Horizontal Mill Bent Arbor?

omni_dilletante

omni_dilletante

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I finally got my Hardinge UM assembled and running. My first cut did not sound like I thought it should.

It sounds as though the arbor is bent. I did measure 0.001" of runout and I am taking a pretty light cut.

Most of the bent arbor problems I found via google were for run out of 0.010" - 0.125". I am not sure if 0.001" of run out and this noise is as good as I could hope for, or if it is something I can fix.

Here is a video of my mill:

[video=youtube;RZ2-Zih3kAQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2-Zih3kAQ[/video]

Please let me know if this is a problem or not, and if it is a problem how I would go about fixing it.

Thanks.
 
What you are seeing could be from a number of things other than Arbor run-out.

The fit between cutter and arbor could be loose, allowing the cutter to be shifted off center.

If the cutter may have some run-out in it on its own.

That said, it only means that some teeth are doing more work, and others are not doing any at all. You should still get good results. My mill sounds similar when using an arbor set-up.
 
.001 should give you no problem at all. most horizontals have a faint chugging sound when cutting. It almost sounds like it's not cutting on the whole revolution. Not so.

"Billy G"
 
Usually when I get an odd noise in mine the first thing I check is the arbor support. Can't see the end of your arbor but it looks like you are using a dead center. Make sure there's no slop there.

Other than that, it's like everyone else says.


I've got two horizontals and they're both running every time I'm in the shop. My runout is minimal as well and they both sound just like yours. You taking such a light cut that it may actually be hitting and missing. You get a little deeper cut going and it will sound better but still chuggy.
 
Watched the video a couple of times, and I reckon the runout you can see at the cutter/work interface is more than .001 thou. Check the arbor for dings and any galling, and check the fit of the cutter and the inside of the cutter bore. Also take some spacers off and move the support closer to the cutter. It may be more spring in tha arbor than actual run out, equally the cutter may need a resharpen to get it back to perfectly round again. Having said all this, I have to agree with all of the posters, my Harrison H mill nearly always sounds like this to a greater or lesser extent, the better the cutter is supported the more even will be the cut.
Phil
 
Just watched it again and I'm pretty sure the cutter is not concentric with the arbor, thats moving far more than a thou and appears to be lifting the teeth completely clear of the work
Phil
 
I have 2, 1" and 2, 1-1/4" 50 taper arbors for my VanNorman. To some extent all 4 arbors sound just like yours. Like everyone else, I don't think you have a problem.

I don't know if I saw it here or on one of the YouTube gurus (Fenner, Booth, Lipton, Kilroy or Rucker) where they said to AVOID BENDING THE ARBOR, put your arbor support on the arbor before tightening up the arbor nut. I always setup and tighten the nut on the bench before putting the arbor in the mill. So maybe my technique is contributing to the slight "out of round".
I don't know if it will help, but next time I setup the mill in horizontal mode, I'll give it a try, just to see.

Mike
 
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