Aussie Mike's machine shop - Page 6

Gav · #1 (**permalink**) 12-21-2015, 03:33 PM

You have got me thinking now Mike.
I have a couple of VFD's sitting in the cupboard that would suit a 3ph mill motor.
Now to find a motor with the right output shaft size...

Aussie Mike · #2 (**permalink**) 12-21-2015, 09:00 PM

Thanks Ted. Good to hear from another hobby machinist. I keep telling these guys its a fun and rewarding hobby.

Im looking forward to easier machining of curves and irregular shapes. It was always a real mental challenge to do some of them on a manual mill. The rotary table opened up a lot of possibilities but with a manual mill you are always working in one axis at a time.

I'll have to talk with you about tooling optios as the CNC mill is an R8 taper the same as the bridgeport. The manual mill is NT30 so I've got to get some new tooling.

Cheers

Shootnride · #3 (**permalink**) 12-22-2015, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

I keep telling these guys its a fun and rewarding hobby.

It certainly is Mike.

Yes, my mill is also an R8 spindle. R8 certainly isn't the most robust system, but by far has the most readily available and affordable tooling. The system is plenty durable if you're not trying to push the limits with speeds and feeds.

Since you've already owned a mill, you're probably already pretty well set up with cutting tools, so you'll just need to acquire the necessary R8 tool holders. I personally prefer using R8 collets as much as possible as they offer the most usable distance between the spindle and the table. I have used the ER collet systems before but they eat up more of the usable space and their quick change advantage is kind of lost with a mill equipped with a power draw bar (which you now have

). For tooling with shanks larger than 7/8", I have R8 x 1", 1 1/8" and 1 1/4" holders. I also use R8 x MT1, MT2 & MT3 for my drill chucks and taper shank drills and reamers. If you prefer, you can use an R8 x Jacobs taper adapter for your drill chucks. I have MT shanks on my drill chucks because it allows me to also use them in the lathe tailstock. I also have a set of R8 shell mill arbors and slitting saw arbors. That is about all the R8 stuff I have and it seems to be enough to do what I need. But, as I'm sure you are well aware of, machine tools are kind of a bottomless pit in which to deposit your money ! (worse than Cobras I think)

Keep up the good work and keep posting your accomplishments. I'll likely be picking your brain in the future.

Ted

indianamoon · #4 (**permalink**) 12-22-2015, 10:25 AM

Hi Mike,

Nice looking mill. Laguns always seemed to be a bit heavier than the other brands.

Want to warn you about the power drawbar though. Years ago the guys in the shop talked me into equipping every manual mill in the place with them. They are fast to change tools, and easier on those who are height challenged, but I will have to say that they are the equipment most needing maintenance of everything in the shop. Nothing breaks down more than the power drawbars. And make sure you always have a spare drawbar around, cause when they round off, they seem to do it all at once.

And watch out for cutter pull out. The power drawbars don't tighten up nearly as much as a manual one. Have scrapped out a ton of things that were milled too deep. If pullout is a big problem, make sure to use a solid holder with a setscrew and keep it up against the angle of the flat on the endmill.

Have fun with that thing!!!!

Aussie Mike · #5 (**permalink**) 12-29-2015, 04:51 AM

Three years of working with flood coolant leaves a mess. You have to keep on top of cleaning up if you are going to use it (Which I've been a bit lax in).

Moved all the machines out and gave the floor a good scrub with degreaser today.

Here it is all neat and tidy again with the new mill in position. I changed the layout a little to give better access to the back of the Lathe for maintenance.

Tomorrow's job is to get power and air run into it and hopefully be able to have it running. Can't wait.

Cheers

leroy17 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-29-2015, 05:56 AM

Looks awesome, I would not know what to do with it all, and one of the nicest shed/work area I have seen.

Oh, I wish you were my neighbour.

Look forward to seeing what you craft with your new mill.

07cob · #7 (**permalink**) 12-29-2015, 03:18 PM

Mike

Fantastic!

Out of interest, how did you move your mill(s) around?

Geof

Aussie Mike · #8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2015, 01:01 AM

Thanks Leroy.

Geof, To move the Mills and Lathe I used a mobile Gantry with a chain block I picked up from Radum a few years back. It's rated to about 2 tom and has been brilliant. I couldn't have bought the steel to make one for the price I paid. Once lifted I put the mill on a pallet jack which is rated to about 3 ton (another bargain from Radum). On the pallet jack it's easy enough to wheel the Mill to where you need it and then lift it off at the other end with the gantry. A one man job to move a mill weighing about 1500KG.

Ted, I just happened to score a second hand shed fridge the other day. My wife may make me move out there if I buy any more machinery.

Cheers

07cob · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2015, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Geof, To move the Mills and Lathe I used a mobile Gantry with a chain block I picked up from Radum a few years back. It's rated to about 2 tom and has been brilliant. I couldn't have bought the steel to make one for the price I paid. Once lifted I put the mill on a pallet jack which is rated to about 3 ton (another bargain from Radum). On the pallet jack it's easy enough to wheel the Mill to where you need it and then lift it off at the other end with the gantry. A one man job to move a mill weighing about 1500KG.

Mike

Great idea!. I used 2" water pipe, a crowbar, wedges and a whole lot of time for a similar operation. One man but very slow!!

