# New to me BusyBee benchtop mill



## schor (Nov 3, 2013)

Picked this up today. Been wanting a small benchtop mill for the shop. It's got an mt3 spindle. Came with a few things. Used an engine hoist to get it into the minivan and then had to table off the table and the motor to reduce weight, then a buddy dropped by and helped me get it into the shop on the bench.






I cleaned it up some 





I lubed whatever I could find to lube and fired it up. It ran pretty nice.

[video=youtube;wjm85y6mVjQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm85y6mVjQ&amp;feature=youtu.be[/video]

The gibs on the Y axis were very loose so I tightened that up but otherwise it was good. Next step is to align everything and then try it out.


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## xalky (Nov 3, 2013)

Looks brand new!


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 3, 2013)

schor said:


> Picked this up today. Been wanting a small benchtop mill for the shop. It's got an mt3 spindle. Came with a few things. Used an engine hoist to get it into the minivan and then had to table off the table and the motor to reduce weight, then a buddy dropped by and helped me get it into the shop on the bench.
> 
> View attachment 63773
> View attachment 63774
> ...



Holy Crow Schor!!  That's a Rusnok clone!  Not the spindle taper, but the head style, and the base of the machine!  No kidding!

I am a big Rusnok fan, and run a Rusnok Yahoo group.  If you want any info or similar literature on that, let me know, I'll hook you up.  I am sure much of it applies to your machine there.

I think you are better off with the MT3 collets.  The table also has more slots than the original Rusnok.  I would hope for you that the table has as nice a screw-double-nut setup for taking up the backlash.  

What overarm diameter is that- 2 inch?
Nice, simple, solid machine!


Bernie


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## schor (Nov 3, 2013)

Wash down basically surfaces with wd40 and scrub with heavy scotchbrite to remove rust, heavy grime, etc. Then clean off with a wax and grease remover (acetone basically). Autosol on the chromed bits, columns, and anything shiny. Stoned down the table with my india stone and there you have it. It's in pretty good shape under the grime.



xalky said:


> Looks brand new!


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## schor (Nov 3, 2013)

Thanks Bernie, I'll take whatever literature you have.

The dia is 2.5" and the main column is 3".

I was just looking at it and wondering how do I adjust the head to align it to the table? The head pivot point has the pin for 90, but I need to fine adjust it now. I'm out by at least .125 end to end on the table.







itsme_Bernie said:


> Holy Crow Schor!!  That's a Rusnok clone!  Not the spindle taper, but the head style, and the base of the machine!  No kidding!
> 
> I am a big Rusnok fan, and run a Rusnok Yahoo group.  If you want any info or similar literature on that, let me know, I'll hook you up.  I am sure much of it applies to your machine there.
> 
> ...


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## Ray C (Nov 3, 2013)

Congrats.  Looks like a nice addition to the shop...


Ray


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks Ray, I think it fills out the hobby shop nicely.

I found out it is a Busy Bee B240, its made in Taiwan, and there's not too much info out there on the web about them. The motor is date 1989.


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

Actually there is plastic. I am guessing the original belt access door got lost or broken and someone made one out of plexi and then screwed some hinges on it. But maybe it came that way originally?


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## Maxx (Nov 4, 2013)

Looks good, Steve.
Bet you can't wait to get busy with it.

That last pic you posted makes it look like a giant microscope.


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

Before I get busy on it I need to tram it. Right now it's out quite a bit. I cannot find any way to fine adjust the head so I am thinking I need to shim the table to get it trammed.

Anyone else know how to do it?


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 4, 2013)

schor said:


> Thanks Bernie, I'll take whatever literature you have.
> 
> The dia is 2.5" and the main column is 3".
> 
> ...




I can definitely tell you.  There is no fine-tune-tram knob or anything, but you loosen the bolts that clamp to either of the two knuckles right at the head just enough to move it in either axis.

I see them in the pics I quoted here.

Also, PM me your email and I'll send you the Rusnok Fixture Mill PDF.

