Astra Milling Machine info and help would be appreciated

[CaptainPugwash]

Got this little Astra milling machine and would appreciate advice.

It has no tooling, what do I realistically need to get underway to perform basic milling operations? (Amateur)

And recommend suppliers.
I have a feeling it takes MT2

,is this right?

What I could do to increase its usability in the future is also something I'm interested in.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[CaptainPugwash]

 

[James1979]

CST (Astra) L1, L2, L4 & L5, CM-60, Plain Mill,

CST (Astra) L1, L2, L4 & L5, CM-60, Plain Mill, <br>and Type

www.lathes.co.uk

This may help

 

[Agroshield]

There will be details of the machine at lathes.co.uk if you have not already seen them.

I would start with an ER20 or ER25 collet holder on a MT2 shank, a set of collets and some threaded rod and a nut for a drawbar.

In the beginning, a basic hold down clamping set would do until you have considered your vices.

As for suppliers, you won't go wrong with ArcEuroTrade. Other similar ones like Chronos and RDG can be a bit hit and miss.

Chester Machine Tools are having a tooling sale until the end of the month, but I would run any prospective purchases past the experts here before pressing the buy button.

I am quite sure someone will be along and recommend ER32 or ER 40, but IMO, they are too big for MT2

 

[gaz1]

i cant see the top head or arbor so it can be used as horizontal milling machine but you do have the head of the astra that is worth something

i managed to get these in a full set all being mt2

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Thanks Agroshield, I've a bit to go off there.
In particular thanks for the MT to collet recommendation because there is the option on their website of MT end mill holders, which I wouldn't have known better than. Just looking up what I'm doing with a drawbar now.

 

[Agroshield]

...there is the option on their website of MT end mill holders

An end mill holder will hold only one size of endmill. The ER collet set will hold a range of sizes (maybe 2mm to 13mm in ER20) and will hold both imperial and metric as well as drill bits, countersinks (and holesaws so long as they have a round shank).

The place you buy the collet chuck from will tell you what thread is in the end of it. The first thing to see if the hole in the machine spindle is big enough for that size threaded bar to pass. If not, let us know and we can find an alternative solution. The main thing with a drawbar, especially on a Morse taper is not to do it up too tight. On the international torque scale, snug is better; Kwikfit is bad.

Have a look here and search within the collection for 'milling'. You should find one by Harold Hall. It is worth flicking through.

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

This one is also worth browsing:

Mini-mill – Mini-lathe.com

 

[Chippie]

As it stands ( from what I’ve seen in the pictures) this is a horizontal mill with a vertical head, but no sign of the top arm/spindle arbor
Having the mating top arm support and milling arbor will make it into a very versatile machine….for that a selection of cutters will enable various profiles to be machined…

 

[CaptainPugwash]

An end mill holder will hold only one size of endmill. The ER collet set will hold a range of sizes (maybe 2mm to 13mm in ER20) and will hold both imperial and metric as well as drill bits, countersinks (and holesaws so long as they have a round shank).

The place you buy the collet chuck from will tell you what thread is in the end of it. The first thing to see if the hole in the machine spindle is big enough for that size threaded bar to pass. If not, let us know and we can find an alternative solution. The main thing with a drawbar, especially on a Morse taper is not to do it up too tight. On the international torque scale, snug is better; Kwikfit is bad.

Have a look here and search within the collection for 'milling'. You should find one by Harold Hall. It is worth flicking through.

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Texts, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine

archive.org

This one is also worth browsing:

Mini-mill – Mini-lathe.com

Thanks again that's great.

I've got some bed time reading; nice to have a recommendation because there is a lot to pick from.

Tomorrow I will check I have require hole for the drawbar necessary for the er25 collet holder. Before I order it etc. Seen most end mills fit the collets that come with the holder on Arc euro Trade.

Does anyone know how the following would fit to a miller, particularly if there is a way for my miller to attach the following?

90° Indexable Carbide Shell Mills - Arc Euro Trade

For face and square shoulder milling. Diameter: 40mm, 50mm, 63mm & 80mm. For APKT1604 PDFR or APMT1604 PDER inserts.

www.arceurotrade.co.uk

 

[Agroshield]

Does anyone know how the following would fit to a miller, particularly if there is a way for my miller to attach the following?

MT2 Shell Mill Arbors - Arc Euro Trade

MT2 Shell Mill Arbors - 16mm & 22mm diameter. Used to hold shell mills, indexable face milling and shoulder milling cutters.

www.arceurotrade.co.uk

Arc is one of many similar suppliers, so please do look around a bit before spending your money. With the shell mills, an eBay China special is probably OK (BAP400 is a fairly universal code). The body and insert screws are generally acceptable; it is the inserts themselves where the quality is iffy. You can spend the money you have saved on buying good quality inserts for it that suit your machine characteristics (that is another rabbit hole to go down).

