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Posted by Jim Wilkins on June 7, 2008, 9:50 pm
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> > See why we buy a lathe?
>
> I am looking at local colleges for a course on lathe/mill machine use. I
> have a long and relatively successful history of teaching things myself bu=
t
> I have feeling this would be one of those activities where time and money
> might be saved by learning on the actual instrument rather than from books=
> (come think of it, there might be DVDs, too).
I was more or less pointed toward the Bridgeport and told to have fun
with it. The kid who used it showed me how to change speeds and left.
I burned and dulled the first end mill by overspeeding and overfeeding
it but was OK after that. Likewise the checkout I got on a CNC Bridgie
was turn it on, let it boot, home it, this is jog mode, now make some
chips.
Having someone around to answer questions was very valuable, though.
>
> Of course, if my Better Half returned from Toronto and found a lathe in th=
e
> garage I just might get my gonads removed.
>
> Now here is a very basic question: I need a new drill press. Rather than
> buying a bigger and more expensive one, would it make sense to add to the
> pot and buy a mill? I.e. will mill do what drill press does as well as the=
> milling?
> Michael Koblic,
Generally yes, with the exceptions that a floor drill press can drill
into the end of a much longer piece, and you can clamp a bench drill
press onto a large beam or plate to drill it. IMHO a drill press might
be equal or slightly better for woodworking, but a vertical knee mill
or mill-drill is excellent for drilling metal. I don't know enough
about new equipment to suggest any of them.
Jim Wilkins
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Posted by William Noble on June 8, 2008, 3:43 am
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>
> Now here is a very basic question: I need a new drill press. Rather than
> buying a bigger and more expensive one, would it make sense to add to the
> pot and buy a mill? I.e. will mill do what drill press does as well as the
> milling?
> Michael Koblic,
Generally yes, with the exceptions that a floor drill press can drill
into the end of a much longer piece, and you can clamp a bench drill
press onto a large beam or plate to drill it. IMHO a drill press might
be equal or slightly better for woodworking, but a vertical knee mill
or mill-drill is excellent for drilling metal. I don't know enough
about new equipment to suggest any of them.
Jim Wilkins
one comment on mills versus drill presses - some mills (mine for example) do
not have a handle for lowering the quill like a drill press does so to drill
things you raise the table - you have no feel for what is happening that
way, so I find I like to have both.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
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Posted by Jim Wilkins on June 8, 2008, 7:53 am
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> one comment on mills versus drill presses - some mills (mine for example) =
do
> not have a handle for lowering the quill like a drill press does so to dri=
ll
> things you raise the table - you have no feel for what is happening that
> way, so I find I like to have both.
Is it a new machine or an antique?
One of the few things I like on the RF-31 mill drill is its 5" quill
stroke. The 3" stroke on my mill is more typical, and adequate to
drill a hole but when I have to use several different tools at the
same place it's limiting. It helps to buy tools that are all
approximately the same length, such as large 1/2" shank drill bits
that are about as long as a stub-length pilot bit in a chuck. Taps are
a problem. I've seen shop-made tap holders that used 4 setscrews to
clamp the square end.
Jim Wilkins
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Posted by William Noble on June 8, 2008, 11:58 am
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> one comment on mills versus drill presses - some mills (mine for example)
> do
> not have a handle for lowering the quill like a drill press does so to
> drill
> things you raise the table - you have no feel for what is happening that
> way, so I find I like to have both.
Is it a new machine or an antique?
One of the few things I like on the RF-31 mill drill is its 5" quill
stroke. The 3" stroke on my mill is more typical, and adequate to
drill a hole but when I have to use several different tools at the
same place it's limiting. It helps to buy tools that are all
approximately the same length, such as large 1/2" shank drill bits
that are about as long as a stub-length pilot bit in a chuck. Taps are
a problem. I've seen shop-made tap holders that used 4 setscrews to
clamp the square end.
Jim Wilkins
My machine is an Abene VHF-3 - they are still made, though this particular
machine was made in 1970 - 6 hp spindle, 2 hp ways - what is good is that
it's horizontal/vertical because the head rotates and it has an overarm.
But the quill downfeed was optional and I've never seen an Abene mill with
that option - if I saw one, they go cheaply enough I might buy the whole
mill just to get it.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
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Posted by Martin H. Eastburn on June 8, 2008, 10:22 pm
Please log in for more thread options One can extend the ability of the floor standing (or bench - mount 180 degrees
from normal and over the bench edge... Use strong bench /metal plate...
You can use a screw up table - Z table IIRC from the floor jacking up the part.
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/
William Noble wrote:
>> Now here is a very basic question: I need a new drill press. Rather than
>> buying a bigger and more expensive one, would it make sense to add to the
>> pot and buy a mill? I.e. will mill do what drill press does as well as the
>> milling?
>> Michael Koblic,
>
> Generally yes, with the exceptions that a floor drill press can drill
> into the end of a much longer piece, and you can clamp a bench drill
> press onto a large beam or plate to drill it. IMHO a drill press might
> be equal or slightly better for woodworking, but a vertical knee mill
> or mill-drill is excellent for drilling metal. I don't know enough
> about new equipment to suggest any of them.
>
> Jim Wilkins
>
> one comment on mills versus drill presses - some mills (mine for example) do
> not have a handle for lowering the quill like a drill press does so to drill
> things you raise the table - you have no feel for what is happening that
> way, so I find I like to have both.
>
>
> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
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