Scrooge style Milling machine

[Shipdisturber]

Same story with mine it's a cheap one and I think the best it would do would be surface milling not precise cuts. I've started another thread regarding my South Bend milling attachment, apparently it can be more useful than I thought. I will check out a book on it and maybe that will be a way to do without a milling machine for the time being. I mostly do small hobby stuff with equipment anyway so I hope this will be an answer.

 

[Nick Hulme]

An internet search for milling with a drill press reveals many instances where people who know better will ignore good advice, spend much time and money, end up with a semi-useful light mill and then buy a milling machine ;-)

 

[Lotus-14]

One thing you might consider ---
If you live near any industry (along with their supporting shops), you might look around and ask about deals.
Much of the metal working industry has gone over to computer driven machining centers, and 3D "printing" in metal.
As a consequence the old manual machines are being pushed into the back corner. Sure they will keep one or two for small jobs in house, but for anything to make money; its all computerized. Hand them a CAD file and they make the part.
This is for real. I recently visited an old vendor friend of mine, and he had a very nice Bridgeport on the loading dock, which he was giving away.
Now little one man shops may not be doing this, soon, but to stay in business, and be competitive, they will be doing something similar; or retire. Another vendor of mine who ran a screw machine shop is all automatic now, and all his Brown & Sharpe and Swiss machines went to a scrap dealer. I got a 00 machine and a bunch of tooling for $100 from him.
Look around you might be surprised what you'll find.

 

[minh-thanh]

Thank you for your opinion
now, I have 2 selection
1 / design and make a mini milling machine for me
2 / convert the drilling machine into a milling machine.
( I don't have much money to buy it )
Your opinion ???

 

[ninefinger]

Shipdisturber: Where about are you in Canada? your best bet is a used mill, one somebody else bought and has either outgrown or never fully used properly. A bit of patience on Kijiji will have one pop up in a month or less, the other secret there is to expand your search radius - you need to be willing to drive a bit to go get one.
Another source is local model engineering (live steam) / machining clubs. I've picked up and heard about many machines through the local club.
Mike

 

[DJP]

I second the model train clubs as their membership is getting older and mills and lathes are always for sale by family to clear an estate.

Unless you like the challenge of building a milling machine from random parts, I would look to model train clubs instead. You may need to rent a trailer and get some buddies to help with the move but the machines that we use are small and light duty but with some precision built in.

My thoughts for your consideration and I'll stop following this thread. Been there and done that.

 

[Timehunter]

Keep hunting for a real mill.
I converted a Kao Ming KMR700S radial arm drill to also function as a mill.
I made a great deal on it while hunting for a mill.
I am still hunting for a deal on a real milling machine like a Bridgeport type.
You just can't beat them.

 

[Shipdisturber]

This thread has been very helpful thanks to all who have given their input. The idea of looking around for one being scrapped out is a good one. I live in the Vancouver B.C. area of Canada to answer one question.
My own experience on Craigslist was a good one, to begin with I put an ad in Craigslist looking for a hobby lathe in any condition. I obtained my South Bend when a person replied to my ad saying they had Grandpa's old lathe in the basement I could buy, I told them my lathe budget was only $450 at that time, they said that was fine. This lathe I now have could sell for $1500 on Craigslist so that worked out well for me.
About a week later another fellow in the film industry here said he had a small Power Fist lathe I could have for $100 that didn't work. I bought the little lathe and replaced a blow fuse fuse then sold it on Craigslist for $400.
My little Taig lathe had to go now. My Taig lathe and attachments ran me around $1000 total and I managed to sell that for $700 on Craigslist. Once the dust all settled my South Bend with hardly any wear cost me $450, so yes Craigslist and Kijiji are very useful.
Think I'll start with another ad for a milling machine or parts of one.

 

[zap427]

Big thumbs up to all the replies. I bit my tongue when I read Ship's post expecting him to be ripped to shreds for lack of knowledge safety you know the drill...(pun intended) What a pleasant surprise to read through the responses. I know VERY little about machining but it has always fascinated me. I need to start spending more reading and learning time here.

