Must Have Mill Machine Accessories For A Beginner?

Rex, you did, lol

Wife is not giving me much push back in the expense so far... so I am pushing my luck by looking at a lathe, lol...

As to projects... they do not call me Dr. of Pending Projects for nothing! :cool 2:

Anyway, do not want to turn this into a lathe thread... I will open a new thread for that...

Back to normal programming - Mill accessories for a beginner :)
 
The following are a few more links to add to your list. Tools are great, but finding good deals on raw stock is just as important.

http://www.onlinemetals.com/
http://www.metalsdepot.com/
http://www.speedymetals.com/
http://www.onlinemetalsupply.com/
http://www.discountsteel.com/
http://www.cut2sizemetals.com/
http://www.allmetalsinc.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/shapirometalsupply/ - I've gotten a lot of steel tube from this guy.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Metals-Alloys-/29402/i.html eBay is great for finding odd sized drops
 
All of the tools and accessories listed are very useful and are great to have in the tool box. Like you, I wanted every do-dad and tool that I could find; and wasted a lot of money. If I may make a suggestion; wait to have a use/need for a tool to complete a project before you buy it. This way you conserve your tool buying budget for what is needed and you don't have an accessory sitting in the shelf unused.
This advice is only for when buying brand new, if you come across something on craigslist, ebay or at a flea market at a good price, buy it when you find it.
 
Yes. I am done for now. I will continue to write down additional recommendations. All this is new to me so the recommendations is also teaching me what is out there and what they are used for.

I am periodically looking in Craigslist for an affordable used rotary table...
 
Reeltor said:
All of the tools and accessories listed are very useful and are great to have in the tool box. Like you, I wanted every do-dad and tool that I could find; and wasted a lot of money... wait to have a use/need for a tool to complete a project before you buy it.
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Exactly! That's why I'm trying to figure out what tools are available and what they're used for. Once I know what the tool looks like, I can figure out how it works and what I can use it for. I've already associated some of them with projects but right now I'm trying to break down the ones which I think I'll need in general. This way I can place an order now, so they will be here when the mill gets moved into the workshop. Like you said, the rest of them I can buy later... when they go on sale... or if I happen to find a used one at a good price.

I am having trouble grasping some tools, but if I can't figure it out on my own, I'll post a question here.
 
65Cobra427SC said:
Exactly! That's why I'm trying to figure out what tools are available and what they're used for. Once I know what the tool looks like, I can figure out how it works and what I can use it for. I've already associated some of them with projects but right now I'm trying to break down the ones which I think I'll need in general. This way I can place an order now, so they will be here when the mill gets moved into the workshop. Like you said, the rest of them I can buy later... when they go on sale... or if I happen to find a used one at a good price.

I am having trouble grasping some tools, but if I can't figure it out on my own, I'll post a question here.
Click to expand...

This is spot on! Reason why I started the thread... I do not know what I do not know... how would I know what the most common tools to use are and what they are called... and what they are used for?? If I go to Craiglist, how can I know what to look out for? Or the order of priority to use to get the tools??

I wanted to get the feedback from those that have been doing this for years... so that I can get a short (or long) list of "Well... if you have a milling machine you must have at least this tool...."

For example, up until now I did not know how to make a square hole with a drill bit...I just saw a video of what broaching is... and guess what? There is a frigging cool tool that will make it in square, hex, torx, etc. Inside and outside broaching! How cool is to be able to do that... "Son, you are missing a bolt on your bike... want to learn how to make a bolt? Let's make it with so that you can use both a hex wrench and a torx socket...because it would look cooler than just a normal hex-head bolt" or "Oh, here let me show you how to make a square hole with something that is spinning" "But Dad! That is just crazy!!" :)

I know that I am not buying a broaching tool tomorrow... darn thing cost a fortune... but now I know that it exists!

So the beauty of this thread, for me, is that it has started to show me a glimpse of what is out there... less scotomas, more awareness
 
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I also saw that broaching video and it was like watching a magician... except worse because there were no strings or manipulation of the hands. I kept thinking "No way!" But before I spend the money on that tool, I'll drill a round hole and square it off using an air file. I've done that before and it's worked. Besides, once the hole is finished, are you even going to see it? Nope! After you install the bolt, you won't see squat!! :)
 
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