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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
new toy
- Thread starter atakach
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2003
- Messages
- 2,767
Nice score, atakach. Sure would be a great addition to a shop. You get a good deal on it?
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 3,721
eh... i guess, i mean I'm partial to older machinery, as opposed to the new stuff. better prices and better built IMO. unless you can afford top of the line stuff, and even then the use so many plastic parts, I'm almost afraid to use them. the old stuff is built solid.
oh yeah $300 cash
oh yeah $300 cash
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2003
- Messages
- 2,767
You are absolutely right about that, atakach. Yes sir, you got one heck of a great deal.
I bought an old Delta 4' wood lathe I used to run in highschool, swooped it for a $100 bill. I couldn't get the bill out quick enough!
By the way, I bought a pile of nice mill end bits a while back that was in a bushel basket of tools I got for $20. Many are new and still in the tubes. Problem is, I don't have a mill and probably won't be getting one unless I run across a good deal. Some are new 1" and about every other size.
I reckon I can use some of the smaller ones in my drill presses, but have no use for the big ones. I could maybe do some trading.
I use carbide, ball-end, end mills for slotting my guards. I like the carbide mills because they stay sharp longer. I use ball-end mills because they can drill their own hole through the material. However, they can walk around a bit when they are used to start the hole, so use a center drill to start a hole in the guard material. Then, switch to the end mill to punch through the guard.
I press fit almost all of my guards. I have several sizes of end mills that will make slots that are the proper size for any of the knives that I make. Some makers file the shoulders of the tang first and then mill the guard slot to fit whatever the tang winds up being. By this method, you use an undersize end mill, make the first pass with the mill, then index your table over to widen the cut to fit the tang.
I prefer to cut the slot in the guard first, and then file the tang to fit. I measure the thickness of the tang and then choose an end mill that is .020 to .040 smaller. I cut the slot in the guard in one pass with the mill. I square out the ends of the slot using a file that has had the teeth ground off of one side. I then set the blade up in my shoulder filing guide and file the tang to the size of the guard slot, plus .002. I file an equal amount off of each side of the tang so that the shoulders that the guard sets on are the same size.
I press fit almost all of my guards. I have several sizes of end mills that will make slots that are the proper size for any of the knives that I make. Some makers file the shoulders of the tang first and then mill the guard slot to fit whatever the tang winds up being. By this method, you use an undersize end mill, make the first pass with the mill, then index your table over to widen the cut to fit the tang.
I prefer to cut the slot in the guard first, and then file the tang to fit. I measure the thickness of the tang and then choose an end mill that is .020 to .040 smaller. I cut the slot in the guard in one pass with the mill. I square out the ends of the slot using a file that has had the teeth ground off of one side. I then set the blade up in my shoulder filing guide and file the tang to the size of the guard slot, plus .002. I file an equal amount off of each side of the tang so that the shoulders that the guard sets on are the same size.
I cant really tell enough about your machine to give you a definite answer to your question. But, the thing that I look for in a milling machine (even a new one) is how tight it is. If your machine isnt tight, it is almost impossible to mill a precise slot.
The first thing to look at is the spindle bearings. Is there any side play in your machines spindle? If it is loose, check to see if there is any way to tighten the spindle bearings. Some machines use tapered bearings and can be tightened, just like the wheel bearings on a car.
Next are the ways on the cross feed table. Is there a lot of play in the table? There are typically adjustment gibs on the cross slide to remove excess play in the ways.
My next concern would be the drill chuck. Drill chucks typically have some run-out and will not hold a tool perfectly centered on the spindle, so your end mill will wobble as it spins. Also, end mills are very hard and polished on the surface where they are gripped by the machine. A three jaw drill chuck will have a hard time holding the mill from slipping when you are cutting hard materials. Milling machines use a collet to hold the tooling. Collets are made to grip the end mill around its entire circumference, so they have a lot more area in contact with the mill. On some machines similar to yours, you can remove the drill chuck and install a drawbar and collet system for milling.
If the machine is tight and you can hold an end mill precisely, you should be able to do some good work with it. Even if your machine has a little play in it and has to be babied along when milling, it still beats a hand drill and file for making your guard slots. Most decent milling machines have some play in them. Part of being a machinist is knowing your machines limitations and working with it to get the best results possible.
The first thing to look at is the spindle bearings. Is there any side play in your machines spindle? If it is loose, check to see if there is any way to tighten the spindle bearings. Some machines use tapered bearings and can be tightened, just like the wheel bearings on a car.
Next are the ways on the cross feed table. Is there a lot of play in the table? There are typically adjustment gibs on the cross slide to remove excess play in the ways.
My next concern would be the drill chuck. Drill chucks typically have some run-out and will not hold a tool perfectly centered on the spindle, so your end mill will wobble as it spins. Also, end mills are very hard and polished on the surface where they are gripped by the machine. A three jaw drill chuck will have a hard time holding the mill from slipping when you are cutting hard materials. Milling machines use a collet to hold the tooling. Collets are made to grip the end mill around its entire circumference, so they have a lot more area in contact with the mill. On some machines similar to yours, you can remove the drill chuck and install a drawbar and collet system for milling.
If the machine is tight and you can hold an end mill precisely, you should be able to do some good work with it. Even if your machine has a little play in it and has to be babied along when milling, it still beats a hand drill and file for making your guard slots. Most decent milling machines have some play in them. Part of being a machinist is knowing your machines limitations and working with it to get the best results possible.