Milling Machine instructional DVD. What would you like to see?

[rfrink]

I'm in the process of shooting video for a DVD series on using a milling machine. There are several projects which have been specifically choosen to help demonstrate specific technique and aspects of the machine and tooling.

Is there anything that you would like to know about using a Bridgeport type turret/knee milling machine..perhaps I can do a "chapter" on it? I'm open to ideas and suggestions.

-Rob

 

[Sam Salvati]

That's gonna be awesome!

 

[Rob!]

Confession time. I have one of those cheap (Taiwan?) 4/5hp mills - and I don't have a clue how to use it for anything but drilling holes. I'd be happy if I could figure out how to slot a guard - slit a liner and angle the locking face on the blade where it meets the liner lock.

I don't know if I can slot a brass guard with a 1/8 slot all at once - or if I should take .020 per pass till it's through....

I have a decent milling vice for the mill and a hold down clamping kit as well a good selection of various mills and measurement tools for it - but I have no idea how to (for instance) mill a .140 small piece of 154CM down to a 'precision' .125 for a folder blade.

MILLING FOR IDIOTS

If your DVD has that chapter, I'll buy it! :thumbup:

Rob!

 

[Michael J. Spangler]

set up ideas. how to hold different materials...the type of vises available and their functions... speed and feed formulas would be great. the use of larger milling cutter/flycutters/slittingsaw etc. maybe a little insight on what the heck us morons can use it for other than just cutting slots and drilling

yeah milling for idiots i guess

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

I used to let college kids come out and make parts for their race team in my shop. Having observed relatively bright kids make relatively stupid machining choices, and having been an idiot hack machinist myself at one time, I have a few possible suggestions. In no particular order.

Safety issues such as the helix of a cutter pulling a work piece up out of a vice and throwing it at you and other nasty surprises.

How to calculate speeds and feeds, recommended SFM for carbide and HSS tooling in different materials. (Why big cutters turn slow and little cutters turn fast)

Recommended chip loads for different cutters in different materials.

What causes chatter, how to get rid of it without just slowing down.

Strategies and tooling to achieve good finishes.

Difference between climb and conventional milling and when to use which.

How to accurately fixture a part and securely hold it without deforming it, how to use parallels and a hammer with a vice (and why you can't just hold the part on the table with your hands)

How to zero out your spindle (XY) and cutter (Z).

Machining strategies for roughing and finishing to maximize tool life

Approaches to machining without coolant (and when you really need to break out the squirt bottle)

Machining difficult materials such as work hardening stainless, flexible titanium, abrasive mill scale covered parts, gummy unhardened aluminum or copper, and machining unusual materials such as wood, plastic, bone

Unusual fixturing situations

Using glue or tape to hold thin parts

Moving or rotating your part and maintaining zero.

How to order your operations when machining on multiple sides of a part.

Use of a rotary table

Use of less common tools such as boreing head, reamers, thread mill, broaching in a mill (cutting a square hole).

Introduction to less common tools such as coaxial indicator, sine plate and other cool stuff

How to use an edge finder and what are the different styles for




Also, perhaps a section on machine setup, adjustments, maintenance and lubrication.

Strategies for moving and leveling heavy machines for someone who has never done it

Discussion of 240 power and three phase and phase converters

Overview of CNC and CAD/CAM

 

[RUJOCO]

This sounds interesting. Maybe you should assume that a majority of us are dummies and cover everything from A to Z. I've never let a tool scare me ( If you are afraid of a tool, you'll never do the right thing with it ) but I've always felt that I'm stumbling through using my mill with trial and error. Some basic feeds and speeds with different tooling would be a great help. Seeing someone else do it goes a long way in understanding. Reading about it just poses more questions, to me anyway.

Great idea, Ill be looking for it.

 

[Gene Martin]

How about something on fullering and other uses of ball cutters? And something on millimg tang shoulders on 4 sides?

Thanks,

Gene

 

[Keith_H]

I used to let college kids come out and make parts for their race team in my shop. Having observed relatively bright kids make relatively stupid machining choices...

In my high school shop class i see the same things like putting a stacked dado blade on a tablesaw backwards, then forcing pine in it for 10 seconds. Nothing is ever square. College people are better but never trust a high school shop class!

A short segment on setup and chuck instructions would be nice.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

In my high school shop class i see the same things like putting a stacked dado blade on a tablesaw backwards, then forcing pine in it for 10 seconds..

That sounds like something I'd do (what the hell is a dado?)

 

[rocketmann]

Rob, I think that this is a great idea!!! I plan to purchase a sieg x3 (grizzly 0463) in the next few weeks or so. A friend has a bridgeport and we have no idea how to use it...hell we couldn't even figure out how to lock the quill so that we could tighten the draw bar and keep the end mills from falling out..

 

[Keith_H]

That sounds like something I'd do (what the hell is a dado?)

pretty much a slot

I think that you would notice the blue smoke coming off it

 

[SteelSlaver]

I like it very much. I am doing it with some help from the machinist at work and mostly trail and lost of error. I need help. Jim

 

[Bruce Bump]

I used to let college kids come out and make parts for their race team in my shop. Having observed relatively bright kids make relatively stupid machining choices, and having been an idiot hack machinist myself at one time, I have a few possible suggestions. In no particular order.

