Warco 14 milling machine drawbar

[mrsbruce]

I’ve been getting into the habit of using ER32 collets in my milling machine, but today, I dug out a direct collet, and could not get it to thread. I spent about 45 minutes faffing about before I realised what the problem was (duh).

When I bought the machine, I chose the metric model, but I’m sure I was told that there were two drawbars included, one metric, one 3/8”. Turns out both are 10mm, and I think it may be too late complain to Warco.

My question is, if I make a 3/8” drawbar for it, can I just use any old steel rod?

 

[Richiew]

Rightly or wrongly, I just have some threaded rod and a nut as a draw bar. One in BSW and one in metric.

 

[mrsbruce]

That sounds like a plan.

 

[mrsbruce]

I’ve just had a look at the receipt, and it appears that they sent half of the direct collects 3/8” and the other half metric, and sent 2 10mm metric drawbars. I really should have paid more attention at the time.

Not a problem.

 

[addjunkie]

Rightly or wrongly, I just have some threaded rod and a nut as a draw bar. One in BSW and one in metric.

Snap

 

[Shox Dr]

I required a draw bar for a Tom Senior. I found a very long Allen bolt did the job for a fiver. 12.9rated as well

 

[My Old Landy]

I have made some for my vertical mill and about to make a metric one for my horizontal mill. I have used anything available it just becomes a shear pin lol but I seriously doubt you will overload it enough to break it as the collet will give first.

 

[xstian]

I ended fitting threaded inserts in mine so they are all the same size. A bit if a faff once, but I don't have to keep changing the draw bar. The ceiling in my garage is very low and I have to lower the head to remove the bar. I figured that will catch me out one day, when I'm halfway through a job.

 

[mrsbruce]

I got all stubborn, and wanted to finish ‘squaring up’ the piece I was working on (fixing telescope to tripod broken fixing), so like the barbarian(ess) I am, I used a 10mm tap, and recut the 3/8” thread on the collet. I then hacked a bit off the end of the spare drawbar to allow it to tighten the collet, and it worked.

Surprisingly, I easily found a length of round bar with a 3/8” thread on the end. I may just add a thread to the top, and job done, but I quite fancy turning a copy of the Warco drawbar at some point.

Why?

Because I can.