the UTube University of Machining with most excellent instructors (Keith Fenner, Keith Rucker, Adam Booth, Tom Lipton et al), but I really don't see asking them some of the questions I have. Oh well, all are great for ideas, problem solving etc. Looking forward to your updates!


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## Radials

Mike,

Thank you, I believe I'll post a rebuild thread just on the rebuild process and some of the note worthy points along the way. I was going to wait until the end, but may start that sooner now that I have found this site. Seems like a great resource and machining community. 

I"m glad you scored a lathe as well. I too have a lathe that I picked up 4 months ago that I thought would be a quick clean and lube job that I could sneak in during the mill rebuild. That turned into a full over haul as well! Unfortunately I need both machines to complete the rebuild of the machines. Lol. Anyway... what did you end up getting? 

I included a pic of what the Y axis acme nut looks like on the saddle. There is a shcs to adjust the backlash on the screw. I'm not sure if the nut is orientated correctly in the picture I posted as I just sat it there for the photo. Maybe you can tell me which direction the cap screw points. You probably would have to raise the knee all the way up and will have access to it from up inside of it. I have been taking measurements on the parts I know I'll either want to remake or have as a reference if ever needed it, and these nuts are on the list. A riser block for the head is in my plans too, so being able to measure up the machine with it already taken apart is helpful. The X axis nut is the same principle but has two shcs instead of just the one on the Y axis. 

I am familiar with the COCC program. I actually went through their CNC program in 2016 which included a fair amount of manual machining. I enjoyed it and there are good instructors there with nice equipment. In the fall of last year I went back to take a welding class to help out more at work. The self pace is helpful. There are times when you might have the whole shop to yourself. Being able to drop in after work to get several hours of shop time in did make it easier to fit into my schedule as well. I recommend talking to them to see what option is best for what you're looking to get out of it. 

BROCKWOOD: Big fan of UTube university as well. Like you said, so many good instructors there.

-Nick


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## Z2V

Radials, like your color choice it’s the same as mine. I don’t want to jac the op’s thread just to say if you post a thread I’ll put it on the watch list. I’ll be taking my spindle apart for bearing replacement soon and variable speed drive. Here is a part breakdown if you don’t have one.


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## MikeInOr

Please feel free to post about your mill on this thread if you would like to!  I had a hard time finding any information on the 8 x 30's when I was looking to buy.  Any pictures or information on 8 x 30 or even 6 x 24's would be great to have.

Nick, thank you for the picture!  My mill is shoved in the corner while I am rearranging my shop.  I will do my best to get to the nut and get you an answer.  Is it holding up your reassemble currently?


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## Z2V

I’m pretty sure the cap screw is toward the operator on the y nut. I’ll be home within the hour and take a look for sure.


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## Z2V

Yes, the cap screw is toward the operator, crank handle.


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## Radials

Z2V said:


> Radials, like your color choice it’s the same as mine. I don’t want to jac the op’s thread just to say if you post a thread I’ll put it on the watch list. I’ll be taking my spindle apart for bearing replacement soon and variable speed drive. Here is a part breakdown if you don’t have one.



Thank you, and that's a good reference to have. The grizzly parts reference is what I have used until now, but it doesn't show assemblies so this is excellent! My spindle is apart right now and a difference I notice is that mine has two opposing 7207 bearings in the nose while this version has a smaller 6007zz bearing backing it up. The spindle in my machine was completely seized up when I got it because the 30 year old grease in the bearings was broken down. The bearings went through the process of being soaked in acetone for days then wiped, picked at, and aired out several times over and they look great now. They obviously didn't see much use and I really didn't want to spring for the replacements so I'm happy they looked so good after clean up. Good luck with your spindle rebuild and the conversion. I'll be envious of your VFD.



MikeInOr said:


> Please feel free to post about your mill on this thread if you would like to!  I had a hard time finding any information on the 8 x 30's when I was looking to buy.  Any pictures or information on 8 x 30 or even 6 x 24's would be great to have.
> 
> Thanks Mike, but I think I'll still put together a rebuild thread (at some point) that will be a bit more generic to the 8x30 line of mills. Like Z2V said I don't want to take your thread off topic either.
> 
> Nick, thank you for the picture!  My mill is shoved in the corner while I am rearranging my shop.  I will do my best to get to the nut and get you an answer.  Is it holding up your reassemble currently?



Sounds like you've got a big project on your hands. I've got an engine hoist if you need to borrow one. That has been invaluable in moving and disassembling both my mill and lathe solo. 



Z2V said:


> Yes, the cap screw is toward the operator, crank handle.



Awesome, Thanks!

-Nick


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## MikeInOr

Thank you for the offer Nick!  The mill was about on the edge of where I felt comfortable with my engine hoist (great investment... like you said) for unloading.  I built a gantry out of wood to unload the lathe.  At ~1500 lbs the lathe is my heaviest machine and required the gantry to keep everything safe.







I appreciate your endorsement of the COCC machining program.  I am not looking to change careers, just acquire the skills to use my toys safely and effectively.  I have been a woodworker for a very long time with a real weakness for old WW machines.  My machinist buddy that would reproduce the worn out parts in what ever WW machine I was rebuilding moved away so I figured I would take the plunge into machining (plus it is something I have always wanted to do!).  I work by the airport so the COCC campus is very convenient... and a class will motivate me to spend the time learning.

I look forwards to your rebuild thread!  (I know it can be kind of hard to do a rebuild and keep up a rebuild thread going along with it... but it would be great if you could!)

P.S. Z2V - thank you for jumping in with the nut orientation... this is such a great forum!


