+- MetalworkingFun Forum (http://www.metalworkingfun.com)
+-- Forum: Machinery (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-10.html)
+--- Forum: Milling Machines (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-12.html)
+--- Thread: mill/drill woes (/thread-689.html)
mill/drill woes - stevec - 07-28-2012
Guys, although I'm still "backed up" with projects I keep thinking of new ones.
I still have my first mill, a round column mill/drill. Since I got my Tree 2UVR it has been sitting "second fiddle" for that and another reason.
The head casting cracked a while ago where it is squeezed together by the locking bolts used to grip the column, I noticed in later years the mill/drills had changed the head casting and locking mechanism to eliminate the split in the casting, obviously a problematic design.
I had a proffesional welder, who said he could weld cast iron, weld it for me. Well, he may have been a proffesional welder but he didn't know more than I do about welding cast iron. It broke immediately after I cleaned up the welds and put it back on the column.
All this blather to say I'd like to convert the machine to a dovetail or such, square column mill, something like the RF45 style.
Does anyone have any suggestions of a source for such an animal?
or any ideas of fabbing something out of steel? Maybe even fabbing a horizontal type column that could accept a vertical head in the overarm mounts, like Ricks.
RE: mill/drill woes - pineyfolks - 07-28-2012
How about 2 smaller diameter posts parallel to each other to prevent side to side movement? If you have another mill to work with it might be a project, if you got the time you can make anything work.
RE: mill/drill woes - f350ca - 07-28-2012
Steve
Would a steel column possibly vibrate. Its going to be beter than a broken mill but its hard to beat the dampening qualities of cast iron. But at the same time lots more steel would give the same effect.
Does the column have to be dovetailed? They're not easy to machine in large sizes. Could you make something similar to a lathe bed or use an old lathe bed and tailstock. Mount the milling head to the base of the tailstock and stand it on end. Release the clamp move the head and re clamp. The prismatic ways should re align the head. Movement could be with a simple acme screw.
RE: mill/drill woes - Sunset Machine - 07-28-2012
That's a sickening story, must've been built by the same inept bunch as mine was. How about bolting or welding a thick plate over both sides of the crack? I saw one head that was laying on its table sideways and being used as a power head for a boring bar. The bar itself was mounted on a Cat bucket, a long u-jointed drive shaft connected it to the "power head" sitting near the bucket. The table moved the head and provided feed.
RE: mill/drill woes - stevec - 07-28-2012
Greg, figuring the original design used a steel round column a beefier square column would be an improvement. It could also be filled with concrete to give it more mass.
As regards the dovetail, although my Tree has a dovetail I have seen BP style mills with a flat (rectangular) slide arrangement.
A lathe bed from a lathe large enough to have a tailstock large enough to become a mount for a mill head would be too large to bolt to the existing base. the bolt spacing is about 4.5" X 8.75".
Here's the poorly welded (or cooled) repair.
[attachment=2595]
I was thinking I could cut the head just in front of the round column and the machine/grind it parallel and square to the quill/spindle. It remains to be seen how much beef for tapping bolt holes to attach it to the slide of the new column.
Thanks for your thoughts, and remember this is not a "priority" so if anything comes to mind down the line I may still be considering ideas.
RE: mill/drill woes - f350ca - 07-28-2012
I wouldn't be surprised if the column is cast. The first drill press I had, maybe Taiwan has a thin walled cast column. Eventually snapped of where it was necked down to go into the head. Re cut it to fit again now I have a short bench top drill, which is fine for the cabinet shop.
RE: mill/drill woes - stevec - 07-28-2012
I'll let you know what I find when I get a round tewit.