[Documentation] Astra (CST) L4 - Vertical and Horizontal Milling Machine

[Ben17484]

Thanks Mike. I’ve been putting penetrating oil down there a few times over the last 24 hours, but There’s no space really got get the oil down one of the sides, so I’m not sure how that’ll work. I was wondering if heat would help? The large mallet or block of wood I think will end up being my go to method eventually


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[matthewsx]

Patience mostly, big piece of wood is a good idea might not even need the hammer.

John

 

[Ben17484]

Right. I’m coming close to getting my lathe clean up finished, so nearing being able to start on the mill. All im going to do is tear it down, a thorough cleanup and a quick paint job. My biggest decision is what colour. I painted my lathe Reseeda green and then didn’t like it (on that lathe, I like it on other lathes), so want to get the paint right on this from the start.

My two options are Reseeda Green and Slate Grey (as I have both of them already)

This is the slate grey:

And this is the green (I painted my sons chair this colour as he currently loves tractors, and this is fairly close to the green they use on Massey Fergusons)

The mill was originally a shade of green, but I’ve also seen them in grey. Decisions decisions.


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[Ben17484]

I’ve finally managed to get the mill torn down so I could move it to where it needs to be. I’ve also mostly painted it:

I’m not doing too much more to the mill other than for a DRO and get using it.


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[Richard King 2]

Spend some time machine sure the headstock front bearing housing cover fits properly. I am assuming there is an oil seal in the flange plate that rides on the ground (shiny) surface on the spindle. Also does the plate have a spacer to put thrust on the spindle bearing? Be careful with that and stone it so there are no burrs and crud on it. Also make sure you have the correct oil in the head or are the bearings greased? Check out the rest of the machine to be sure it is getting way oil ISO 68. Have fun. Good job. Rich

 

[Ben17484]

Thanks Richard, I’ll take a look at what you suggested. There is a plate that goes over the front of the spindle. I removed it to try and take the spindle out (so I could get the knee up and off the top), but I couldn’t get the pulley off the back to remove it. The bearings seem to be greased, but I guess some new grease is probably a good idea? I’m not sure how to remove the old grease?


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[Richard King 2]

Hard to say. If the old grease is now contaminated your screwed. You could remove some of the grease and rub it between your fingers feeling for crud. Trying to squirt something in there not knowing what's in there. You probably make it worse. Get some good bearing grease and squirt it in there so it is only 30% full, do not fill up all the area as that will create heat. Then try running it. Pulling it apart will probably make it worse if you don't have the proper tools and a maintenance manual. I recommend Mobil grease # 28 or 32. But if you have some good clean bearing grease give it a go. The spindle RPM is probably to slow to cause any issues.

 

[Ben17484]

I had a little time with the mill tonight so started going through the box of tooling that came with it

I don’t know loads about milling tooling and certainly not horizontal milling tooling. There’s a bunch of cutters and slitting saws and a few things I’m not sure of:

I think the above are for gear cutting?

No idea what the above is for. I can see that it would cut two grooves a certain distance apart, but why?

The above looks him made (based on the welding) but I’m not sure how it’d be used. I can’t see how it would attach to the mill or table either.


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[Ben17484]

I put the horizontal set up back together. The over arm is jammed again! I’m going to need to hit it off with a lump of wood again and mill the gib down a bit I think. Not sure how this ever worked how it is. The gib certainly seems to be from the mill as the screw indents match the location of the screw holes on the mill. Maybe the original was lost and this was a home made item that never quite fit properly.

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[Richard King 2]

That one cutter is for cutting radius's on edges smaller diameter then the radius. It sounds as if the ram has burrs on it or you tightened the gib to much. I would leave the sets screws finger tight and move the ram and after tighten them to lock the ram in place. No need to machine it. Here take a look at how my student Keith Rucker tightens his scrole to 7 minutes or so. Leave about .002" play or .005" when loose for moving. It is a different type but the principal s the same.