Sherline ER-16 Mill Kit. Am I missing anything?

[Model-99]

Just getting started. Recommendations on accessories especially welcome.

 

[ChazzC]

Rather than getting the Spindle Square the LMS 5585 Tramming Set will be of more overall use.

For many of the other items I suggest that you shop around for better prices.

When I saw your original post, I thought that you had the base mill and were looking for accessories. Now that I understand that you are getting ready to buy one, can you explain why you have chosen the Sherline Micro-Mill rather than a Mini-Mill?

Also, where are you located? This will help us give you some targeted advice.


Charlie

 

[Aaron_W]

I asked a similar question several years back when I was buying my mill.

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/buying-a-sherline-5400-looking-for-advice.61908/

Third post down Mikey responded with a detailed list of suggestions. Sadly Mikey is no longer with us, but his advice still is.

Keep in mind the MB vise is something Sherline did not offer back then, so its exclusion from Mikey's list is not based on the MB vise being bad, it just didn't exist.

I mentioned the MB in your other post, but I haven't used one, as I have a larger mill so the 2" vise or just fixturing to the mill table has worked for me. It does seem like a useful vise for holding larger parts.

I would suggest going with a different screwless vise. The Sherline vise is Ok, but you can get one as good or better for much less. I've bought a couple sizes of screwless vise off of Ebay, all have been decent. Do look for one with a slot in the base though rather than just having holes as some do.

The Beall ER collet chuck mentioned is no longer available. Lee Valley tools bought out Beall and no longer offers it with the 3/4"-16 thread.

 

[Aaron_W]

Also double check on the 2" spacer block, but I believe that is included on the deluxe mill.

Consider the 18" table. I have been fine with the standard 13" table, which I feel is a good size for the mill. However if think you might need the larger table, you get a better deal ordering it with the mill rather than upgrading at a later time.

 

[Model-99]

I would suggest going with a different screwless vise. The Sherline vise is Ok, but you can get one as good or better for much less. I've bought a couple sizes of screwless vise off of Ebay, all have been decent. Do look for one with a slot in the base though rather than just having holes as some do.

Also double check on the 2" spacer block, but I believe that is included on the deluxe mill.

Consider the 18" table. I have been fine with the standard 13" table, which I feel is a good size for the mill. However if think you might need the larger table, you get a better deal ordering it with the mill rather than upgrading at a later time.

Thanks. I'll shop the vise now that I know what to look for.
Good catch on the spacer. Thanks.
Yah, I think the standard 13" table will work for me.
Checking out Mikey's post .....

Rather than getting the Spindle Square the LMS 5585 Tramming Set will be of more overall use.

Can you explain why you have chosen the Sherline Micro-Mill rather than a Mini-Mill?

Also, where are you located? This will help us give you some targeted advice.

Charlie

I changed to the tramming set. Perfect.

Being a noob, I shopped all this at Sherline first, then MSC and LMS not knowing what other vendors to trust. For instance, is a Jacobs chuck any good vs MSC's house brand? Keep it coming.

I think I can fit a mini but the Sherline micro has more elbow room. As for choosing Sherline, that's not cast in stone. My first choice is US-MADE-READY-TO-USE. The Taig column tilts and the Sherline 14" has the nodding headstock so ... end of US-MADE choices. But your post made me think, at $1500 for an ER-16 equipped Sherline, the LMS 3990 Hi-Torque is an option (a very TALL option with that gas-strut). I'm open to options. What other non-tilting column, belt drive, brushless mills are there in that price range?

 

[Aaron_W]

Sherline, Taig and the Chinese mini- mills are apples and oranges. Each have their strong and weak points. Sherline is very small, but very accurate with many nice features. The Chinese mills often require a fair bit of work to get them running well, and may have quality control issues, but they are larger and cheaper depending of which model. Taig falls in between, being larger and heavier than Sherline, but not as refined. While a little cruder than Sherline, Taig does have good quality control and is very friendly to customization.

Needs play a big part in deciding "best".

I actually had a hard time coming up with a good candidate for a larger mill when my Sherline was coming up short for some of my projects. I ended up skipping right over a lot of the small to midsized mills, because they didn't offer enough of an improvement over the Sherline.

I still use my Sherline a fair bit for small stuff because it is easy to use and has the high speed required for very small cutters and drills. With the optional pullies it can run 10,000 rpm far faster than a lot of small mills.

 

[Model-99]

I actually had a hard time coming up with a good candidate for a larger mill when my Sherline was coming up short for some of my projects. I ended up skipping right over a lot of the small to midsized mills, because they didn't offer enough of an improvement over the Sherline.

Right. I've read up on the mills and settled on the Sherline for being the most ready to go and accurate. I think LMS would be the only import I'd consider but they all have height issues. I sense the TAIG has more oompf but I have no interest in the headaches of tilting or nodding columns.

What would you say is the envelope for the 5000 in 2024 aluminum? Below is a concept diagram for my first project.

 

[Aaron_W]

Small mills run into issues faster than small lathes, but small bites get the job done. The biggest part I've done on the Sherline mill was about 2x4x1/2" in mild steel. Just a mounting plate, so milled flat on all sides to make it nice and drilled some holes for screws.
The mill could do bigger that is just the biggest I've done.

I'd think a 3x3x3" cube would be around the comfort level before you had to get to creative.

These days I would have done a part like that 2x4" piece on the Clausing mill, simply because it would be easier, but the Sherline was capable of doing the work.

 

[ChazzC]

I believe that the Aluminum casting from my Proxxon table saw that I trued up was on the order of 3” x 3” x 4”; work holding was a challenge (always the most interesting part of any project), but once in place the Micro-Mill had no issues.

 

[Karl A]

Regarding the Sherline MB vise fixture: I have the version with Versagrip jaws. Sherline sells that version for hiolding round parts, but I figured that the Versagrip jaws would hold rectangular parts too. I found that to be true.
MB stands for MiteeBite -- the company that makes the jaws.
The fixture does provide clamping force --using an offset screw. The clamping force has the potential to bow the mill table when the fixture is used to hold big or thick parts. Mounting the fixture on a tooling plate is better, but the milling plate needs to have two t-slots for the fixture to mount to.