Simple Lathe Milling attachment - Info share

[Mike23]

Just want to say thanks to the guys that helped me get my belt issue straightened out. All up and running now.

Turns out my first project is going to be making a milling attachment. I had an Atlas attachment years ago that just wasn't that good. Well I was searching for how to make one on youtube and ran across this guy mrpete22 who made one from some heavy angle iron. It looked good and I was going to settle. Then I found another one by Don's Engine on youtube. It seemed a lot more rigid and maybe even a bit easier to make. Turns out I have a vise very similar to the one he used. Just wondering if anyone else has done that style and if it works any better than the angle iron style. Ide hate to burn up a few hours to find out I'm no better off than when I had the Atlas attachment. Also that guy Don's Engine I see made a Go no go gauge for making precise backing plates threads. Ide post the links but I don't know if thats alright for newbies here like me.

Thanks again guys.. Mike

 

[benmychree]

I have made thread plug gages for all the lathes that I have owned except one, that being a 30" American. I usually just made a blank with knurled handle, finished the diameter and threaded to fit using thread wires or thread mikes, trying to hit exactly the same PD as the spindle threads; this would be a GO gage, no need for NO GO.

 

[silverhawk]

One of my first jobs was to build my own milling attachment. For smaller a lathe, it should work okay. I did not use angle iron, I used an angle block about the right size and built the thing to match my old south bend junior (9" swing, I had to scale it a bit).

https://www.vintageprojects.com/sites/default/files/articles/lathe-milling-attach-plans.pdf

http://www.silverhawk.net/2016/10/first-try-at-milling.html

I do have a milling attachment for the heavy 10, but I think the plans I linked to give you an idea of how to do it with the slots in it. There are limitations, such as not being able to use the entire surface, but it is still manageable.

Sent from my SM-T500 using Tapatalk

 

[Manual Mac]

I had an Atlas milling attachment that I used for a few years.
It was very well made & accurate.
The problem is they are not a milling machine and are slow and difficult to make satisfactory parts.
I do not think You’ll have any better luck with one you build.
I solved the problem by buying a mill.
YMMV, Cheers.

 

[savarin]

Heres my take on the subject you may get some ideas from.

A Vertical Slide For A 9x20 Lathe

My first vertical slide was a bit small in what it could hold so I have decided to build a larger one. It should look something like this (but not in these colours:grin big:) I faced and edged a chunk of hot rolled scrap for the front plate. I will drill and thread a matrix of holes in this for...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Does it take the place of a real mill?
Nope but its done a fair bit for me.
It does chatter so only fine cuts although I have hogged out steel and aluminium with it.

 

[silverhawk]

I had an Atlas milling attachment that I used for a few years.
It was very well made & accurate.
The problem is they are not a milling machine and are slow and difficult to make satisfactory parts.
I do not think You’ll have any better luck with one you build.
I solved the problem by buying a mill.
YMMV, Cheers.

This is true. Though the angle plate was solid, the pressures and vibrations were simply transmitted through it into the cross slide, and it tore out the compound mounting surface. Since then, I have picked up a mini mill (no space for a Bridgeport), and even that small thing is so much better. Still, I would do it again if I could not get a mill in any fashion... just use light cuts and it could still work.

Sent from my SM-T500 using Tapatalk

 

[Mike23]

One of my first jobs was to build my own milling attachment. For smaller a lathe, it should work okay. I did not use angle iron, I used an angle block about the right size and built the thing to match my old south bend junior (9" swing, I had to scale it a bit).

https://www.vintageprojects.com/sites/default/files/articles/lathe-milling-attach-plans.pdf

http://www.silverhawk.net/2016/10/first-try-at-milling.html

I do have a milling attachment for the heavy 10, but I think the plans I linked to give you an idea of how to do it with the slots in it. There are limitations, such as not being able to use the entire surface, but it is still manageable.

Sent from my SM-T500 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the links... good stuff for sure. After taking it all in I think the type that I saw on Don's Engine

is probably going to be more rigid and maybe even easier to make. I remember my old Atlas attachment vibrating and flexing all over the place. In dons video, it looks like he has a real solid piece there. Mike

 

[Mike23]

I had an Atlas milling attachment that I used for a few years.
It was very well made & accurate.
The problem is they are not a milling machine and are slow and difficult to make satisfactory parts.
I do not think You’ll have any better luck with one you build.
I solved the problem by buying a mill.
YMMV, Cheers.

Yes, I have a southbend mill, but its been in storage for about 20 years and need some TLC before I can use it. I need to mill some small parts right away so the attachment seems like a good option. Mike

 

[Shotgun]

I took a 1.5"x1x5"x6" block. Drilled two holes to center it on the T-slot on my compound.

Then I drilled two horizontal holes, so that I could bolt one of these up to it.

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Basically, the vice was bolted to the side of the compound.

It was about as rigid as a wet noodle (cheap one. Not the ones you get at a good restaurant.) But, I was able to get a few slots cuts. Like others, I now have a mill. Much better solution.

 

[Mike23]

I just spent my morning making the type I saw on Don's engine on youtube. I couldn't do the step like he did on the mounting block, so had to be extra careful getting everything square and keeping it that way when welding. I did the grub screw thing as well. It makes for a way more rigid set up than I remember my Atlas attachment being. I spent this afternoon using it to mill some small parts. It should probably be the standard for small lathe milling attachments. I don't know if anyone else has done it this way, but I had to get onto youtube and give a big thumbs up for that design. Mike