You have to match the hole in the shell mill to the cylindrical shaft on the arbor. Do not be too greedy with the size. The mill might not have either enough power or enough speed to do the shell mill justice.

 

[CaptainPugwash]

MT2 Shell Mill Arbors - Arc Euro Trade

MT2 Shell Mill Arbors - 16mm & 22mm diameter. Used to hold shell mills, indexable face milling and shoulder milling cutters.

www.arceurotrade.co.uk

Arc is one of many similar suppliers, so please do look around a bit before spending your money. With the shell mills, an eBay China special is probably OK (BAP400 is a fairly universal code). The body and insert screws are generally acceptable; it is the inserts themselves where the quality is iffy. You can spend the money you have saved on buying good quality inserts for it that suit your machine characteristics (that is another rabbit hole to go down).

You have to match the hole in the shell mill to the cylindrical shaft on the arbor. Do not be too greedy with the size. The mill might not have either enough power or enough speed to do the shell mill justice.

Cheers, not sure how I missed that Arbor page.

Talking of similar suppliers, I actually occasionally used to drive past RDG in west Yorkshire. I have been there in the past and was very disappointed with their supplied pre ground Lathe tools. I replaced these with a couple of second hand HSS tools, some HSS, a Carbide insert tool from Chronos, and then a cheap no name Set of index/ insert carbide tools from ebay which were great.
In case anyone is wondering, RDG barely knocked the postage off for being there in person, never mind a discount. I was very impressed with their supplied Lathe Chuck backplate, and two Lathe Chucks for how much they are, but very disappointed with their lathe tools; so I am a bit wary of the cheap UK supplied Chinese engineering cutting tools. Nice show room if anyone in West Yorkshire wants to ogle a new myford lathe.

I'll try to source good quality carbide inserts for the shell mill.

Thanks for reminding me I might not have all that much grunt with the little motor in my Astra (It isn't a VXR!!), as I would probably have picked the biggest shell mill I could get on the arbor but will re-think.

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Anyone know how the (probably not original) switch should be wired? The grubby wire from the motor is already wired.
Tia, would save some googling

 

[CaptainPugwash]

^Done

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Bought some tooling from Arc Euro trade and ebay as suggested, to get me going with a face cutter and er25 collet set. Used threaded rod and two nuts for drawbar. Got two end mills so far . Will have a go when the clamping set arrives, I'm keeping out an eye for a milling vice and other stuff.
Thanks for all the help.

I'd like to fit some kind of DRO system, someone on another thread kindly suggested something supplied by Amadeal.
Any good suggestions which is the best route at the cheap end?

 

[Chippie]

Capt.

Re dro scales, do you have a budget in mind?

I had a Sieg X2 mill that I fitted scales to bought from Arceurotrade…like these….

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Digital-Readouts-with-Dedicated-Remote-Display/Digital-Readout-Bars-with-Dedicated-Remote-Display.

In fact I have a short one fitted to the barrel on the tail stock in my lathe…works quite well

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Capt.

Re dro scales, do you have a budget in mind?

I had a Sieg X2 mill that I fitted scales to bought from Arceurotrade…like these….

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Digital-Readouts-with-Dedicated-Remote-Display/Digital-Readout-Bars-with-Dedicated-Remote-Display.

In fact I have a short one fitted to the barrel on the tail stock in my lathe…works quite well

Thanks , went for ones like this. I will report back in the future.

 

[CaptainPugwash]

Thanks to agroshield and chippie in particular.
I fitted the cheap remote reading readout scales from arc euro trade as suggested. In all three axis. It took quite a lot of work as the surfaces on the machine mostly don't line up and aren't flat.
Thanks again.

 

[6ply]

Got this little Astra milling machine and would appreciate advice.

It has no tooling, what do I realistically need to get underway to perform basic milling operations? (Amateur)

And recommend suppliers.
I have a feeling it takes MT2View attachment 364358,is this right?

What I could do to increase its usability in the future is also something I'm interested in.

Thanks in advance for any help
View attachment 364359View attachment 364360View attachment 364361View attachment 364362

View attachment 364357

View attachment 364356

What size are the t slots? I have a spare clamping set that is not being used.

 

[CaptainPugwash]

What size are the t slots? I have a spare clamping set that is not being used.

10mm but I bought a set now, but thanks for mentioning