Bernie


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks Bernie, I tried the front left knuckle but it's not moving because of the 90deg locking pin. It's not moving an inch with that in place. I am going to try to move the horizontal column out a bit and then see if I can get some rotation on it to adjust the head. It's using a keyway and may give me enough play to get it right from left to right.

Once I get that done hopefully front to back I will be good. If not I don't think I can do much because the other knuckle also has a locking pin. But over 5-1/8" I'm hoping its not going to be very far off.




itsme_Bernie said:


> I can definitely tell you.  There is no fine-tune-tram knob or anything, but you loosen the bolts that clamp to either of the two knuckles right at the head just enough to move it in either axis.
> 
> I see them in the pics I quoted here.
> 
> ...


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

I just went out to the shop (getting cold out there) and tried the horizontal column lockdown and was able to move the head a couple inches like I wanted and was able to tram the length of the table. Then I went to the fron/back tilt knuckle and had enough play to get it trammed front to back.

Thanks Bernie.


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 4, 2013)

Glad I could help!   I'll email you now!



Bernie


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

I also looked around how to keep the head from swiveling when I am raising and lowering the head, I found a key in the box I got with the mill, there was a plugged up set screw hole in the casting to hold this key in a keyway to keep the head from moving. I pressed the key in with just my hand as I lowered then head and then checks and was only off by less than 1thou. Probably good enough for me once I get a screw made to hold the key, everything is metric on this and I have no metric hardware supplies. I've got dies to cut the M6x1.0. Maybe I'll make a nice knurled knob for the setscrew.


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## jack3140 (Nov 4, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> I can definitely tell you.  There is no fine-tune-tram knob or anything, but you loosen the bolts that clamp to either of the two knuckles right at the head just enough to move it in either axis.
> 
> I see them in the pics I quoted here.
> 
> ...


perhaps you could send me the pdf also I have a mill just like it . had it a few years now   works well   regards  jack


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## Maxx (Nov 4, 2013)

Sounds good, Steve.
You must have a long bar on your micrometer set-up if you were able to tram the full length.
On mine I can only swing up to a maxx of about 6" around the spindle.
On my head it tightens down with 4 bolts and I just barely loosen them and give a gentle tunk on the side of the head with a rubber head mallet to make it move.
If I loosen them too much the head is a bear to manhandle since it is real top heavy.

The real test of how well you trammed it is when you use a large diameter fly cutter.


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## schor (Nov 4, 2013)

I also placed an indicator directly vertical in the chuck and then moved around the table its pretty flat. I put a 3" long piece of 3/4" round aluminium in the vise and cut a 1/4" keyway. Took a very light cut for the first pass and was surprised at how even the cut was from end to end, I didn't think that vise was going to be that good since I just put it in the v grove. Gotta goto the metal place and pick up some chunks of aluminium to play with. Need a mill project now.


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 4, 2013)

schor said:


> I also placed an indicator directly vertical in the chuck and then moved around the table its pretty flat. I put a 3" long piece of 3/4" round aluminium in the vise and cut a 1/4" keyway. Took a very light cut for the first pass and was surprised at how even the cut was from end to end, I didn't think that vise was going to be that good since I just put it in the v grove. Gotta goto the metal place and pick up some chunks of aluminium to play with. Need a mill project now.



Fantastic man!  
It is a great machine! 


Bernie


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 4, 2013)

jack3140 said:


> perhaps you could send me the pdf also I have a mill just like it . had it a few years now   works well   regards  jack



Sure Jack- just PM me your email and I'll send them right out.


Bernie


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## schor (Nov 6, 2013)

So with everything trammed up I figured I would try to mill something. I found that everything just jumped around everywhere. Nothing smooth at all. Tried to dial in the perfect speeds etc and nothing worked. So I noticed some vertical play in the quill and tried to tighten things down a bit more (I really had it fairly loose before) and I noticed everything released on the drawbar and holder. Pulled the drawbar out and noticed the roll pin was broken and there were only 2 threads hitting the holder. At least 5 threads were gone.