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## Z2V

Mike
Like the gantry, did you bolt it together or is it nailed? Casters?

Radials
Interesting that our spindles have different bearing configurations. Sounds like after you clean out all the old dried grease you will have a like new machine!

I’ll be following along with you guys

Cheers


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## MikeInOr

The gantry is mostly bolted together.  The uprights are three 2 x 4's glued and screwed (Laminated).  The top is three 2 x 10's bolted together.  The rest is bolted together so I can quickly and easily disassemble it into 5 pieces and stow it away when not in use.  I ran out of bolts for the upper braces so they are just screwed on for now.  The 2 x 10's sit directly on top of the laminated 2 x 4 uprights.  Without any weight the upright 2 x 4's sit about 1/4" above the ground.  When I put weight on the gantry the uprights touch the ground and lock in the Y braces nice and tight.  None of the lifting weight is on the joints, the lifting weight is directly transferred to the floor via the laminated uprights.

The uprights are 8' long... I should have gone 10' long.  Oh well, easily replaced with 10' 2 x 4's later.  In the lower picture you can see I came up 6" short.

You can kind of see the bases in this picture.  Pull out the uprights and the Y braces fold down between the 2 x 4 bases.  The Y braces are offset so they fold flat between the bases for storage.





The three 2 x 10's on top can be lifted into place one at a time which makes assembly a lot easier than trying to lift a trippled 2 x 10 eight feet into the air by myself.  No casters... the plan is to stow it when I don't need it.  I might add casters if the need ever arises but casters rated for a decent amount of weight are pretty pricey.


And thank you!... I am kind of proud of my gantry.  With the 1500 lb lathe it didn't even creak.


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## Chipper5783

ddickey said:


> Never really thought about leveling the mill.



I agree, it is not a requirement to level a mill.  But on the general principle of craftsmanship and attention to detail get it sort of level and so it does not rock.  If your machine is level, that can be a help when setting up an awkward piece - you can set that piece at what ever orientation, knowing what the machine orientation (it is level).


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## Z2V

MikeInOr said:


> The gantry is mostly bolted together.  The uprights are three 2 x 4's glued and screwed (Laminated).  The top is three 2 x 10's bolted together.  The rest is bolted together so I can quickly and easily disassemble it into 5 pieces and stow it away when not in use.  I ran out of bolts for the upper braces so they are just screwed on for now.  The 2 x 10's sit directly on top of the laminated 2 x 4 uprights.  Without any weight the upright 2 x 4's sit about 1/4" above the ground.  When I put weight on the gantry the uprights touch the ground and lock in the Y braces nice and tight.  None of the lifting weight is on the joints, the lifting weight just gets directly transferred to the floor via the laminated uprights.
> 
> The uprights are 8' long... I should have gone 10' long.  Oh well, easily replaced with 10' 2 x 4's later.  In the lower picture you can see I came up 6" short.
> 
> You can kind of see the bases in this picture.  Pull out the uprights and the Y braces fold down between the 2 x 4 bases.  The Y braces are offset so they fold flat between the bases for storage.
> View attachment 257940
> 
> 
> The three 2 x 10's on top can be lifted into place one at a time which makes assembly a lot easier than trying to lift a trippled 2 x 10 eight feet into the air by myself.  No casters... the plan is to stow it when I don't need it.  I might add casters if the need ever arises but casters rated for a decent amount of weight are pretty pricey.
> 
> 
> And thank you!... I am kind of proud of my gantry.  With the 1500 lb lathe it didn't even creak.
> 
> View attachment 257941



I’m impressed, well done


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## Radials

"And thank you!... I am kind of proud of my gantry.  With the 1500 lb lathe it didn't even creak. "

Bigger future machine purchases here you come!


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## glennyb

MikeInOr said:


> Ulma, thank you.  Very helpful!  I was just looking at a set of the Shars collets on ebay last night and realized I had no idea what to look for as far as quality tooling that I would not regret purchasing later.  The recommendations are very helpful!  Thanks for the tip on using a collet to hold a drill chuck for quick tool changing... something I hadn't thought of but it makes a lot of sense.
> 
> A couple pics from the CL add.
> View attachment 252793
> View attachment 252794
> View attachment 252795


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## glennyb

Hi, I have recently acquired a similar "HUSKY" mill, except mine has a factory 3 speed drive for the Y axis .
The hand wheel on the Z axis has been replaced with a cheap plastic one, and I want to replace it.
I see on yours it is cast wheel could you please tell me the diameter of it.
Thank-you


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## Andrew R Stewart

New here as of now. My name is Andy and I'm in Rochester NY. I have a Sampson 8x30 mill that is a bro of your Husky. No chance you got a manual with yours? I have some goals with mine but will take a while as I'm no machinist. The stuff I get paid to fix can be lifted up with only a few fingers. Andy


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## Z2V

Andrew R Stewart said:


> New here as of now. My name is Andy and I'm in Rochester NY. I have a Sampson 8x30 mill that is a bro of your Husky. No chance you got a manual with yours? I have some goals with mine but will take a while as I'm no machinist. The stuff I get paid to fix can be lifted up with only a few fingers. Andy



Andrew, welcome to H-M. You might take a look at the Grizzly G0731. I have basically the same mill with the Enco name.
Grizzly has a manual here that might show you what you need to know.
https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-8-x-30-Vertical-Mill-with-Power-Feed/G0731


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## Andrew R Stewart

Z2V- Thanks for that link. I have saved and printed out the docs and will spend some cold time today in the garage looking at certain elements of the mill. Andy


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