New guard slotting machine

JTknives

JTknives

Blade Heat Treating www.jarodtodd.com
Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
8,647
I could not take it anymore. Using a drill press and files to slot guards has just gotten to be more work then I care to do. I have better things to do then spend hours with needle files I came across this and felt it would be the perfect fit for slotting guards and other small finicky things. I had been saving up for a full size knee mill but with building the new shop and just buying a house the funds are a little low. I got it for half the asking price and could not pass it up because when it's time to upgrade I can sell it for what I paid and not loose money. The plan is to ditch the motor and toss a
1-2hp 3ph motor on there and wire it up to a VFD. Everything feals tight and it has very little backlash in the X. The Y has more but I'm thinking I can fix that. Needs a good cleaning/greasing. The thing weighs about 500Lbs

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Looks like you got a deal there JT - I'd expect it has the usual R8 spindle? Did you get any tooling?

You gonna like that! and find more uses than you ever expect.
 
Yeah R8,but no tooling as he has a Bridgeport and is using it there. I'm curectly looking for a vise and collets. Also searching for a face mill and drill chuck. Face mill for handle scales.
 
I went from 1/2 a day to slit a guard to less than an hour including setup time. It's slow with under 1/8" end mills. Still way faster than a drill press and needle files. :thumbsup:
 
She looks like a dandy ! I hope that bench it's on doesn't give way before you put it into service.
Frank
 
The mill is a big plus in making a slotted guard. It will still take you some good time fitting the shoulders with needle files :)
 
I was going to suggest ENCO for a package deal on Vise/Collets but since they Merged with MSC I haven't taken much time to shop those types of items since I have a machine shop full already. I would suggest looking for a DRO package (DRO Pros seem to have the best package deal on 2 axis DRO's). You are going to find A LOT of things you can do with a Mill besides Slotting and Shoulder squaring.

You won't need Expensive Collets unless you are doing Precision Machining so you can probably but a set for about $100 or less and truthfully you will use 1/8"-3/8"-1/2"-3/4" for most processes. Face mills are expensive just get a fly cutter set for about $25 and it will use carbide tipped tool bits which are cheap. Buy the best Drill Chuck you can don't skimp if you intend to do precision drilling!!!
 
I usually deal with KBC tools.
The LFA drill chucks are definitely my recommendation. Made in France, and far superior to the current production Jacobs for less than half the price. They are on par with the best German chucks I've used.
 
Thanks guys. Yes I'm a machinist by trade, done it for a long time. Done a lot of programming for cnc mills and lathes. I felt dumb getting such a tiny machine given my background but it's what the funds would allow at this time.
 
Never used a LFA chuck befor but I do like the Jacobs 14N ball bearing superchuck.
 
JTknives said:
Never used a LFA chuck befor but I do like the Jacobs 14N ball bearing superchuck.
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Superchucks used to be great, I've got the set from 1/4-1" for both the mill and lathe and I love them.
New ones are made in china though and are terrible. The LFA ball bearing chuck is every bit as good as the old Jacobs, and half the price of the new chinesium ones.
 
You probably know better than I do, but for that level of machine, I'm sure you'll be more than happy with the "economy" collets from grizzly, shars, enco, etc...
I agree that a DRO is a game changer, even one of the cheap chinese dro's for about $250-$300, though not an immediate necessity.

One of the cheaper angle lock vises would probably be suitable as well, as it seems like quality has been coming up over the years.
 
AVigil said:
I would but those 90 degrees scream stress risers so I do not mind tapering the guard for radius of the shoulders.
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The make endmills with a radius corner for exactly that reason. Still have everything nice and square and parallel, but with a tiny radius right in the corner. They're usually used for cutting keyways in heavy shafts (especially propeller shafts) where stress risers would be an issue.

If you mill the slot in the guard a hair longer than needed as well, it'll be minimal hand work to get it a fitting together perfectly
 
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