New mill attachment on the cards for my ML4

[JCSteam]

Well its time to let the cat out the bag.*

There is a new (to me anyway), milling attachment going to be making its way to my humble shed.*

At the end of January i was exchanging emails with Sandy (aka SteamBod), about the possibilaties of using an end mill in the lathes four jaw chuck, and with an angle plate bolted to the cross slide, slots, tees, and dovetails could be machined as well as flycutting in the lathe. Which is more accurate way to determine a flat surface on a piece of metal.*

After a few exchanges you can imagine my amazement when Sandy said;-*

"come to think of it i have an Amolco milling attachment for an ML7, it has three sizes of collets, 1/4", 1/2", and 3/8", which you can have if you think you can make use of it"

After i had picked my jaw up off the floor,*I graciously accepted this kind offer, (while dancing around the living room). Sandy went on to say that he was happy to do the machining to allow it to be a striaght fit to my lathe, and asked me to measure the distance between the lathes bedways, as he thought they were different, (the ML4 been much smaller than the ML7). After sending these measurements off Sandy confirmed that it wouldnt be a striaght fit, so we discussed the options.

1. mill the original foot down to enable it to fit on my ML4 bed
2. Mill a new foot for the mill to mount in
3. make an adaptor plate to enable the original foot to be mounted in the adaptor and the base of the adaptor plate to fit in directly onto my ML4

After a bit of discussion it was agreed to leave the original foot so as it could be a direct fit onto the ML7 should i upgrade in the future the upgrade wont mean i loose the ability to mill.

Below is the link to the amolco pages on Lathes.co.uk

http://www.lathes.co.uk/amolco/

Also a few pics taken from the website at the bottom of the post

As mentioned Sandy offered to do the machining for me but first he needed accurate measurements, These were taken and jotted down as per the drawing sandy sent me. What was not on sandy's drawing was the inside of the lathe bed, which is similar shape to the ML7 whereby the original clamping system could be utilised, albeit with smaller clamps. So armed with the measurements from my lathe, Sandy drew up in CAD a design for the adaptor plate. All thats needed now is to get some HE30 Ali to a suitable length and sent upto the highlands for Sandy to work his magic. (CAD drawing attached at the bottom).

Once he has completed the machining then all i have to do is take the 5hour drive up to bonny scotland to pick it up, a drive im more than happy to make.

I want to take this oppurtunity to thank Sandy for all his help and for the offer of the milling attachment in the first place. It is very generous of you and will enable me to machine a lot of projects, I will have a 3 axis, twin motor, four speed lathe/mill combo. Something that if you look at the offerings of Clark or Warco start at around £1500. Something that i really thought was never going to be achieved.*

Jon

View attachment Myford ML4 Amolco adaptor plate.pdf

 

[bazmak]

You are one lucky boy with a generous benefactor,i know its like taking coal to Newcastle but a nice bottle of Scotch would not go amiss PS you made the right decision to make an adaptor plate and leave the original unit as that

 

[JCSteam]

Aye i think hes earned a bottle of scotch for his troubles ��
Feeling very lucky with it, and as said before i will have a 3 axis twin motor setup. I can see my tools required list growing �� a rotary base plate with nose to suit my chuck and a milling table would be handy, my cross slide is only 2.1/2" x 6" so something that can bolt to the cross slide and enable slightly larger items to be clamped would be handy.

 

[bazmak]

All in good time,you have not got the unit yet but are planning projects
Come to that im in the same boat waiting for my ML7

 

[goldstar31]

All in good time,you have not got the unit yet but are planning projects
Come to that im in the same boat waiting for my ML7

I'm much in the same state with my Deckel clone. It's there but I've been spending a lot of cold weather escapism in reading what people have done with their machines.Unquestionably, some of the early criticisms of these machines is unfounded.
My head is slowly clearing after the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Year of the Dog--- more like hair of the dog

Regards

N

 

[JCSteam]

Yes i know what you mean. Im looking forward to having it as it will make projects a lot easier, also with it been an attachment, means the unit as a whole is compact. Handy for a small shed.
I need to make/buy a couple of angle plates, some t nuts that i asked about before, then a larger milling table with slots milled into it, and drilled through to mount to the cross slide. Then i also saw a simple rotary table on harold halls site, which looks interesting to make. Mounted to a suitable angle plate could mean some interesting looking flywheels with different metals slotted in.

 

[goldstar31]

l
I need to make/buy a couple of angle plates, some t nuts that i asked about before, then a larger milling table with slots milled into it, and drilled through to mount to the cross slide. Then i also saw a simple rotary table on harold halls site, which looks interesting to make. Mounted to a suitable angle plate could mean some interesting looking flywheels with different metals slotted in.

Probably the best saving is to have a Mig or merely an arc welder to join things together. Things like brackets and angle plates become a doddle. Just a dab is often sufficient. I'm certified-- if that's what you mean:thumbup:

I've been looking at a handle to help the 'Deckel' clone to sweep face lathe tools.
I've an old bit of square tubing just asking to do that.

Clears throat somewhat and confess to have put about a hundredweight of dirty/rusty lathe tools in the dishwasher. No one to boss me anymore:hDe:

N