Your ''expectations '' of your first vertical mill purchase

[smallfly]

hopeing this will answer or raise some new questions that have been asked many many times on this forum. iam not a real machinist -that is why i have soooo many ques. still to be answered.
FIRST-- ask urself what am i planning to do with my ''new to me'' vertical mill??
this really is a very important question. iam sure as hell not makin parts for nasa--they got no money to pay me. ok answered that one.

i want to bore holes in metal that r perfectly straight up and down both directions. well i can do this
assuming the spindle and associated bearings are in pretty good shape i can do this and ''retram'' the mill if needed to make them straight - assuming i buy a mill that trams in both directions. NOTE- u cannot do this with all vertical mills.

there is going to be a few ASSUMPTIONS HERE and some missspelled words too. please bear with me.

nqw - i want to cut a straight groove in metal--i can do this too assumuming the ''y'' axis and assoc. parts under the table ain't worn too much hopefully table will move in straight line. i better check this too.

now i want to cut a second groove 90 degrees to that first groove i just cut a minute ago. i can do that too assuming the x axis will move 90 degrees to the y axis. does it ???? i really am not sure. do i have a way of measuring this before i lay down my hard earned cash for my new mill?? i might wanny check this out. tramming the mill all day ain't gonna change this. mabey i was thinkin of making my own machinists squares from scratch. just easier for me to do this if things run 90 degrees to each axis. trammin the quill ain't gonna fix this either.

now i want to drill a deep hole in a thick piece of metal. well first i wil use that short drill bit i have and drill the hole as deep as i can. then i plan to lower the table and use that long drill in my tool box to complete the hole all the way to the bottom . now did the second hole drill exactly on center with first hole ?? --did the table and workpiece move away from or nearer the quill in either direction when i lowered the table and are the ''ways'' upon which the table is guided in the ''z'' or vertical axis in good shape?? i might wanna look at this also. how will i measure this before i purchase this new vertical mill?? tramming the mill each time i raise and lower this table will compensate for a pair of ''worn'' ways '' but this sure is gonna get real tiresome after a while. i better find a way to check this before i make this purchase.

all i really want to do is make stuff and enjoy my purchase--i sure as hell don't want to ''retram that quill each time i move the table and vise up and down.
or each time i move the work piece up and down in the vise.

ok--i hope i raised some interest here --these are MY IDEAS of questions u should ask urself --before u ''lay ur money down''

let's hear what other's have too say bout this.

i will get off my ''soapbox'' now --just sayin. please be kind.

re steve in montana --ps where it is now 10 degree below

zero---u got propane??

 

[JimDawson]

OK, I moved it for you.)

 

[herbet999]

Maybe it's just me, but I buy the tools to enjoy them, learn about machining, and maybe make some useful/cool stuff along the way.

 

[Andre]

I'll try and answer this the best I can, in the order written;

i want to bore holes in metal that r perfectly straight up and down both directions. well i can do this

Basically, yes. You might have to learn a bit about fixturing parts on an angle plate or box parallel for super accurate work though. Talking in tenths though (.0001)

assuming the spindle and associated bearings are in pretty good shape i can do this and ''retram'' the mill if needed to make them straight - assuming i buy a mill that trams in both directions.

The bearings are bad in my mill, I can still tram it and do accurate work. All mills can be trammed.

NOTE- u cannot do this with all vertical mills.

Yes you can, I don't know of any vertical mills that can't be trammed in any way. Maybe on a '51 or '52 BP with that round ram J head thing, but you can shim the turret to tram it.

i want to cut a straight groove in metal--i can do this too assumuming the ''y'' axis and assoc. parts under the table ain't worn too much hopefully table will move in straight line. i better check this too.

Unless you have some very severe oddball wear on the mill (unrealistic even in a abused machine) it will still cut a straight line. Don't worry 'bout that.

now i want to cut a second groove 90 degrees to that first groove i just cut a minute ago. i can do that too assuming the x axis will move 90 degrees to the y axis. does it ???? i really am not sure. do i have a way of measuring this before i lay down my hard earned cash for my new mill?? i might wanny check this out. tramming the mill all day ain't gonna change this. mabey i was thinkin of making my own machinists squares from scratch. just easier for me to do this if things run 90 degrees to each axis. trammin the quill ain't gonna fix this either.

Unless you have one of those grizzly universal vertical mills (where the X axis can spin like a swivel vise) the X axis till always move perpendicular (at a right angle) to the Y axis.

Making a machinist square by relying on the perpendicularity of the X and Y axis of the mill is a bad thing. Not because they are not square to each other (they are) but for that you'd be using the side of the endmill to cut the precision surfaces of the square. When cutting on the side of the endmill the endmill bends or deflects away from the work just a little, and you wouldn't end up with a precision square. Rough mill it them have it surface ground.

now i want to drill a deep hole in a thick piece of metal. well first i wil use that short drill bit i have and drill the hole as deep as i can. then i plan to lower the table and use that long drill in my tool box to complete the hole all the way to the bottom . now did the second hole drill exactly on center with first hole ?? --did the table and workpiece move away from or nearer the quill in either direction when i lowered the table and are the ''ways'' upon which the table is guided in the ''z'' or vertical axis in good shape?? i might wanna look at this also. how will i measure this before i purchase this new vertical mill?? tramming the mill each time i raise and lower this table will compensate for a pair of ''worn'' ways '' but this sure is gonna get real tiresome after a while. i better find a way to check this before i make this purchase.

If you have a knee mill (ie. Bridgeport) don't worry about it. The table will not have to be trammed every time you move the knee.
If you are drilling and need to lower the knee, DO NOT touch the knee lock, then activating the lock the knee swings a little to the left. Not a fault or wear in the machine, just the design. Don't worry about it.

all i really want to do is make stuff and enjoy my purchase--i sure as hell don't want to ''retram that quill each time i move the table and vise up and down.
or each time i move the work piece up and down in the vise.

You don't have to re tram the head every time you move the table in any direction, including up and down. I tram mine every 6 months, don't sweat it.

Hopefully I have answered your question well enough.

Please keep in mind typos and grammatical errors in your posts, it makes it harder to read and my typo alert goes wonkers )

Take care,

Andre

 

[Hardly]

I buy tools and machinery that I need to fix or fabricate the things that I want, or like, or need to repair. I can't stand to pay someone to do something that I can do or learn to do. I also find that my tools and machinery are like old friends that I enjoy being around and using. They are always there when I need them and have saved me a lot of money over the years.