mini milling machine

[jimmy shoes]

hi,

im looking for a miniature milling machine for purely hobby/crafting work, can anyone recommend some good ones?

as im still in college i don't want to break the bank on this item.

thanks

 

[hareng]

I know you said hobby/crafting but what size and what materials will be used?

If its very light work in plastics, wood, aluminium and even lighter cuts in ss and mild steel. 7" x less than 5" at best working size. Normally 7x5" travel equates to around a 3 x 1 1/2" work piece. The upright column will flex and probably break cutters. Add on tooling and a vice.
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/cobra_mill.htm
Same machine cheaper http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...drilling-machine/path/metal-lathes-milldrills

Next step up and are accurate, £100 cheaper than Machine Mart http://www.chesteruk.net/store/eagle_25.htm
Got the Machine Mart one myself as a spare miller/driller or when the bigger one has a job on, paid £240 9 years ago which only milled a Landrover head and recut the valves from new.

 

[jimmy shoes]

thanks,

yeah i will be working on mostly aluminium

 

[hareng]

I do a lot of aluminium, funny stuff.
Think the problem you will have on the cheap starter or small bench types is rigidity and lack of torque. Some may have the speed but thats useless without torque, same with the lathes. ****** are notorious for producing motors with low torque.

 

[jugs]

thanks,

yeah i will be working on mostly aluminium

Hi jimmy

What do you want to do on it, Facing? Boring? Sloting? Gangmilling? Sliting?
What size jobs ?
What size cutters will you use ?

 

[hareng]

Should have asked that myself Jugsy.

On the smallest above think 10mm dia cutters but when a vice is on there isnt much height left. More suited for 3 to 5mm cutters.

I use the morse taper collets often known as finger collets MT3 and R8, no slipping, almost full heigth retained and quickest of all the tool change methods 10 secs can have new cutter in.
Absolutely detest those Clarkson and ER types.

 

[Splatfest]

Try these clicky

 

[jimmy shoes]

well i don't really know allot about machining but always had a fascination with it so i will be learning while using it, so alot of experimenting, don't know the correct terminology when it comes to machining but, i wanna be able to machine some kind of joints e.g a T&G joint on metal.

p.s this is another "secret" project of mine lol

p.p.s any useful website where i can read up on the basics of milling etc

 

[andypocock]

More of the same but I was impressed with this

http://tinyurl.com/5lpgvh

when I used one to cut some steam ports and face a pair of gunmetal cylinders.

I'd hunt out some model engineering books for an laymans introduction to milling.

 

[jugs]

well i don't really know allot about machining but always had a fascination with it so i will be learning while using it, so alot of experimenting, don't know the correct terminology when it comes to machining but, i wanna be able to machine some kind of joints e.g a T&G joint on metal.

p.s this is another "secret" project of mine lol

p.p.s any useful website where i can read up on the basics of milling etc

Jimmy, if you cant give us any info, how can we give you any help

I want to go on a trip, i don't really know allot about traveling, I don't know when I want to go, its a "secret" destination. Can YOU tell me when I'll arrive & how much it will cost me ?

There's lots of info available, a good place to start is Google, they wont ask for your "secrets"

 

[HasBean]

As above try Warco, Roger Warren is the boss, very helpfull, or Axminster, again good to deal with.
Paul

 

[jimmy shoes]

i'm sorry for being so secretive, basically I've been doing lockpicking as a hobby(just a hobby cant stress that enough) for a few years now, lockpicking is generally frowned upon for obvious reasons, hence my reluctance to mention it.

so anyway this tool i'm making is sort of an interchangeable pick (the head of it can be swapped for a different one).

basically i wanna make something like this

 

[jugs]

Jimmy, if you cant give us any info, how can we give you any help

I want to go on a trip, i don't really know allot about traveling, I don't know when I want to go, its a "secret" destination. Can YOU tell me when I'll arrive & how much it will cost me ?

There's lots of info available, a good place to start is Google, they wont ask for your "secrets"

If you give a little you get a lot. To see what I mean read THIS thread

 

[hareng]

Jimmy what are the rough sizes of the sketch?

 

[jugs]

i'm sorry for being so secretive, basically I've been doing lockpicking as a hobby(just a hobby cant stress that enough) for a few years now, lockpicking is generally frowned upon for obvious reasons, hence my reluctance to mention it.

so anyway this tool i'm making is sort of an interchangeable pick (the head of it can be swapped for a different one).

basically i wanna make something like this

Too much information now of the wrong sort,

Still dont know how big but I guess small.

So what you need is small precision model engineering type machine
It should have a minimum 1Hp (750W) motor.
Either a MT3 (morse taper) or R8 spindle.
DONT even look at a machine with a round column (often called mill/drills). When milling the head tends to swing around column & it flexes.

New ones that might suit you
Axminster

Warco

Some names of good solid old machines you should pick up for £400-750 on E-bay
Alexander
Deckel
Harrison
Raglan
Senior
Thiel (Germany)

This should start your search good luck.

 

[hareng]

sort of an interchangeable pick (the head of it can be swapped for a different one). basically i wanna make something like this

Will be cheaper to have it made out!

Without even knowing your rough size what you would require is a dovetail cutter either 45 or 60 degree. Smallest 60 degree cutters i have seen are from J&L 3/8", never seen them any where else.
45 degree availability with 3/8" shank? if not its a bigger machine with MT3 taper, collets available up to 3/4" then.
Smallest MT3 http://www.chesteruk.net/store/conquest_mill.htm Looks the same as by other companies (all made in same place) but its not.
That would struggle milling out the channel as well.

My advice but probably out of reach is the Axmminster delivered for £618 is
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-ZX25M2-Vertical-Mill-Drill-364975.htm
Same machines different names colours and prices
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cmd1225c-mill-drill/path/metal-lathes-milldrills
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/eagle_25.htm
http://www.warco-tools.com/shop.asp?catid=40&ProdId=96
http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=8044

Never known any one have a good deal with Warco.

 

[wyn]

Lock picking......... in Merthyr....

 

[jimmy shoes]

wow pricey, the tool will be about 13mm x 80mm and about 3mm thick

 

[hareng]

Is that just the cover 3 thick x 13 wide.

Those are the cheap ones add same again for tooling. Thats why it costs to have work done out.