Frankenmill: Bridgeport J head onto Victoria U2

[Hawkeye]

Wow, Pete. That should hold the new head on Miss Vicky. What a lot of work!

[Pete O]

I had a brainwave that saved me reinstalling and tramming the vertical attachment, instead I mounted the big vice back on the shaper and did the operation there. Another 40 degree day forecast today so I stayed up late last night and got this done in the relative cool. The tops of the cheek plates are now flat and co-planar and ready to have the top plate attached.
   
   
   
   

[Pete O]

A tiny bit more progress over the past couple of days, small steps but I am beginning to see an end to the task. Not so much that the end is close, more that it is beginning to look like a future reality rather than a pipe dream.
The top plate has been surfaced on both sides in the shaper and dowels have been installed to locate it where it will be held in place by four 5/8 unf capscrews.

   
   

The front plate has been rough cut, had to take it to a mate's place as I no longer have an oxy set. 1 1/4" thick unknownium plate, this is the same stuff that I used for my shaper table extension, had to anneal it for that job so I'm hoping I have not hardened this by the cutting process, will find out when I start to machine the edges.
   

[Pete O]

This project has involved some challenging setups. The big shaper vice comes to the rescue again, drilling the holes for the four 5/8 capscrews to secure the top plate. Saved me another install / remove of the vertical attachment.
   
   
Notice the mirror sitting on the mill table. Just one of the pleasures of all this stub milling.

[Dr Stan]

Just how did you manage to get the overarm in the vice?

[Pete O]

(02-01-2019, 10:46 AM)Dr Stan Wrote: Just how did you manage to get the overarm in the vice?

There was some grunting involved.

I cleared the top of one of my mobile tool trolleys, slid the overarm off the bench onto the trolley and off the trolley onto the mill table, used the gantry to get the heavy end of the overarm up onto the vice, then used my immense upper body strength to stand it upright. Easy-peasy. Not.
I initially stood it upright on the mill table and tried to choke it with a sling to lift up to the vice with the gantry, but the darn thing is such a slipper shape I couldn't reliably choke it. I should probably drill and tap some holes in the back end for a couple of lifting eyes, might still be worth doing cos it's got to go up into the dovetails when it's all done.

[Dr Stan]

Probably want to consider getting your mate involved next time.

[Hawkeye]

The arbor support would clamp onto the dovetail on the overarm. That would provide a solid, if somewhat off-centre, support.

[Pete O]

(02-01-2019, 11:28 PM)Hawkeye Wrote: The arbor support would clamp onto the dovetail on the overarm. That would provide a solid, if somewhat off-centre, support.

Wish I'd thought of that Mike, that would have stopped the choke sling slipping off. If I have to stand the thing on end again, that's what I'll do.

[Pete O]

I'm going to want a flat, vertical surface to hang the arm for the DRO from. while the vice is at right-angles to the spindle semed like a good time to make that happen. I'll turn the overarm around and do the same on the other side, there's bound to be something I'll want to hang off there. Seems fortuitous that I sunk those capscrews good and deep.