Safety issues such as the helix of a cutter pulling a work piece up out of a vice and throwing it at you and other nasty surprises.

How to calculate speeds and feeds, recommended SFM for carbide and HSS tooling in different materials. (Why big cutters turn slow and little cutters turn fast)

Recommended chip loads for different cutters in different materials.

What causes chatter, how to get rid of it without just slowing down.

Strategies and tooling to achieve good finishes.

Difference between climb and conventional milling and when to use which.

How to accurately fixture a part and securely hold it without deforming it, how to use parallels and a hammer with a vice (and why you can't just hold the part on the table with your hands)

How to zero out your spindle (XY) and cutter (Z).

Machining strategies for roughing and finishing to maximize tool life

Approaches to machining without coolant (and when you really need to break out the squirt bottle)

Machining difficult materials such as work hardening stainless, flexible titanium, abrasive mill scale covered parts, gummy unhardened aluminum or copper, and machining unusual materials such as wood, plastic, bone

Unusual fixturing situations

Using glue or tape to hold thin parts

Moving or rotating your part and maintaining zero.

How to order your operations when machining on multiple sides of a part.

Use of a rotary table

Use of less common tools such as boreing head, reamers, thread mill, broaching in a mill (cutting a square hole).

Introduction to less common tools such as coaxial indicator, sine plate and other cool stuff

How to use an edge finder and what are the different styles for




Also, perhaps a section on machine setup, adjustments, maintenance and lubrication.

Strategies for moving and leveling heavy machines for someone who has never done it

Discussion of 240 power and three phase and phase converters

Overview of CNC and CAD/CAM

Nathan pretty much summed it up. If we can learn everything on this list, there is nothing we cant do on knives at least.

 

[Tommegow]

Nathan pretty much summed it up. If we can learn everything on this list, there is nothing we cant do on knives at least.

Nathan indeed has nailed it! I would love a few instructional days in his shop!!
There are even simpler things I needed to learn as I tried to learn machining.
Wood methods often do not work in metal.
How to use an edge finder.
How caliper and micrometers work.
I once drilled a series of holes, then went back to do something else to the series with another tool and expected the zero to be the same.
Finish the hole then move to the next
VERY elementary saftey issues. Do leave the key in the lathe chuck!
Safety glasses.
For fellow ADD folks be cafeful of distractions
If you are not sure ASK!! Better to appear stupid than hurt yourself or someone else
Metal gets HOT when your working it
Chips are hot and sharp!
Mr. Frink Looking forward to Your Machining For Dummies, I certainly qualify

 

[Will Leavitt]

In my high school shop class i see the same things like putting a stacked dado blade on a tablesaw backwards, then forcing pine in it for 10 seconds. Nothing is ever square. College people are better but never trust a high school shop class!

A short segment on setup and chuck instructions would be nice.

2 things I'd like to see:

1, what are the best tools for various work like the difference between a 2, 3 or 4 fluted mill.

2. How to build a KMG grinder with your mill

I used to work as a manager in a cabinet factory, someone did the same thing in our face frame department followed by running their hand through the 1/2" dado blade. Not good and I had to fire a department head for allowing an untrained person use equipment they obviously weren't qualified for. Good thing I used to be a medic in the Army and we kept an awesome first aid/responder station at our plant.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump

 

[flatgrinder]

1. Making a finger groove and slotting a guard -accurately.

2. Slit sawing a liner lock.

3. Cutting a relief on a framelock.

4. Making a fuller.

5. Making a stop pin using a rotary table.

Just some ideas.

 

[Keith_H]

2 things I'd like to see:

1, what are the best tools for various work like the difference between a 2, 3 or 4 fluted mill.

2. How to build a KMG grinder with your mill

I used to work as a manager in a cabinet factory, someone did the same thing in our face frame department followed by running their hand through the 1/2" dado blade. Not good and I had to fire a department head for allowing an untrained person use equipment they obviously weren't qualified for. Good thing I used to be a medic in the Army and we kept an awesome first aid/responder station at our plant.

Will
formerly known as badbamaump

ouch, some of these thing are pure common sense. Dont stick your hand on the blade!

 

[deker]

The list from Nathan has everything I was going to suggest and a lot more. Please help all of us ham-fisted monkeys!

-d

 

[Will Leavitt]

ouch, some of these thing are pure common sense. Dont stick your hand on the blade!

Main thing the injured employee learned was
1. Use a push stick, don't place the heel of your hand on a piece of 3/4" maple to do a 1/2" dado pass
2. Don't be stoned out of your gourd when you run your hand through a dado blade.

Fired the injured employee too, didn't pass the workman's comp screening at the hospital. Hell, I got wrote up by the VP because I somehow didn't supervise what was going on in the middle of a 200k sqr ft facility with 95 employees at the time. Ah well....

Will
Formerly known as badbamaump

 

[tmickley]

great list Nathan has.
The actual milling is fairly easy. Set up blows my mind. Getting things straight, level and fixtured drives me nuts.
Oh yeah, those sine bar things. What the hell are those for?
The greatest mystery of all, what good are 1-2-3 blocks other than for blocks to use in clamping?