I am going to make a new longer drawbar. The current one is mild steel. Any reason I would want to go harder with the drawbar? Should I use the rollpin like the orig or make the whole thing solid? Right now it is a hex 19mm top piece on the rod with a rollpin holding the hex head.

Thanks for any comments.


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## fastback (Nov 6, 2013)

That is a very nice looking mill.  It really cleaned up well.  Hope it runs as good as it looks.  Good luck with the new machine.


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 6, 2013)

Hey Schor

I don't think there is anything wrong with a pin on a knob like that - a solid piece would be a lot of cutting!  ...  But really nice 

I'm glad you sorted that out.  How does the table itself feel?  How much backlash does it have?  

Bernie


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## schor (Nov 6, 2013)

I had some 11/16 hex stock around, not exactly the same as the 19mm one that was on it, but I think I can live with it. Hopefully I'll get some time tomorrow to turn up a new drawbar.





I do have some backlash, not sure how much, can measure that eventually. But knowing how much doesn't fix it. )

Overall it seems good but really hard to say given the vertical play in the spindle. That caused no end of chatter and bouncing around. I'll get the drawbar made and give it another ride and report back.


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## Maxx (Nov 6, 2013)

Have you pulled out the shaft from the hex bar?
Couldn't you just make a new shaft and loctite and pin in the new one?


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 6, 2013)

Was the vertical play in the spindle itself, or quill?  



Bernie


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## DAN_IN_MN (Nov 6, 2013)

schor said:


> So with everything trammed up I figured I would try to mill something. I found that everything just jumped around everywhere. Nothing smooth at all. Tried to dial in the perfect speeds etc and nothing worked. So I noticed some vertical play in the quill and tried to tighten things down a bit more (I really had it fairly loose before) and I noticed everything released on the drawbar and holder. Pulled the drawbar out and noticed the roll pin was broken and there were only 2 threads hitting the holder. At least 5 threads were gone.
> 
> I am going to make a new longer drawbar. The current one is mild steel. Any reason I would want to go harder with the drawbar? Should I use the rollpin like the orig or make the whole thing solid? Right now it is a hex 19mm top piece on the rod with a rollpin holding the hex head.
> 
> Thanks for any comments.



What direction were you feeding the material?  If you were feeding it the same direction the cutter was turning, aka climb cutting, backlash will be be brought out.

Try conventional milling or feeding the material against the rotation of the cutter.


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## schor (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks Dan, I tried both, I wish I took a video, the whole machine was shaking, and I tried for hours with different cutters, speed, cutting fluid, coolant, ... I think it comes down to the vertical play I had in the spindle, close to 0.1, the cutters were just bouncing around. With the drawbar not engaging it was basically impossible to mill anything.

I started on the new drawbar, just got in from turning it down to 3/8. Will tap it tomorrow and then size it for length.



DAN_IN_MN said:


> What direction were you feeding the material?  If you were feeding it the same direction the cutter was turning, aka climb cutting, backlash will be be brought out.
> 
> Try conventional milling or feeding the material against the rotation of the cutter.


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## schor (Nov 7, 2013)

So here's some pics of the drawbar build. I couldn't wait till tomorrow. I took videos to an might make a drawbar build project out of it.


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## jack3140 (Nov 7, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> Sure Jack- just PM me your email and I'll send them right out.
> 
> 
> Bernie


  sent you pm   hope it gets trough  regards jack


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 7, 2013)

jack3140 said:


> sent you pm   hope it gets trough  regards jack



Hey Jack

Let me know if you got the info and can open it... 

Bernie


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## schor (Nov 7, 2013)

So I have the new drawbar in place, lots more threads grabbing the holders. Works better, but was still not right in my mind. But then I have never milled before so what do I know.

I found that my gibs were not tight enough so I set them up again, this made it much better. But I still notice that the quill has some play vertically, so I started using the quill lock once I set my depth of cut.