 

[Shipdisturber]

Well Zap I was a little gun shy, reason being was because one time I did get raked over the coals for asking questions. I can't remember whether it was this website or another but I asked what some of the tooling was that came with my South Bend lathe. I have been a Heavy Duty Mechanic for the last forty years so with that knowledge I took a stab at naming these tools not knowing if I was close or not. Turns out I was closer than I thought and the guys there thought I was being some kind of jerk for asking what they were when they thought I already knew. Lots of small fires to put out on that post.

 

[oldchadders]

Being a bit of a tightwad I couldn't see spending a whack of money on a proper milling machine (budget and space a concern too). I took a small Canadian Tire drill press and a milling vise from Bang Good to make my dream machine.
I installed aluminum spacer blocks and plate to raise the milling slide to get close enough to the drill chuck to use. The depth adjuster I adjust to the depth I want then tighten both jam nuts to set the depth. What used to be a guide screw is now a jam bolt to lock and help steady the rotating parts.
One picture shows my first cut which is not good but with practice I thing I can make this work.

I am looking at doing something similar, using my existing pillar drill (a cheap Chinese beast which has served me well for many years) and I bought one of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Compound...239771&hash=item3f9c5dad49:g:qX8AAOSwdu9aubHg
which looks as good as you would expect at the price. I have yet to set it up and try it out. My current needs for milling are very simple and basic, like cutting a simple recess in a piece of flat brass, and space is being squeezed to the limits. My thought is that if this works well enough, I may leave it permanently set up and buy myself a new, better drill stand for drilling holes (which I could just about squeeze on alongside the existing grinder, drill stand and vice.

 

[Rocket Man]

If you buy a toy milling machine or build a toy milling machine work will take you 20 times slower and make you wish you had a good milling machine. You buy a toy you can never sell it and get your money back. You buy a real milling machine you get your money back and maybe keep it several years sell it for more than you paid.

 

[MRA]

Well, earlier this year I could have taken a Bridgeport out of a derelict basement workshop for free (we took a Colchester student lathe out...in the nearly derelict lift. That was exciting - had to go up a few floors and then come down to where we wanted to get out, to persuade it to stop within a foot of the correct height ). But it would have cost me moving costs...plus divorce, plus new house and workshop.

That might come anyway, of course - but it seemed a bit hard on the kids to just bring it on, in the cause of hobby engineering

 

[minh-thanh]

After reminder: money, safety, good - bad ... Perhaps the solution to improve the drilling machine into the milling machine is the best for me.
I decided to do it and with some improvements to make it the best and safest ...
(I've been milling with my drill, enough for my needs)
Thanks !

 

[Shipdisturber]

One thing I may do is take the sliding shaft and shim or tighten everything up on it to take up the play. The biggest problem for me is the play so if I eliminate that then that is half the battle. As far as making money goes well that was never a consideration because like my cars this will be basic scrap when I'm done with it. I will start on that little project once I finish my Sterling engine.

 

[Nick Hulme]

Any milling machine with a quill needs a way of locking it, both to stop vertical movement and to prevent sideways play, but that's just basic milling machine requirements, once you have the basic requirements bearings is where it's actually at ;-)

 

[zap427]

Well Ship, like you, I am not a dumb dumb in my trade. I asked about something once that I clearly didn't know anything about and was more or less told how MUCH I didn't know. I hesitate cause I am not sure if it was this group or not. I thought what a way to welcome others to your skill. Jes_s Christ if I knew, why the hell would I be asking. The guys on this thread have been super cool and must realize if they want their group to grow, sharing the wealth of knowledge they have is the key. I say Mill the hell out of stuff with your drill press, if it works for you it is GREAT!!!!

 

[kuhncw]

You've had experience with the Taig lathe. If you run on to a Taig mill, give it some thought as they are very capable for their size and could serve you well until you find something larger. I have a full size mill, but my CNC mill is a Taig and it has made a lot of model engine parts for me.

Chuck

 

[minh-thanh]

First: I will do this part :

 

[Iampappabear]

I do a lot of casting, i can cast up to about 65 lbs aluminum with my tilting furnace, I provide aluminum to the hobby market through my e-bay store in 6,14,28, and 43 lb boxes as well up to 250lb orders for small foundry operations. The tilting furnace is designed to melt automotive cylinder heads.

Art b

Perhaps you could post a link to your Ebay site.