Milling attachment for a mini lathe
- Thread starter sploo
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sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
Good idea. I'd initially used a bit of the 14x14 keyway stock, but I do have some 8x8 and 10x10 HSS stock for lathe cutters.
My budget set of parallels turned up today though, so hopefully I won't need to resort to raiding the lathe tool bin!
Green ones are for carbide
AES
Established Member
Yes, Thanks TFrench!
Sorry sploo, having visitors this weekend and only just seen your Q. Just as TFrench says, "green grit" grinding wheels can be had in a variety of diameters, thicknesses, bores,and grits - just like any other grinding wheels. The difference is that "green wheels" have a "special stone"/"special glue" (dunno which, may well be both) which means that you can grind carbide with them - I have one for just touching up some carbide tools.
The reason I mentioned green wheels in response to your last post about a broken milling cutter is that although I don't know which cutter you broke and what exactly is broken, it just MAY be possible for you to reclaim an expensive tool with careful use of a green wheel. In normal sizes they're not all that expensive.
If you do buy one don't forget the "string loop trick" to make sure you don't install a cracked wheel - especially if buying online.
If you need more info about string loops, etc, there's a very old post by me about grinding wheel safety (which I think was a sticky at onetime) but if you can't find it, post here or PM me and I'll illuminate further
Sorry sploo, having visitors this weekend and only just seen your Q. Just as TFrench says, "green grit" grinding wheels can be had in a variety of diameters, thicknesses, bores,and grits - just like any other grinding wheels. The difference is that "green wheels" have a "special stone"/"special glue" (dunno which, may well be both) which means that you can grind carbide with them - I have one for just touching up some carbide tools.
The reason I mentioned green wheels in response to your last post about a broken milling cutter is that although I don't know which cutter you broke and what exactly is broken, it just MAY be possible for you to reclaim an expensive tool with careful use of a green wheel. In normal sizes they're not all that expensive.
If you do buy one don't forget the "string loop trick" to make sure you don't install a cracked wheel - especially if buying online.
If you need more info about string loops, etc, there's a very old post by me about grinding wheel safety (which I think was a sticky at onetime) but if you can't find it, post here or PM me and I'll illuminate further
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
Ah. Got it thanks. I don't have a wheel, though I have the Sorby Pro Edge. I did wonder if it might be possible to regrind the cutter - though a lot would have to be taken off.
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
More progress... some good, some not so good...
The two piece vise came together pretty well:
There are two pairs of holes in each main block as I'm limited for space/t-slot locations; so it gives me a bit more flexibility around the jaw opening size:
And holding an ER collet block (the cap head bolt I had isn't long enough; hence changing to a hex head bolt):
The first test was cutting a vee grove in some keyway stock, using a D bit cutter I made from some silver steel (that has been heat treated for hardness):
Surprisingly... it works! The key steel I had is definitely harder than mild steel, and despite a bit of chattering, the piece (and even the DIY cutting bit) survived:
What are those little pieces for I (don't) hear you ask? Well; they're for a tap wrench (as per a This Old Tony video). I'd previously made the handles on the lathe:
And... having done all the hard stuff... I'd clearly screwed up drilling the holes, so it doesn't fit together
:
Anyway, the vise looks quite nice on the vertical slide. The main problem is that it puts a lot of pressure on the slide (such that raising and lowering the slide gets difficult when the vise is holding something with sufficient force). I may need to make a steel plate for the vise to sit on (which itself will then go on the slide). The main problem (other than the chatter) is the limited space; I'm finding it hard to position parts such that they can be cut. Really I need a proper mill.
The two piece vise came together pretty well:
There are two pairs of holes in each main block as I'm limited for space/t-slot locations; so it gives me a bit more flexibility around the jaw opening size:
And holding an ER collet block (the cap head bolt I had isn't long enough; hence changing to a hex head bolt):
The first test was cutting a vee grove in some keyway stock, using a D bit cutter I made from some silver steel (that has been heat treated for hardness):
Surprisingly... it works! The key steel I had is definitely harder than mild steel, and despite a bit of chattering, the piece (and even the DIY cutting bit) survived:
What are those little pieces for I (don't) hear you ask? Well; they're for a tap wrench (as per a This Old Tony video). I'd previously made the handles on the lathe:
And... having done all the hard stuff... I'd clearly screwed up drilling the holes, so it doesn't fit together
:
Anyway, the vise looks quite nice on the vertical slide. The main problem is that it puts a lot of pressure on the slide (such that raising and lowering the slide gets difficult when the vise is holding something with sufficient force). I may need to make a steel plate for the vise to sit on (which itself will then go on the slide). The main problem (other than the chatter) is the limited space; I'm finding it hard to position parts such that they can be cut. Really I need a proper mill.