I still think I don't have some things right because I am getting so much chatter and vibration. I know its only a benchtop and maybe my feed or rpm is not right, or the cutters are not the best or whatever. Need to keep plugging away and figure it out.

I was working with mild steel because I have a project in mind, but I think I'll switch to aluminium and just play around to get a feel for things.


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 7, 2013)

Oh Schor- I didn't know you hadn't milled before ...  That's a different story!  I will write you a different kind of trouble shooting guide tomorrow.  How exciting!

Starting with aluminum is a good idea.  Shallow cut, high speed.  Are you using an SFM chart yet?  What type of endmill?


Bernie


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## schor (Nov 8, 2013)

I tried some aluminium and it was much easier to cut, go figure. I put the speed up too. I am using whatever I can get to determine cutting speeds and am still trying to determine true rpm of my mill. Right now my calcs are not in sync with the speed chart on the mill, need to verify if I am off or the chart is off.



itsme_Bernie said:


> Oh Schor- I didn't know you hadn't milled before ...  That's a different story!  I will write you a different kind of trouble shooting guide tomorrow.  How exciting!
> 
> Starting with aluminum is a good idea.  Shallow cut, high speed.  Are you using an SFM chart yet?  What type of endmill?
> 
> ...


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 8, 2013)

Sounds Good Schor-

How many flutes on your endmill?  I found two- flute mills more likely to vibrate...


Bernie


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## schor (Nov 8, 2013)

I have almost all 2 flute endmills. I have a 1/8" 2 flute and a 4 flute, I'll do a comparison between them. But at 1/8 I don't expect too much vibration.


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## schor (Nov 9, 2013)

My machinist friend dropped by to borrow my needle scaler and did a quick once over on my new mill. He's never worked on such a small mill but said even his big bridgeport at work will vibrate with a 2 flute endmill. He did a quick rough pass on some aluminium and then a finish cut and said it was really good for a machine that small. I got a few other tips about draw bars and how to setup the machine a bit better.

I will try to do some videos for what I end up doing to this toy. 

First will be a new key block to lessen the rotational play in the column, the column keyway is .480 but the block I have is .458, way out in my view.

Next would be to add some igaging dro's to the x and y. I already bought the y 6" one to see how it is going to work, seems to be a bit complicated on this mill to get it setup, will need to build some new brackets.

Steve


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## schor (Nov 10, 2013)

The making of a drawbar.

[video=youtube;mmaqK4VtulY]



[/video]




schor said:


> So I have the new drawbar in place, lots more threads grabbing the holders. Works better, but was still not right in my mind. But then I have never milled before so what do I know.
> 
> I found that my gibs were not tight enough so I set them up again, this made it much better. But I still notice that the quill has some play vertically, so I started using the quill lock once I set my depth of cut.
> 
> ...


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## itsme_Bernie (Nov 10, 2013)

Schor!  Steve!!  Cool video!  Love the time-lapse...   Lots of operations when you see it that way


Bernie


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## fastback (Nov 11, 2013)

Good job, enjoyed the flick.

Paul


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## Earl_crabgrass (Jan 19, 2014)

I am new to the forum but i would like to say your shop tools look almost exactly like mine. I just pick up one of the mills about 4 months ago i have been tearing it apart and trying to get it going fully also. Any info you find about it or similar to it. I would like to read it also. I have a couple ideas for mine in the works. thanks man. good looking mill!


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## schor (Jan 20, 2014)

I have been looking for any documentation on the mill, but so far no luck. Not that I really need any docs, it's a pretty simple machine.


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## wnebergall (Oct 30, 2014)

On my Menards version there is a plastic door that looks like it was added on also maybe their quality control at work

I would also like to know if I could get some literature please?

Bill


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## schor (Nov 3, 2014)

I thought that belt access door was a home made one too until I saw a few other mills like this with the same cheap plastic door. Still have not found any documentation for the mill.



wnebergall said:


> On my Menards version there is a plastic door that looks like it was added on also maybe their quality control at work
> 
> I would also like to know if I could get some literature please?
> 
> Bill


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