Round column mill questions

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
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5,703
Thanks to you guys I finally decided on the mill I am buying. It is the round column import type like this one:
http://www.bellmachineryltd.com/new_kingpdm25.htm

Now need to make room for it and also a stand. So,

1) How high should the stand/bench be?
2) What features would be useful for the stand, drawers, chip tray, etc?

Thanks for your help.

Patrice
 
I have a Jet 16 that specs out to be about the same as that one in your link. I built a stand that is basically a box with several drawers and I built it to fit me. The drawers are really handy. I would suggest that you design the base to be high enough to hold the machine where you are comfortable and not having to bend over to operate it. Having to bend over to work is a killer.
 
Since I have not worked on a mill yet, how high should that in relation to my body? About bellybutton high?

Thanks

Patrice
 
Some type of basin below to collect oil and collant and chips is handy, also plan a back stop to keep chips from falling behind the machine and pileing up. Drawers are a must for all the tooling you will accumulate over time. I have mine on a heavy work bench constructed with a 2x4 (4" thick) top and I think a heavy bench is needed to reduce vibration. Build in some lighting, I have a couple of flexible lights but they and not mounted and kid of a pain to get set and keep out of the way at the same time.

I sit on a stool so I have it about chest high sitting, you want to see without the head in the way.
 
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Patrice, i have the same machine with stand. my stand is 29.5" high and its about perfect for milling and drilling. droors are a plus! chip trays are cool, but theres gonna be swarf all over so its not a neccessity.
 
IMHO, the higher the better, even if the mill table top is chest high. Bending over gets old in hurry. Think about where the handles will be in relation to where your arms fold up from your elbows. You could even make the stand so the height can adjust using several holes or some such thing.
 
Thanks guys with all this info I should be able to build something proper. I'll let you know what I come up with.

Now to clear up some space. That is going to be a hard one. The table with handles makes it kind of wide. Darn small shop. :(

Thanks again for all your help.

Patrice
 
Patrice, I went out and measured my rig. The base is 26" high which puts the feed handle just right to turn with my arm pretty well extended straight and I am standing straight. The compound slide is 37" above the floor and the bottom of the Wilton vise mounted on the slide is 38 3/4" high. I'm 5' 8". This leaves the top of the machine where it is easy to switch the belts without having to have something to stand on. My cabinet and drawers are steel and weighs about 125# empty. All the equipment in the drawers adds about a hundred more pounds. The whole rig is rock solid. Also the mill is leveled. Hope this helps.
 
be sure to thouroughly clean ALL the cosmoline off the column and the clamping surface where the head meets the column so you don't get head spin while cutting

-Page
 
sunshadow said:
be sure to thouroughly clean ALL the cosmoline off the column and the clamping surface where the head meets the column so you don't get head spin while cutting

-Page
Click to expand...

Yep! i cleaned mine well, before i re assembled it! be sure to :thumbup:
 
It's probably a coolant pump and possibly coolant troughs, but you never know. Coolant is pricey but not that kind of money.
 
I am new here but I have purchased a mill about a year ago. I bought the harbour freight gear head model. No belts. The model you are looking at and the one I bought were sitting side by side and in my opinion there was no compairsion. The mill was 999.00 the stand was 200.00 the colont system was 45.00. and the power feed was 225.00. I had a 20% off which are still floating around (I used one last week) and it is a lot more bang for the buck than what you are looking at. I think it all comes from the same factory in china so I go strickly with price. I broke a cross slide on a lathe six mounts out of waranty and harbour freight sent me a new one NO CHARGE. Not even shipping. If your pockets are deeper enco has the same mill head on a square colum machine. Stay away from belts every chance you get.
 
sabu386 said:
I am new here but I have purchased a mill about a year ago. I bought the harbour freight gear head model. No belts. The model you are looking at and the one I bought were sitting side by side and in my opinion there was no compairsion..... Stay away from belts every chance you get.
Click to expand...

Why would you stay away from belts? Ever run a Bridgeport? (elite of the manual mills AND belt drive!)
Unless you can afford a "real" mill, cheap import gearheads are noisy, troublesome, and cause chatter marks on finishes. You will always get a smoother finish from a belt-machine. 50 year old flatbelt Southbend lathes will outdo a new gear Grizzly, speaking from personal experience and over 20 years as a machinist.

Now if you want to spend $50,000 and up, gear machines are the way to go. Helical-cut gears eliminate the problems with straight-cut gears found on cheap imports.

Patrice Lemée- I tend to keep my machines higher than most. I'm getting too old to bend over:D Sitting on a stool is almost mandatory as a mill/drill needs lighter cuts and more of them to produce good results. No matter how high/low you set it up for, you will find yourself cursing at reaching up for the quill-feed!
Oh, and dont let any "professional-machinists" tell you that a mill/drill is junk (as lots consider them to be) I have a "30" that makes a good portion of my living. Good luck and may the chips fly!!!
 
Thanks 89, I will sit then, I am also getting up there in years and the back is not what it use to be.

Patrice
 
It is a bit of a hassle to change belts. Save up a bit and keep your eyes open. I found a cheap 2hp 3ph motor, then got a 2hp VFD (not enclosed but a mill doesn't make much and I mounted it up high and away. Then I made a bushing for the end of the 3ph motor to make its smaller shaft the same as the original motor for the mill. Mounted the 3ph on the mill and I can change speeds with the turn of a knob. I got some scales like this one of ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/DRO-0-12-X-AXIS...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518e80a12f
and mounted them so I have good position control. I am considering drilling a few counter sunk holes in the rack that lifts the head so I can screw it to the column and maybe with a little work and some shims I can make the head travel with minimal lateral movement. The original machine can do a lot, but, is just a starting point that can be upgraded. Mine will never be state of the art. but it is a heck of a machine that can do a lot and sure beats aa drill press and files. I will never be a professional machinist so hardly need a professional machine
 
belt changes on my mill are not a big deal, really, slack the motor mount (one wingscrew) roll the belt over the lip of the pulley. put the belts where you want them, put tension between the motor and head, tighten wingscrew. Make sure the belts are where you can reach them easily

-Page
 
Patrice, find someone with a gear head and get him to recomend you buy a belt drive. As to southbend verses import. I have spent my life useing worn out american machine tools because of price. Buying new import tools is the best thing I have ever done. A new import will give better results than a worn out southbend. (I own a 18 inch F.E.Reed)
 
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