Milling on my G4003G

epanzella

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I was thinking about using this mill table (link below) with an 10x8x6 angle plate attached directly to the cross slide for milling on my Grizzly G4003G. The unit is 36 lbs. I would like a bit more capacity than the vertical mill slides offer and a real mill is not in the cards right now. So far I've milled parts up to 5 inches long using the BXA tool holder as a small mill vice and it seems rock solid. How concerned should I be about the overhang?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G5757
 
I don't see any travel locks on it. Depending on how much slop there is in the lead screws. that may be a problem under load.

Just a thought.

Ken
 
I don't see any travel locks on it. Depending on how much slop there is in the lead screws. that may be a problem under load.

Just a thought.

Ken
Good point. As suppose it would be easy enough to drill and tap for locks that press against the gibs although I was hoping to have the option of locking my cross slide and using the table feed to give me increased travel. The table is advertised as "milling and drilling" and I'm thinking if it's satisfactory for a mill it should work almost as well on my lathe. If it's a piece of junk this won't end well for me. I'm hoping someone has first hand experience with that table and can report on it's quality.
 
Good point. As suppose it would be easy enough to drill and tap for locks that press against the gibs although I was hoping to have the option of locking my cross slide and using the table feed to give me increased travel. The table is advertised as "milling and drilling" and I'm thinking if it's satisfactory for a mill it should work almost as well on my lathe. If it's a piece of junk this won't end well for me. I'm hoping someone has first hand experience with that table and can report on it's quality.
If it's anything like the ones I've seen at Harbor Freight, and it probably is, the "milling" is just hype. Won't say it won't work for you...just my take on those tables.

Ken
 
epanzella, I have a Grizzly H7979 compound slide table, which is very similar, I believe, to G5757. I found that the H7979 longitudinal slide can nominally fit on the base in lieu of the cross slide. So, possibly, there is no need to have travel locks on the cross slide table; just set it aside and use the longitudinal table fitted on the base. I, too, am planning to have that kind of milling capability as mentioned in your thread; I also have a G4003G. It's just that I have so little time to do the project. Hope this helps. Good luck. :)) ---ortho
 
epanzella, I have a Grizzly H7979 compound slide table, which is very similar, I believe, to G5757. I found that the H7979 longitudinal slide can nominally fit on the base in lieu of the cross slide. So, possibly, there is no need to have travel locks on the cross slide table; just set it aside and use the longitudinal table fitted on the base. I, too, am planning to have that kind of milling capability as mentioned in your thread; I also have a G4003G. It's just that I have so little time to do the project. Hope this helps. Good luck. :)) ---ortho[/QUOTE
I'll take a look at the table you have.
Thx, Ed P
 
epanzella, I have a Grizzly H7979 compound slide table, which is very similar, I believe, to G5757. I found that the H7979 longitudinal slide can nominally fit on the base in lieu of the cross slide. So, possibly, there is no need to have travel locks on the cross slide table; just set it aside and use the longitudinal table fitted on the base. I, too, am planning to have that kind of milling capability as mentioned in your thread; I also have a G4003G. It's just that I have so little time to do the project. Hope this helps. Good luck. :)) ---ortho

I finally got around to checking out the H7979 mill/drill table that you have. It's so similar to the G5757 that I'm surprised they offer both. I don't get the part about using it in lieu of a cross slide?
 
I finally got around to checking out the H7979 mill/drill table that you have. It's so similar to the G5757 that I'm surprised they offer both. I don't get the part about using it in lieu of a cross slide?
Sorry that I didn't make myself clear; I just realized that there were two "cross slides" being discussed in the thread. Remove the cross slide from the mill/drill table assembly and set it aside. The longitudinal table is next installed in lieu of the said removed cross slide to the mill/drill table base. Then the modified mill/drill table (one axis positioning) is mounted to the angle plate that is fastened to the lathe cross slide. The overhang should be a lot less.
 
Sorry that I didn't make myself clear; I just realized that there were two "cross slides" being discussed in the thread. Remove the cross slide from the mill/drill table assembly and set it aside. The longitudinal table is next installed in lieu of the said removed cross slide to the mill/drill table base. Then the modified mill/drill table (one axis positioning) is mounted to the angle plate that is fastened to the lathe cross slide. The overhang should be a lot less.
Gotcha. So the 12 inch longitudinal table would end up as the vertical feed, I assume. I wouldn't want to lose the two axis capability of the table if I could help it (the G4003G cross slide only has about 6 inches of travel) but it's nice to have a "plan B" if using the table "as is" doesn't have the required rigidity. I've milled some steel parts in QDTP toolholder and it went really well. Thanks for the info.
Ed P
 
Gotcha. So the 12 inch longitudinal table would end up as the vertical feed, I assume. I wouldn't want to lose the two axis capability of the table if I could help it (the G4003G cross slide only has about 6 inches of travel) but it's nice to have a "plan B" if using the table "as is" doesn't have the required rigidity. I've milled some steel parts in QDTP toolholder and it went really well. Thanks for the info.
Ed P
You're welcome. BTW, one more thing to consider and I'll be out of your hair. If the QDTP toolholder works well in some milling environment, could the toolholder/compound slide arrangement be mounted on an angle plate attached to the lathe cross slide? This would give you some more machining options. Just thinkin'. Have a great day. ---ortho
 
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