Small milling machine wanted

[Ashley smith]

Me and my grandad are after a small milling machine preferably one that we can squeeze into the cellar, we are currently getting by with a vertical slide on the ML7 but are finding it hard work, we have no experience in milling machines so suggestions welcome, thanks
Ash

[Paul30013]

Ashley,

Go for the largest and most rigid machine you can fit in. I am really stuffed for space and I bought a micro mill (vertical sq column which tilts). When I did my 4" RP I managed to mill the cylinder block flange on it but it was really well outside the machines proper capacity and I had to take baby cuts, but it did get the job done. I have just done most of the operations on the body casting of the water pump for my 6" LS (going to post some pictures in the next week or so if I get time) but again it needed careful planning and light cuts.

Thus, I would go for a vertical machine, try for 3 T slots in the table with a decent table travel X and Y. Look at the spindle travel, distance of spindle from the column and maximum distance from spindle nose to table. What looks generous can very quickly be eaten up by collet chuck and then putting a vice or worse a rotary table on the table. I have been looking at Warco milling machines for my next one, they seem to be reasonably heavily built with a reasonable spec for the £'s.

Paul.

[Ashley smith]

Anything?


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[Gaudin98]

Tom Senior M1 is a good small machine.

[SimonT]

Originally Posted by Gaudin98

Tom Senior M1 is a good small machine.

Wholeheartedly agree. Avoid most of the modern rubbish which is intended to look big but often can barely support itself, let alone do anything useful.

Buy a Senior M1, with both horizontal & vertical attachments and decent machine vice (Abwood, or similar). The only shortcoming will be that your z-axis (up & down) is via the knee, not a quill. They take MT tooling, so you can share some bits with the Myford. They are near indestructable, will machine things far larger than they were originally designed to do and swapping from 3-phase to single is a simple motor swap. They split easily (base, tray, column, knee, rear cover & motor), which makes taking them through the house possible if needed. The horizontal arbour support bar is invaluble for lifting the column back up once all the bits are in the correct room...

Look in the back of Model Engineer or Engineering In Miniature and you should find something fairly soon. Fairly that, try your local model engineering club. They are often asked to find homes for workshop equipment from deceased members etc.

Simon.

[Ashley smith]

Still looking to purchase one if anyone is thinking of upgrading/ selling one? Thanks again


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[Socket Head]

I have a tom senior major milling machine nin good condition fixed head, s type head slotting head plus tooling as I said all in very good condition £ 2, 900.ono

[Ashley smith]

A little too much machine for me sadly my budget won't stretch but thanks for the offer


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[Steamcar]

If you are tight on space and short on cash have a look for a Rodney Milling attachment for the Myford.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist....ad.php?t=22043

Small and fiddly sure but a step up from the vertical slide.
Alas they are hard to come by.

However if the concept of how it works will do the job for you you might be able to find some other type of small milling head to bolt to the tail stock end of the bed and use in a similar way.

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

Something from a very small mill drill for example.

I know Maximat made a 4 speed milling head with a 2 morse that bolted to the back of their lath bed in the middle that worked in the same way.

All depends on what you can find.

Might even be able to modify a small drill press to do the job.

[Steamcar]

Here is the Maximat.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emco-Maximat...-/371553083188
You just need the milling head.