Which mill would you get?

[Omnimill]

Excellent Gus, glad you got something nice!

Vic.

 

[don-tucker]

Yes, glad you are sorted and I'm sure you will be happy with it,those "secret envelopes" come in handy don't they,I have one of those at least I did when i looked last. ;D
Don

 

[techonehundred]

Great Purchase. Thm: But it looks like it is "Temporarily out of Stock" You need to put a vise on it and clamp up some Stock and start making chips. :big:

 

[RMS]

Holy Hunk of Milling Madness! Nice purchase! Just hope she does not find out about this secret envelope thing.... ;D

 

[Generatorgus]

Guys, thanks for the replies.
The little woman knows about my secret envelope, but doesn't know about my super secret envelope.
I'm going to dip into the dwindling secret envelope and order the one new DRO scale that I'll need. I think my 3/8 clamping set will do for now, the tee nuts seem to have enough grab, or maybe I'll make some chips milling out a few larger ones.
The new mill raises a couple of new questions for me.
Are the power column and table drives intended to be used in cutting operations or just for a quicker less tedious way of moving from one position to another?
When tilting the power head, it there any shortcuts to bringing it back to a accurate vertical position? I didn't have that problem with the old mill, at least not that I knew. I can't see trusting the angle scale for accuracy.
I think I'll spend some time today making some mounting brackets for the DROs and getting familiar with the new toy, as I didn't even get in the shop yesterday.
Boy, is it cold here for this time of year, mostly the wind chill. Makes me want to build a big fire in the shop stove and hide out there for a few days. ;D
GUS

 

[Generatorgus]

Oh yeah, forgot to ask if that would be a good location for the DRO readout. Is mounting it on the machine a bad idea? I had it mounted low and left on the table my old machine was on and it seemed like I was always bending my neck to view it.
GUS

 

[Omnimill]

Gus, If your old T-nuts are too small don't risk damaging the slots on your nice new mill - make some new ones!

There are more accurate ways to align the head after tilting it but a cheap and easy way is to get a length of say 1/4" - 5/16" bar just over half your table length and put opposite 90 degree bends in each end. Mounted in a collet in the quill just swing it to each end of the table and adjust the head until the gizmo just touches each end - it helps if the rod is sharpened at the table end before bending. I've made up something more solid with a dial gauge in the end but the simple bent rod can be surprisingly accurate if you take the time.

Vic.

 

[Generatorgus]

Thanks Vic, Ill try that. Didn't get to play with the T-nuts yesterday, I was too busy messing with the digital scales, the machine doesn't seem to offer too many options for the X axis. The Y and Z were a breeze.
GUS

 

[AR1911]

T-Nuts - a cheap clamping kit is $29.95. Don't mess up your new table with undersize tee-nuts.

DRO mounted to the machine is the usual way. Anyplace that's convenient, usually on a swing arm

Power drives are for cutting. It gives you a smoother cut, and stops at the end.
There should be a rapid traverse for non-cutting travel

Getting the head to exactly 90-degrees is called Tramming. google that and you will get lots of hits and different ways to do it. It's basic knowledge you will need.
I do like the pointer bar alternative. Lots of times the hard part is just getting close enough to get the DTI into the working range.

 

[Generatorgus]

I got some actual time on the new mill yesterday. I tidied up the casting fits between the base and cylinder on the Little Brother, kind of a shake down cruise. Not heavy work at all, but I'm pleased with the machine so far. Usually I feel some regrets after getting something home. I felt that way with the Grizzly lathe at first, mostly because it had a fairly sloppy appearance, and lots of dirt in hidden places, I cleaned it and got over it, it does the job, I've had it 5 or 6 years and used it many times for a variety of jobs. The new mill is clean and neat and has the feel of a descent machine.
I can't wait to do some real work with it.
Now to get the old mill sold and buy some more tooling. I'm thinking a 5C collet set with some collet blocks, they look real handy.
GUS

 

[Omnimill]

Also have a look at ER32 collets and holders

Vic.

 

[Generatorgus]

Hi Vic, I'll check them oput, I love to get input.
Found a fault with the machine, either the key is wrong for the chuck, or the chuck is wrong for the key, it doesn't engage the gear very well. Maybe the proper key was lost, being a floor model.
Not to worry, I have a nice 3/4" Jacobs with the JT3 taper, if I can get the Chinese chuck off of the R8 ,as I don't have a spare laying around. I'll try a little heat.
GUS

 

[Omnimill]

If heat doesn't get the chuck off you can always open the chuck wide and drill through the back and then drift the arbour out.

Vic.

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi Vic, I'll check them oput, I love to get input.
Found a fault with the machine, either the key is wrong for the chuck, or the chuck is wrong for the key, it doesn't engage the gear very well. Maybe the proper key was lost, being a floor model.
Not to worry, I have a nice 3/4" Jacobs with the JT3 taper, if I can get the Chinese chuck off of the R8 ,as I don't have a spare laying around. I'll try a little heat.
GUS

Hi Gus. I picked up two key less chucks ($5 ea) at a local supplier that had bent R-8 shanks from improper dis-assembly, probably the owners used a dead blow hammer, and it didn't work. I don't think that heat will work since both parts are the same metal. I salvaged the two chucks by buying a set of chuck wedges. These are tool that you don't use often, but very handy to have in the shop to avoid the frustration of chuck removal.

http://www.jacobschuck.com/product_details.asp?pid=29

-MB

 

[shred]

Keyed chucks like the Jacobs can be easily removed from an arbor by opening the jaws and punching the end of the arbor now visible at the back center (hand-drill chucks are often held on with left-handed screws at this location). No heat should be required.

Keyless chucks (Albrecht & clones) need wedges or chuck disassembly to remove from an arbor. Do not try the punch trick or you likely won't get the arbor off and will instead bang up important chuck parts. With an arbor you don't care about, you can drill it just behind the taper, insert a 1/4" pin and use a couple screwdrivers in lieu of proper wedges between the chuck body and arbor.

 

[Generatorgus]

Wow, chuck wedges? So much to learn, so much tooling. Sometimes I wonder what the heck I got myself into. Well, can't quit now, I should have almost everything I need just about my 80th birthday.
I read these last two posts yesterday, typed a reply, accidentally hit the wrong button and it disappeared and I quit. Having gotten some grinding debris in my eye two days earlier and putting of going to see the eye doc, until yesterday, I was in agony. The eye feels some better this morning.
At any rate, I cowboyed up and tackled the ornery chuck detail. I got the offending chuck off of the R8 arbor, by improvising a small wedge (chisel) and caught just enough of the rim on the arbor to pop the chuck with a few light taps. The Jacobs chucks had to be drilled thru and literally pounded out the old arbors. I have two and decided to liberate them while I was on chuck duty.
Also dug out a Mod. 100 3/4" Jacobs keyless, tried it on the R8, but it has brass jaws and they are worn and it won't hold bits very well. I'm thinking the brass jaws are not for everday use? Do you suppose I could straighten the jaws with a 3/4 mill?
GUS

 

[lathe nut]

I got this one at Harbor Freight, I offered them half of what the machine sold for and told them I did not want the cabinet, course the answer was NO, after a few times in there and buying a 14X40 lathe the manager said he wanted to get rid of all the machines then he was ready to deal, he gave me the cabinet, a few weeks later I got the X2 also for one half price, I like both of them, the Mrs wanted to know why I needed two, still don't have an answer.

 

[Generatorgus]

Lathe nut, not a bad looking machine, and wheels, too. My local Harbor Freight doesn't have many machines.