AES
Established Member
Nice looking pieces of work sploo. Well done Sir (Tried to insert the clapping hands there - where's THAT one gone?).
And even though I (still) haven't started the Steve Jordan mod and have so far only done very little milling, I DO understand your concerns re lack of space on the Mini Lathe mate! but there's precisely NIL chance of the Chez AES budget including any such "looksery, pure looksery Lad").
And even though I (still) haven't started the Steve Jordan mod and have so far only done very little milling, I DO understand your concerns re lack of space on the Mini Lathe mate! but there's precisely NIL chance of the Chez AES budget including any such "looksery, pure looksery Lad").
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
I've got some more of the keyway steel on order to have another go at the two little blocks. Since I did the above, I have managed to mill a small adapter for a friend's screwdriver out of 10mm silver steel. I guess I have made life hard for myself by so far only trying to mill some moderately high carbon steels (they seem to be pretty hard).Nice looking pieces of work sploo. Well done Sir (Tried to insert the clapping hands there - where's THAT one gone?).
And even though I (still) haven't started the Steve Jordan mod and have so far only done very little milling, I DO understand your concerns re lack of space on the Mini Lathe mate! but there's precisely NIL chance of the Chez AES budget including any such "looksery, pure looksery Lad").
As for a milling machine... I don't really know where to start. Ignoring the "proper" 1.5 ton+ machines, there are loads of options, but most of the ~£700 SIEG clones look a little weak.
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
Key steel turned up and I had another go at making the two blocks; much better this time.
Rather than using an end mill, I tried reducing the 14x14 steel down to the required 14x12 cross section using my boring head as a fly cutter. I have some carbide boring tools but given carbide's dislike of interrupted cuts I found a piece of HSS tool steel that I was able to clamp securely. Surprisingly; it went very well:
Next job was to cut the vee groves, again using my homemade 'D' bit:
That went OK, so I rigged up a simple jig to let me pivot the pieces on by disc sander, for rounding over the corners:
Cleaned up and finished:
Not exactly to This Old Tony standards, but given it was all done on a Chinese mini-lathe (by someone with no previous metalworking experience) I'm pretty happy. It even works!
Rather than using an end mill, I tried reducing the 14x14 steel down to the required 14x12 cross section using my boring head as a fly cutter. I have some carbide boring tools but given carbide's dislike of interrupted cuts I found a piece of HSS tool steel that I was able to clamp securely. Surprisingly; it went very well:
Next job was to cut the vee groves, again using my homemade 'D' bit:
That went OK, so I rigged up a simple jig to let me pivot the pieces on by disc sander, for rounding over the corners:
Cleaned up and finished:
Not exactly to This Old Tony standards, but given it was all done on a Chinese mini-lathe (by someone with no previous metalworking experience) I'm pretty happy. It even works!
AES
Established Member
" Not exactly to This Old Tony standards, but given it was all done on a Chinese mini-lathe (by someone with no previous metalworking experience) I'm pretty happy. It even works!"
And so you should be Sir. Well done.
And so you should be Sir. Well done.
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
We're all our own harshest critics. It looks fantastic!
sploo
Somewhat extinguished member
Minor update; I drilled and tapped a set of holes on an offcut of 10mm steel plate, for use on the vertical slide. The plate is held onto the slide with countersunk bolts in "T" nuts, and the two rows of tapped holes give a much large range of clamping options for the two piece vice. The unused set of countersunk holes in the image below are for mounting the plate horizontally on the slide (should I have something that I'd like to clamp vertically in the vice).
I've found it's also quite good at taking the clamping force of the vice; such that it's not stressing the vertical slide bed (which was previously making it hard to turn the handle for raising and lowering the bed).
I've found it's also quite good at taking the clamping force of the vice; such that it's not stressing the vertical slide bed (which was previously making it hard to turn the handle for raising and lowering the bed).
