I am getting a milling machine

[ron_m80]

Long straight grained wood pry bar, with heavy steel rollers at the bottom, and a hard steel lip to go under and lift. A skateboard moved most of my stuff into my garage. Disassembly did the rest. I don't think you will get it as it is pictured.

[javand]

Pallet jack or a heavy duty hand truck would be a good investment also.

[OTK]

You or a buddy got an engine hoist?

[PT Doc]

No liftgate and only you? I font the driver will be helping you lift something heavy to the ground. I wouldn't recommend lowering hundreds of pounds manually anyway.

[leafstorm]

I do not own a milling machine but i use a bridgeport milling machine on a regular basis. The reason I see no need for a tilting head for milling blades:

- for one once e head it tilted it talks a skilled hand over 2 hours to get the axis perfectly vertical in retrospect to the milling table
- if you needed a machine with a tilting head you can simply mill an angled brace out of aluminum stock to the desired angle. I would take an untrained operator about 15-25 minutes. And one you have it cut you can re use it in the future

So to me if I was going to at home blade work a non tilting head would be the way I go. A for the people who say a tilting head is "less stable" I would like to see evidence of this. I have never found (when using the machine properly). A tilting head makes e machine less stable or accurate. Both tilting and non tilting headed milling machine should be giving you a tolerance or between .oooo5" and .ooo1" depending on e dial accuracy and the machine brand/type.

Hope this helped

Zach

I work in a machine shop on manual lilian mills retrofitted with servos and MILLPWR controls. Most of what your saying is just plain wrong. Im somewhat new to the trade but with a bit of practice, im now able to square up the head to the table in under 20 minutes. And the head tilts both side to side and forward and backward. You need a test indicator to get it under a thou (.oo1) Its really just takes doing it a few times to get the trick of it. I agree making an angle bracket is quick and easy but a sine bar will take you a long way. You could even make one on your mill, since you wont likely be doing very high precision work with it.

Now the tolerances your saying he can achieve, are ridiculous for the home shop hobbiest. In industry this is true but even then, it's difficult to achieve without a wealth of experience and EXPENSIVE measuring tools. When you get down to .0002 or .0001 inches, even temperature will change your measurements. You would need quality micrometers and 'feel' to measure this accurately. I think realistically on a machine like that, if your within .002-.003 inches of a dimension your doing very very well. These little machines are simply not rigid enough to perform that way.

I hope you have alot of fun with your mill charlie mike. I am addicted to the pride that comes from making something, out of a block. Its just so satisfying I dont know how much experience you have with mills but if you do have any questions shoot me a pm. Always happy to help a fellow machining enthusiast.

[Charlie Mike]

Maybe I can get a neighbor to help me get these crates off the truck. We can get appliance dolly from her dad.

[12345678910]

My immediate concern is off loading the crates. The freight service (FedEx) does not offer liftgate service and is curbside only. My garage is a bit over 100' from the curb.

Then pick a different service with lift gate, grizzly should have lots of shipping experience.
Fedex is probably the most expensive too.

If you drop it with no lift gate, it's yours

[Charlie Mike]

It's a total of 750 lbs in 2 crates. I'll prolly just have some buddies over Monday to help.

[wroughndt]

Thank you leafstorm! I was wanting to say exactly what you said but I come off as a jerk. Well put and spot on.

[ron_m80]

CM,

Just to give you a hard time on mills. I found one of these today, sitting in a dark corner collecting dust. It is from the 60's. The old man that owns it said it wasn't for sale, but he told me to write my phone number and name on the head of it just the same.




Good luck with the new mill.

-Ron

[jonnymac44]

Nice, Ron! Hopefully he softens up and gives you a call. SO hard to find older machines here on the West Coast usually. I wish the Golden Gate bridge went straight to Michigan so I could get my hands on some of the wealth of American Iron back there!

Good find.

CM,

Just to give you a hard time on mills. I found one of these today, sitting in a dark corner collecting dust. It is from the 60's. The old man that owns it said it wasn't for sale, but he told me to write my phone number and name on the head of it just the same.




Good luck with the new mill.

