Small milling

[wesley]

I will have the need soon to mill some small parts in alloy an brass , but my milling machine is to big to mill small parts , so was thinking of using a dremal type tool mounted over a small lathe with the tool post removed and a small machine vice fitted ,any thinking if this would work ok please.

 

[JCSteam]

I always thought the problem was when the workpiece was too large. You should be able to mill something small even on a large machine, whereas you struggle to machine something large on a small machine. So what exactly is the part and what mill and tooling do you have available. As there might be another way, even if you have to make a fixture for holding the tool, or a fixture for holding the part.

 

[10K Pete]

I agree with JC. It's almost always possible to fit smaller tooling to the larger mill and workholding stuff as well.

Think of the big mill as a very massive and steady foundation...

Pete

 

[JCSteam]

I believe your mill would be more accurate however a cross drilling attachment can be mounted to the toolpost, and used as a mill if you can lock the lathe spindle. Have a look here.

https://youtu.be/lRpnMb_ufs4

 

[MachineTom]

A Dremel is not a precision tool

 

[MachineTom]

I use my BP for small items, down to 2 x 56, .032 end Mills. The deflection of a Dremel exceeds the diameter of a tool. I have seen tool post grinders mounted vertically to a BP. But they have real bearings.

 

[Blogwitch]

Wes,

I have a Bridgey clone and never had any trouble holding or machining small parts.

Just one little tool solves almost all problems, a 1" machinist vice. The smaller size one isn't shown on here but it does show the type I mean.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Workholding/Machine-Vices/Precision-Tool-Vices-Type-2

Once mounted onto parallels in your normal vice, just mount your piece parts into it, I use small lathe tools as parallels for it, and you can swing large milling cutters around it with no problems.


John

 

[bazmak]

OH the beauty and freedom to make small parts in a large machine
Small precission vices mounted in large vises as shown.Small collet sets used
mounted in the machine larger collets and o the room to move BLISS

 

[Jasonb]

if the issue of small parts is speed for small cutters don't worry if your big mill won't run at the speeds suggested for small dia tools just run as fast as you can and take it easy

 

[goldstar31]

I have a little turret vice which was made by Dohm in the days of yore as part of my library of many vices.

Probably the long forgotten chunk of steel which one peppered with holes, plain and tapped is a thing not to be sniffed at.

Once one is filled with too many holes(?), you start to fill another.

The size is a bit like Murphy's receipt for Cornish pasties --- ''twer that size.

I leave it there

N

There's photo of a Dohm vice on the Mig Welding forum. Mine's a pretty one in a shade of bathroom blue

 

[wesley]

Hi all ,l should of been more clear on the problem,can mill small bit ok,its milling shapes that l am having the trouble with,as l now have to use the machine sitting on a stool ,with the machine having a long bed its a job to use the hand wheels at the same time sitting ,l think l will have a loan of a small bench mounted mill and se how that works out and go from there,l did think of getting rid of the big mill as l wont be doing any more cylinder heads etc ,but l no what will happen as soon as its gone then l will need it to mill bigger stock,so will se how the small mill works out,least l can do the bits l want to make that will keep me going for a few months,thanks for all your advice,l did look at a mates dremal and was not very impressed and yes it would not be any good for milling.
wes

 

[goldstar31]

Wes,
Sorry to learn of your difficulties. So might I suggest that you do a spot of milling from the vertical slide on the lathe?
I had to 'face' my toe nails being ground with something doing 64000 and frankly think that a Dremel is not the thing!

I was all for going to my mill which is in a shed outside until I discovered that the Siberian winter is going to drop temperatures back to -4C here in Newcastle upon Tyne. which prompts me to try to attach one of my Myford vertical slides onto the in house SiegC4.

I honestly think that a vertical slide still has a place in the home workshop. I went out today and bought some 4mm and 8mm aluminum sheet plus a block 4" square times 1.5" thick and all for pennies less than £20.
So I've lined my lathe tray for something. Maybe adapters for the Deckel clone.

So do think of alternatives as well.

Cheers

N

 

[wesley]

Thanks for that ,just let the dog out an its -3 out there and its going to get worse grrrrrrrr ,anyway will wrap up later an go and se what l can come up with over milling in the lathe,have a few bits under the bench ,so will give you all a update tonight,now off to get the fires going.
wes

 

[goldstar31]

I'm surprised to find it only -1C but I have to stay indoors until my next supply of pills is delivered. Like most old farts, I am held together with the gelatine on them.As a large shareholder in two of the major pharmaceutical companies involved , I can only rub my very arthritic hands in anticipation.

Take care Wes, dogs can be frozen to lampposts and don't eat yellow snow!

N

 

[Blogwitch]

Surely Wes, if that is the only problem, can't reach say the X axis handle, then just use say the last few inches of the table. If you mount your vice and get the handle in a position where, still sitting down, you can reach it.

Just like having a 12" long table.

Not the same problem as you have, but I have permanently mounted my vice and rotary table and the opposite end to the RT, I can mount a tilting vice if needed. There is no need to mount the vice in the middle.

Now we will get the knowitalls who will say, 'the table gibs will wear unequally'. Well to answer those people, I have had it this way for many years and the mill before it, and have never had a sagging table.


John

 

[wesley]

:thumbup: Well its update time,take an old atlas lathe + myford milling slide + a clarkson tool holder with a mt2 taper and for test a 1/8" cutter and the outcome , got to tidy things up etc and get used to milling that way but yes it works an feel in control of things am well pleased ,many thanks for the help over this,down side it was dam cold an the legs will give me hell later,but was it worth it yessssssss,will try and get it altogether over the next few days depending on the weather ,another thing l am pleased over is l wont need to borrow my friends bench mill now,never very happy using another persons machine,oh well time to move dog over a bit and sit by the fire,you all have a great weekend.
regards wes

 

[JCSteam]

Glad you got sorted, though I do think Johns suggestion above deserves some consideration, as if nothing else it will be a more ridgid setup.

Have fun and warm yer cockels

 

[wesley]

Yes l agree JC think l will move the vice and all so fit a tool l made ages ago that you can round the end of stock ,but for the small things l want to do then l am sold on milling in the lathe , just feel in control more sitting at the lathe.
wes

 

[goldstar31]

Frankly, I think that these views on vertical slides are --well- unfounded.

All that a vertical slide is is a top slide rotated 90 degrees- or a right angle.

N

 

[BillH]

How about a Tormach 440 or 770? Milling shapes? Let CNC do it and programmatically setting feeds and speeds for most efficient chiploads on small cutters?