# 1/2" shank Milling bits



## Richiehd (Apr 26, 2017)

Does anyone make different size milling bits with 1/2" shank? looking for 1/8"and 3/16" Im stuck with 1/2" collett in my mill.


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## pineyfolks (Apr 26, 2017)

I've never seen any that small. What taper is your mill spindle? Maybe someone can help you out.


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## RJSakowski (Apr 26, 2017)

What machine do you have?  You should be able to find different size collets for your machine. 

There are ER16 collet chucks with 1/2" straight shanks available .  They will take tools of up to 10mm shank diameter.


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## Richiehd (Apr 26, 2017)

I have old Diamond Machine Co. Mill  I cannot get the 1/2 in collet out.


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## pineyfolks (Apr 26, 2017)

Try soaking it with kroil. I've had good luck using it. You could make some bushings out of 1/2"drill rod and ream them to smaller sizes with a set screw to lock the bit.


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## RandyWilson (Apr 26, 2017)

Is that a one piece 1/2" end mill holder rather than a collet? Any idea what taper the machine uses?


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## RJSakowski (Apr 26, 2017)

You have an drill/end mill holder, not a collet.  19th century drill presses used 1/2" straight shank drills.  These were eventually replaced with tapered shank drills.  

I suspect that it is a single piece.  What you would want to do is to identify the taper used.  Once that is done, you can troll e-bay for other sizes.  It may be proprietary though.  

Aside from that, consider using a drill chuck with a 1/2" straight shank to hold your smaller drills and end mills.  You can get 1/2" straight shank arbors in a variety of Jacibs taper sizes to fit your choice of drill chuck.


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## RandyWilson (Apr 26, 2017)

The best I could find is a brochure for a 22-M that says the vertical head uses B&S #7 spindle taper.


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## chips&more (Apr 26, 2017)

RJSakowski said:


> You have an drill/end mill holder, not a collet.  19th century drill presses used 1/2" straight shank drills.  These were eventually replaced with tapered shank drills.
> 
> I suspect that it is a single piece.  What you would want to do is to identify the taper used.  Once that is done, you can troll e-bay for other sizes.  It may be proprietary though.
> 
> Aside from that, consider using a drill chuck with a 1/2" straight shank to hold your smaller drills and end mills.  You can get 1/2" straight shank arbors in a variety of Jacibs taper sizes to fit your choice of drill chuck.


Sorry, but I would not be advocating the use of a drill chuck to hold end mills. The drill chuck is not made for side loads. Especially on chucks that close down to “0”. On those chucks, the jaws go down to a point at the contact area. So the three points of the jaws act like chisels and try and dig into whatever is being held. On the other end of the holding picture, are collets. They have almost 100% surface contact with the clamping area, no chisel action there…Dave


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## Richiehd (Apr 27, 2017)

Thanks for all the replies. I got the taper out. It looks to be a B&S # 7 as stated above. Soaked some WD 40 over night and hit the loosened bolt a little harder than I would have liked to, but its probably been stuck in there for many years. Im now on the hunt for some different tapers, found one this morning on Ebay! Thanks again from a beginner!
Richie


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## Richiehd (Apr 27, 2017)

Thanks for all the help. I did finally get the taper out. Loosened the bolt and soaked with some WD 40 and hit it a bit harder than I would have liked, and it popped loose. Now on to finding some B&S # 7 Tapers. I did find one on Ebay this morning. Thanks for all the help and suggestions from everyone. 
Richie


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## RandyWilson (Apr 27, 2017)

Have you seen  LMS's offerings?


http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2999&category=-721769108


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## Charles Spencer (Apr 28, 2017)

I got BS#7 collets for my horizontal mill from Little Machine Shop.  They've been fine for my use.  If you don't have a draw bar they are easily made from threaded rod.


lathes.uk has information on Diamond Milling Machines:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/diamond/


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## scwhite (Apr 28, 2017)

Richiehd said:


> Does anyone make different size milling bits with 1/2" shank? looking for 1/8"and 3/16" Im stuck with 1/2" collett in my mill.


A end mill that small will have a 3/8 shank 
Or 3/16 shank


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## scwhite (Apr 28, 2017)

Richiehd said:


> Thanks for all the replies. I got the taper out. It looks to be a B&S # 7 as stated above. Soaked some WD 40 over night and hit the loosened bolt a little harder than I would have liked to, but its probably been stuck in there for many years. Im now on the hunt for some different tapers, found one this morning on Ebay! Thanks again from a beginner!
> Richie


I have a brass hammer I hit the draw bar with 
But sometimes it just will not release that taper 
And I have to hit the draw bar with a steel ball pin 
hammer not the ball end I use the other end of the hammer . And the taper will release


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## scwhite (Apr 28, 2017)

Charles Spencer said:


> I got BS#7 collets for my horizontal mill from Little Machine Shop.  They've been fine for my use.  If you don't have a draw bar they are easily made from threaded rod.
> 
> 
> lathes.uk has information on Diamond Milling Machines:
> ...


Use 4140 rod to make you drew bar


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## Ken from ontario (Apr 28, 2017)

RJSakowski said:


> consider using a drill chuck with a 1/2" straight shank to hold your smaller drills and end mills.  You can get 1/2" straight shank arbors in a variety of Jacobs taper sizes to fit your choice of drill chuck.


I have done what RJ suggested and it worked better than I expected,  it may have something to do with the  chuck that I used , I know all the reasons why using a chuck  to hold  end mills is not recommended but  sometimes we need to work with what we have , for me it is an option, I would use it and see if it works with that machine.
I also wonder if router bit bushings would work:
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=30126&cat=1,46168,46180,30126


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## Charles Spencer (Apr 28, 2017)

scwhite said:


> Use 4140 rod to make you drew bar



Use threaded rod to make your draw bar.


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## Tony Wells (Apr 28, 2017)

or use grade B-7 all thread.....it IS 4140 Q&T


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## Bob Korves (Apr 28, 2017)

B&S collets have a shallow taper and will easily stick in the spindle.  Some people oil them before installing them so they will not have so much trouble getting them out again.  In any event, they do not need to be tightened super tight to stick in the taper.


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