Really basic milling machine question

[Lockhouse]

Hi,

A really basic question here - I've inherited this Naerok RDM350M Milling machine and I don't know how to take the chuck out. Please see the attached photos for the current state it's in. It had a push-fit drill chuck attached which I just tapped off, now it just has a shaft and chuck attached. There's a grub screw on one side but it doesn't appear to do anything. The machine has not been used in some time so it may be a little stuck - I'm not sure where I need to attack it from and don't want to cause any damage.

Thanks very much,

Andy

 

[madkayaker]

Mortise taper by the luck of it. There will be a slot in the quill put a pice of bar through it and bring the chuck up it should fall out quite easy

 

[Lockhouse]

Thanks for the reply. I'm being really thick here but can you explain it in more detail as I don't know what a quill is.

The machine works OK - I've now had it running.

 

[madkayaker]

The quill is the bit that goes up and down with the chuck on. If its not a taper look for a nut on top of the machine there is often a long bolt that goes down the quill and screw into the back of the tool holder

 

[Lockhouse]

Thanks very much for the reply - I'll give it a go.

 

[rtbcomp]

Can you see the top end of the shaft that the chuck fitted to through the large slot in the quill?

If so this is the bit you need to drift downwards. Did a taper drift come with the machine? Google "Morse Taper Drift".

 

[Lockhouse]

There is a shaft that runs down the entire length of the machine that has a couple of nuts right at the top. This protrudes through the top of the machine with the cover closed.

 

[brightspark]

the morse taper chuck will be held in with a drawbar through the center of the quill or u could call it the shaft . slightly slacken the nut off on the top and tap it with a copper hammer or simlar and the taper will loosen .completely unscrew it and out comes the chuck heres an example yours will probably be a no 3 morse taper. the one in picture is no 30 international taper

 

[hareng]

Looks like an RF25 with a different name on it, same colour as Clarke aka Machine Mart.
It will be MT3 taper and may be wedged in.

As above, open top cover, undo top nut in middle of first pulley and rotate about 1 1/2 revs. You can grab with left hand the pulley whilst undoing the nut/drawbar, no need for a spindle lock.
May need the lock on quill or engage mill operation. Give the drawbar a short quick whack with 1/2lb+ hammer.
If see anything drop or move just unscrew rest of drawbar.

 

[Wedg1e]

the one in picture is no 30 international taper

You sure 'spark? My 1ES has a 40 Int.

 

[brightspark]

You sure 'spark? My 1ES has a 40 Int.

i stand corrected it is a 40 just looked in me spec manual its the late hours i work and me age

 

[Wedg1e]

I was just beginning to question my own claim there

Came past your place earlier (as I do most Sunday nights about 8.30-9) en route to the pub ; no sign of them starting work on the the new housing on the MOD site yet, any ideas on schedule?

I see the school had its evil masterplan for new playing fields chucked out by the council; I guess they'll just have to try again with bigger bribes

 

[brightspark]

I was just beginning to question my own claim there

Came past your place earlier (as I do most Sunday nights about 8.30-9) en route to the pub ; no sign of them starting work on the the new housing on the MOD site yet, any ideas on schedule?

I see the school had its evil masterplan for new playing fields chucked out by the council; I guess they'll just have to try again with bigger bribes

probably start if the housing market picks up dunno when that will be . more scrotes hanging around when they do im glad the school got turned down the smug sods trample all over everyone

 

[Lockhouse]

Sorted - and another question

Thank you - following your advice I got it sorted!

There was a shaft running through the milling machine that the tool holder screwed into. I undid the locking nut on the top of this and unscrewed the shaft which drew it out of the tool holder. When it was completely free I tapped the shaft with a hammer and it knocked the tool holder and chuck free of the machine.

I have another problem now. I've changed the tool holder and fitted a drill chuck tool and I have a lot of oscillation through the shaft from top to bottom even when it appears that I've done it up tightly and have the correct sized tool holder. There's a grommet in the bottom of the quill (?) that lines up with the slot in the tool holder and this all looks OK. Any ideas what may be causing it?

 

[Pete.]

When you want to release the taper, undo the drawbar only a couple of turns then strike the top. This will release the taper without dropping the collet/chuck onto the machine table or your hand (which is not what you want if it's holding a sharp slot drill). It also saves wrecking the drawbar threads. Then you can support the loose holder with one hand and undo the drawbar with the other.

As far as your 'running out of true' goes, if it sits on the taper it will run true, so there must be something holding it cocked. No1 cause for a novice is pulling it up with the pin not in the groove, but as you've already said that's not the case it must be some other reason. Remove the tool from the spindle and inspect both tapers for foreign obejects. Usually if it's been pulled up tight you'll see witness marks on the shank or taper telling you where to look.

 

[Lockhouse]

Thanks

Hi Pete,

All sorted thanks for your help - the chuck we were using was not centered correctly which we were able to identify from your instructions.

Also thanks for your tool release tip - at least I know the proper way of doing it now!

Andy