DIY mill...

[keith77777]

I only meant using the pillar stand arrangement, I have a high speed saw spindle with a hole thro one end, a tailour made arbour would be the way. . Yer it is difficult, if you were armour plated or had 1/2 of perspex between you and the work it would be hard to get anything done. I had an abrasive cut-off saw once it scared me so much I gave it away. Angle grinders are very useful but can be as dangerous. I regularly use one for cutting sheet metal, does not crimp the metal like snips. A lot of this stuff is a long way of I have not made the stand yet !!
I am enjoying machining this cast iron in the lathe and making large cuts with old faithful I would send you some if you don;nt mind the postage. :lol:

Cheers Keith

[keith77777]

Just had the column for my mill turned on a proper lathe mine only traverses the length of the compound slide so no way I could do something this length. The guy did a really good job and also trued the ends up. Next stage is to weld on a wheel flange from those old trailer parts. This will be bolted to the cast iron slab from the night storage heater(with appropiate shims fitted). You know how it is lazyness may set in at any stage. Hows your mill coming on????

Cheers Keith

[keith77777]

Hello All
I have abandoned the idea of making a vertical mill in favour of a Gingery imitation. I looked at various designs including the Westbury and decided driving a moving vertical spindle was too much of a problem.
The Gingery mill is based on the old Lincoln design using flat belts much easier to accomodate spindle movement.
The bits use angle iron bolted together (tack weld when adjusted). I cheated by buying an X-Y table.
Spindle is from a washing machine drum and I will be useing my motor controller to avoid multiple pulleys.

[keith77777]

Sorry for my last post having pics all over the place I am an engineer not a computer operator. Any way my mill is progressing. I have to ensure the vertical slide stays at right angles to the bed.

For this I have made a triangle spar here it is colling down in the vice do not want to get burned fingers !!!

[keith77777]

Sorry Lee , Robin and Irvin
You started this thread and the mill that I am making is not CNC at least at the moment. I have no access to machining capabilty except an old lathe which drastically needs new bearings. As I have allready said I considered the Westberry vertical mill design but here were several reports of chattering on the sliding column. Here is a better pic of my design inspired by the Stepperhead, Gingery, Multimachine designes.





Many thanks fer birthday wishes cheers Keith