-Ron

[javand]

Man I see killer deals out in CA all the freakin time that I have to pass up. Not to mention the fact that about 50% of all the nation's power hammers are in the Seattle area.

[OTK]

Older machines are really a mixed bag. Once you get past the pride of something being made in the USA, there is the whole issue of condition, spare parts, and who is going to do the work if your machine breaks.

If I were a full time guy, no question, buy old and American. Since I am a part time guy in a relatively remote area, I usually choose to buy Taiwanese and more recent machines. Taiwan makes some really good mid grade machinery....and the nicer stuff surpasses old us made stuff on the value scale hands down.

[Charlie Mike]

We might have to rent a pallet jack.

[JBS TOOLMAKER]

Older machines are really a mixed bag. Once you get past the pride of something being made in the USA, there is the whole issue of condition, spare parts, and who is going to do the work if your machine breaks.

If I were a full time guy, no question, buy old and American. Since I am a part time guy in a relatively remote area, I usually choose to buy Taiwanese and more recent machines. Taiwan makes some really good mid grade machinery....and the nicer stuff surpasses old us made stuff on the value scale hands down.

I have an old Hardinge TM/UM mini mill in my shop. From the late 50's and it's smoothe as butter, no slack in the table. Just got to get it wired up for single phase.

[OTK]

Well, hopefully my point wasn't lost. For a man such as yourself, who is equipped to look after an older or more worn machine, they are definitely a good option and a superior value. For the other half, who doesn't have the knowledge or perhaps the time, sometimes a newer but altogether lesser machine is a simpler option.

[Phydeaux]

The son of one of my friends acquired an "obsolete" manual mill from a local high school. He figured out how to convert it into a CNC mill. Smart kid, only in his early 20s.

Ric

[Fellhoelter]

I do not own a milling machine but i use a bridgeport milling machine on a regular basis. The reason I see no need for a tilting head for milling blades:

- for one once e head it tilted it talks a skilled hand over 2 hours to get the axis perfectly vertical in retrospect to the milling table
- if you needed a machine with a tilting head you can simply mill an angled brace out of aluminum stock to the desired angle. I would take an untrained operator about 15-25 minutes. And one you have it cut you can re use it in the future

So to me if I was going to at home blade work a non tilting head would be the way I go. A for the people who say a tilting head is "less stable" I would like to see evidence of this. I have never found (when using the machine properly). A tilting head makes e machine less stable or accurate. Both tilting and non tilting headed milling machine should be giving you a tolerance or between .oooo5" and .ooo1" depending on e dial accuracy and the machine brand/type.

Hope this helped

Zach

Dude, I don't know where you work, but they might want to consider sacking all of those "skilled hands"
This is a 10 - 15 minute procedure.
5 of those minutes are removing the vise if there is one, and then replacing and re-squaring it.
It ain't rocket surgery.

[JBS TOOLMAKER]

Dude, I don't know where you work, but they might want to consider sacking all of those "skilled hands"
This is a 10 - 15 minute procedure.
5 of those minutes are removing the vise if there is one, and then replacing and re-squaring it.
It ain't rocket surgery.

Remember ... what I told you about the "talent" coming out of the trade schools lately.
Sad times Bro.

[Fellhoelter]

I remember...

If this sort of thing is common in American manufacturing today, we are worse off than I thought.
I and I thought we were in BAD shape.

Time to get THIS.

I am currently starting production on a couple of items, and have been fighting HARD to get 100% USA manufacture.
You have no idea our state of affairs until you try and manufacture in the US.

I'm not talking price either, I'm just talking capability, and willingness.

I gave up on one Item, and bought from Taiwan, and it had zero to do with pricing.
I was in negotiation and willing to pay 53x the price of a Taiwanese part for an American one. That's right, over fifty times the price.
But, the Americans balked.
Oh, we can't do it that way....
Yes, you can.
No, we can't.
Ok, I'll buy a probably superior product from Taiwan, for 2 cents on the dollar, because they CAN do it...

Welcome to the decline of western manufacture.

2 hours to tram the head on a mill...
Fired.