Geof

renovationinnov · #10 (**permalink**) 12-30-2015, 01:54 AM

are you sure that's not on her cards already mike
so other well laid plans [ dog house [ come shed

Aussie Mike · #11 (**permalink**) 12-30-2015, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renovationinnov

are you sure that's not on her cards already mike
so other well laid plans [ dog house [ come shed

Maybe it's on my cards. If I get sent to the dog house at least it'll be some place I like to be.

indianamoon · #12 (**permalink**) 12-30-2015, 08:09 AM

Have moved most of mine around the shop many times. I use 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 pipe. I diebar the mill up to get the first pipe under, diebar it forward until it almost goes over center, put in another piece of pipe under the front, then push it forward (sometimes with one hand if I have the floor super clean) and keep doing this until I get it where I want it. Super easy and you just have to kick one end or the other of a pipe to turn the whole thing. Ain't physics great!!!

Aussie Mike · #13 (**permalink**) 01-01-2016, 04:40 AM

A mate of mine has a Lathe that's about 12 foot long and probably weighs 4 tons. We moved it across his workshop floor rolling on lengths of pipe. The jib crane on the truck that unloaded it couldn't extend out far enough with that weight to get it any where close to where it was going to be situated in the workshop.

The mill is powered up and running. I've been trying to teach myself to program it and it's been good fun so far.

Nearly got the air system run in today. I'm using Sharkbite PEX tubing and push on fittings to run the air reticulation in the shed. It's designed for house plumbing water and is rated to about 200PSI which should be fine for the 120PSI from the compressor.

Here's some info on it.
Sharkbite

Sharkbite Engineering specs

No special tools required and the connectors just push to connect. Thy can be easily disconnected to rearrange or add extra pipes in.

Gav put me onto the idea of using the plastic plumbing pipe for air reticulation but I think he used a different system that has crimp on ends.

I'll give you a full report once it's up and running.

Cheers

Paul F · #14 (**permalink**) 01-01-2016, 05:59 PM

Mike, you're way too neat! What a showplace.

The pipes are a great way to move items. I wasn't smart enough to do that. I ended up making a couple of these to move my mill.

I found these in a junk yard and I put one on each end of my lathe. I keep them there.

Aussie Mike · #15 (**permalink**) 01-02-2016, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul F

Mike, you're way too neat! What a showplace.

It's all a lie. Anyone who has visited my shed will tell you I only take pics of the tidy bits

We could have used some skates like those when moving that big Lathe. Even rolling on pipe it was hard work to shift.

Cheers

guye · #16 (**permalink**) 01-02-2016, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

It's all a lie. Anyone who has visited my shed will tell you I only take pics of the tidy bits

...

True. We had trouble finding a space for my gearbox that day, didn't we Mike!?

But I'd prefer your shed dirty to my shed clean ANY DAY of the week!

#mancaverulez

Aussie Mike · #17 (**permalink**) 01-02-2016, 05:54 AM

Got the air system finished today. Very happy with the results. Only a couple of leaks and they were from the pipe threads on the brass fittings. A bit of extra thread tape sorted them out.

Here's the PEX pipe with an air fitting on the end. I've put a few of these around the shed to easily jack into. I'll be expanding the system in future to add more connection points.

I have to say very easy to connect and setup. I'll see hoe it goes for leaks or problems in the coming months.

I put a double outlet behind the mill. One for the air draw bar supply and another for an air duster. Handy to have when you are machining. I've got a spare regulator that I'll bolt next to the wall to drop the pressure for the air duster. 130PSI is a bit dangerous for blowing chips and swarf away.

Tidied up the mill wiring as well. It was pick'n mix cable ties broken and oddball cable fixings. I wrapped the wires with spiral wrap to tidy them up and I had some spare rubber lined P-clips to secure it in place.

Had fun working on it all today.

Cheers

indianamoon · #18 (**permalink**) 01-02-2016, 10:51 AM

Mike,

Consider putting a "T" at the outlet down low with a vertical leg and valve at the bottom to drain off the condensate. We also always come off the top of the high run and then a couple of elbows down to keep the condensate spray in check.

Aussie Mike · #19 (**permalink**) 01-12-2016, 05:26 PM

Slowly working out tooling for the new mill. The Hafco mill uses an NT30 taper for the tools. The CNC mill has an R8 taper which means most of my old tooling is not compatible with the new mill... Bugger.

Many of the tools like the boring head and indexable tipped face mills are mounted on arbors so it's just a matter of detaching them from the NT30 arbor and buying a suitable R8 arbor. I picked up a couple of new arbors the other day.

I also bought a new mill vice. With CNC there is no need for a swivel base vice any more. Any odd angles can just be programmed in. The new vice is a beast. It's a modular vice that is precision ground so should make for some nice accurate machining. The jaws are 6" wide and it opens to 12". It's also has a special type of jaw that pulls the work piece down as well as clamping it in place. To me it's machinist porn.

Cheers

07cob · #20 (**permalink**) 01-13-2016, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Slowly working out tooling for the new mill. The Hafco mill uses an NT30 taper for the tools. The CNC mill has an R8 taper which means most of my old tooling is not compatible with the new mill... Bugger.

Mike

Can you get an adapter for the NT30 to R8? It will take up some vertical travel but you should have plenty for most jobs. At least you might be able to reuse some of your old tools. Not sure if it would work with the fancy schmancy new fandangled tool changer.

Geof