ER 20 milling head any Good?

[Noods]

Hi
Anyone got any experience with these type of ER 20 milling heads?

I would be looking to working with milling steel and aluminium..

Hoping to hear what the quality is like etc please.. Thanks..

 

[Fastdruid]

ER20 is rather small, if you're going ER20 then I'd be more tempted to go with a dedicated spindle with included ER20 and go for higher speeds.

I've seen similar to those in ISO/NT/BT30 which would be more useful, I've also seen them with the motor and everything which saves having to faff with getting that sorted.

 

[Hopefuldave]

Rather small, as in max collet is 13mm / 1/2", Er32 goes up to 20mm and may be more usefull, depending on the power you've got to propel it?

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Kram]

What is it to be used on? Many of these import spindles are only intended for CNC wood router type things, so they have high speed but not really up to doing ferrous milling, atleast not at slower speed with bigger cutters.

When I was thinking about adding a spindle on lathe I went with a VDI40 live tooling ER32 spindle. Its intended for CNC lathes to add milling. I havent got around to adapting it yet
Quality will be very good provided its not worn out.. something like:

VDI 40 Driven / Live Tool with ER32 Collet. (Axial) DIN 1809 (Right Hand) CNC 2 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VDI 40 Driven / Live Tool with ER32 Collet. (Axial) DIN 1809 (Right Hand) CNC 2 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[optima21]

I use ER20 collets on my Hobbymat lathe and milling machine, so as you say they can hold up to 13mm, with the blocks above, there doesnt seem to be much space for the bearings and the spindle may flex if its small diameter. The ER20 collets are fine for milling, on my milling machine I use up to 8mm diameter milling cutters

 

[Noods]

Thanks guys for all your valuable advice.. I confess i’ve no experience will milling but something i’ve always wanted to have for use as and when..
I’m a car mechanic by trade so useful at taking things apart and occasionally putting them back together..

Basically i’m building my own at the mo to the best spec i can.. But when it comes to the head as i call it i’m lost .. Tapered bearings yes or no ER20 etc blank quills? quill lock? spindle etc etc
..

I need something for aluminium and steel cutting, surface cutting, metric pref, with a large enough collet to capacity to cope with most projects, so as you say ER20 is a no no really ..
I don’t want to be plagued with chatter etc so my bed etc will be as good as i can do..

Why build my own?.. I’ve little space available so the myford etc is out.. The cheap end small mills seem very limited and struggle for accuracy etc.. I’ve electric 240 bolts motors from 1/2 hp upto 3 hp.. I will add speed control etc and want a coolant pump etc..
I’d far rather build my own version for these reasons but it’s your knowledge that i need to avoid a wrong path..

Can i purchase a spindle on its own or do i get one made? get the bearings, and fit a pulley and a suitable quill.. Do i go tapered bearings or not? so much to know..

All your help is as always so appreciated…

Thank you
NOODS

 

[Noods]

What is it to be used on? Many of these import spindles are only intended for CNC wood router type things, so they have high speed but not really up to doing ferrous milling, atleast not at slower speed with bigger cutters.

When I was thinking about adding a spindle on lathe I went with a VDI40 live tooling ER32 spindle. Its intended for CNC lathes to add milling. I havent got around to adapting it yet
Quality will be very good provided its not worn out.. something like:

VDI 40 Driven / Live Tool with ER32 Collet. (Axial) DIN 1809 (Right Hand) CNC 2 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VDI 40 Driven / Live Tool with ER32 Collet. (Axial) DIN 1809 (Right Hand) CNC 2 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

If you guys think that would do then great… Only thing i would need to find then would be a geared pulley and a bearing plus housing yes?

 

[Kram]

Ah, I wouldnt recommend either, if your building from scratch. Do you have a lathe or acess to a lathe?

How much space is your limited space?

 

[Noods]

Ah, I wouldnt recommend either, if your building from scratch. Do you have a lathe or acess to a lathe?

How much space is your limited space?

Yes mte from scratch and very limited space wise..

 

[Kram]

I will assume "very", is slightly less limted than my situation then.
I have a small lathe, taking almost the entire space of my tiny shed. Any kind of milling has to either be on the lathe or live outside in the rain.

 

[addjunkie]

Yes mte from scratch and very limited space wise..

Is it a stand alone mill, or a milling head to usewith your lathe cross slide. If stand alone, how much space doyou have.

Good to see you back BTW

 

[Noods]

Is it a stand alone mill, or a milling head to usewith your lathe cross slide. If stand alone, how much space doyou have.

Good to see you back BTW

Sorry yes it’s been a while… Stand alone as i don’t have a lathe yet..

 

[Noods]

So what do you guys think about the VDI 40 then.. yes no or maybe ?

 

[Kram]

Ignoring the spindle for a sec, how do you plan to build the rest of it without access to an existing lathe or mill? Are you intending to buy a lot of bolt together parts, linear rails etc ... weld up a frame for it... Epoxy granite in a wooden form?

The VDI option will require making mounts and a drive pulley of some kind, not trivial tasks if you dont have the right tools for it.

 

[Noods]

I can get parts machined if need be by local engineers with lathes etc yes, i will construct the remainder myself, tig welding etc with columns filled with expoxy G .. That won’t be an issue i’m sure it’s the head that i need to ensure i can source it’s as parts, to modify or complete..

 

[addjunkie]

Sorry yes it’s been a while… Stand alone as i don’t have a lathe yet..

If you buy an old lathe, you will also be-able to mill on it.

I can get parts machined if need be by local engineers with lathes etc yes, i will construct the remainder myself, tig welding etc with columns filled with expoxy G .. That won’t be an issue i’m sure it’s the head that i need to ensure i can source it’s as parts, to modify or complete..

Having folk machine stuff for you is expensive. Will defeat the benefit of saving money building your own. If building your own is the objective, again buy old late and use the cross slide and bed to-get your movement, and build your head central to the lathe bed.

 

[Munkul]

I'd have a lathe before a mill.

 

[Maker]

I'd have a lathe before a mill.

That's what everyone told me. I didn't listen and bought a mill first. Barely ever use it, whereas the lathe gets used all the time.

 

[Noods]

Id better start building a lathe then.. I’ve got a 3 jaw chuck self-centre type somewhere …

 

[Munkul]

That's what everyone told me. I didn't listen and bought a mill first. Barely ever use it, whereas the lathe gets used all the time.

I actually use the mill all the time now, whereas the lathe rarely gets used
The difference is, I use the mill because I need a big drill press and it's there, not because I need to mill stuff necessarily.
When I need to turn stuff, obviously the lathe is the only tool that can do that.