Aligning / "0" the swivel bed of a Harrison 600 mill?

[Ratau]

I did a lot of interesting reading on this forum but never registered but decided to do so today.
I got as a hobby machine a Harrison 600 horizontal mill fitted with a vertical spindle and a swivel bed.
Could you please describe to me the correct way to do the aligning or to “0” the swivel bed?

 

[Holt]

Hello Danie, and welcome to the forum

If your mill is a bit like this http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrisonmiller/index.html Simply mount a magnetic stand on the bed, with a dial indicator against the column behind the bed.
Please write a bit about yourself in the Welcome section.

Holt

PS: if you don't have a magnetic stand and dial indicator, it should be top priority to get one

 

[Ratau]

Holt

Thanks for your quick reply.

Yes my mill is the same as the one described in the article.

I will try out your suggestion.

I initially put the dial indicator in the drill chuck with the tip on the side of the bed. The dial stayed on “0” even on 5 degrees I then realised the table stays in a linear movement no matter what the angle ???. I then clamped a large angle plate on the table with the first face dialled “0” to the “X” axis. I then put the dial on the “Y” axis face and moved the table till the dial stayed on “0” ;D. It was a long method but worked. I suppose it all depends how accurate the angle plate is :-\.

 

[steamer]

You could sweep in a T-slot using the horizontal spindle and a dial indicator. That would make it square to the spindle and to the machine.......just a thought.


Dave

 

[Holt]

You could sweep in a T-slot using the horizontal spindle and a dial indicator. That would make it square to the spindle and to the machine.......just a thought.
Dave

The t slots are in line with the table movement, and will not show anything regardless of the angle of the table

Holt

 

[steamer]

"....I got as a hobby machine a Harrison 600 HORIZONTAL mill fitted with a vertical spindle"


They will if swept with the HORIZONTAL spindle instead of the vertical.....DON'T use the vertical for this...I agree, it won't help.


Dave