What to buy with the Mill?

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
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I will probably be getting a mini-mill like this in a month or so:

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?&NETID=2338550526081903409&NTITEM=CT133

Now I need to know what to buy with it. I am looking to use it to cut slots in guards and just try practicing a couple of things that can be done with a mill.

Now since it comes pretty well naked, what should I buy as a basic kit for it. I will buy a clamping kit: http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture10?NTITEM=B054

What else should I buy as far as end mills and what not?

Thanks

Patrice
 
PS: I forgot to ask if anyone remembers a post where someone showed how he used a big bracket to stiffen the mill a little?
Can't seem to find it.

Patrice
 
A good vice,some collets and end mills a set of parallels.The list is endless and you will spend more in tooling than on the mill.
Stan
 
Stan, I need the very basic at least to do the guards. Spending as much as the mill right away I could not do. :(

Patrice
 
I would not know how to slot a guard without a vice and set of parallels,Maybe Nathan will chime in on how to clamp it.You can probalably use the chuck to hold your end mills but not a good idea.Buy atleast 1 collet to fit your endmill shank.
Hope this helps some.
Stan
 
Great help Stan.
A vice, a collet and a set of parallels is a good start.
I guess as far as quality for those, I buy the best I can afford.

Thanks again

Patrice
 
That's what I do I buy the import stuff from MSC or Enco.We ain't building the Space shuttle to the spec's are usually good enough.
Stan
 
Hi Patrice

i've got a little taig mill... .. the small mills work ok but just keep in mind to use the cutters that fit the mill... .. by this i mean not to get a 1/2 inch endmill and be disappointed with the results... if you use a 1/8 inch endmill, it'll do very well....
-- also ... get those carbide endmills.. they are sweeet... like the micro 100

and please get the good screwless vise.....it's abit of a pain to use but it does work very well... clamps solid ... and accurate... Fitzo was the one who mentioned that to me in the past... and i'm very greatful..

just my 2 cents

Greg
 
Do you have dial indicators to setup the vise square?

I like having a few pairs of HSS lathe cutting tool blanks as parallels
(the various sizes)
 
I have got a lot of small mills from this seller on Ebay. adowens5 Never had any problems and they are cheap enough that breaking one doesn't hurt your wallet to bad. He has none listed now, but keep an eye out.
 
I do have dial indicators and lathe tool blanks. I guess they go under the guard as the parallels would.

Thanks for the ebay tip, I'll keep an eye out.

Patrice
 
Thanks for the website.
As far as the edge finder goes I always wanted to buy one of those just to figure out why you needed something to find the edge? :confused:
I guess it has something to do with finding it in relation to the mill but that's it.
I'll add it to the list them, thanks.

Patrice
 
If you are slotting guards it's just easier to pick up center with an edge finder. No need to scribe lines. You use it to pick-up X and Y zero on whatever part your doing. Then you just use your dials to move to locations. It gives you an accurate referance point.
 
I am not a machinist but I will say what my experience is, I have the mill pictured which is more powerful and heavier than the one you are considering and I find it to be a bit under powered. You can always make smaller cuts but it takes more time.

I got this one which was almost new for $350 and spent another $350 on tooling.

For guards you need a good vice to hold your work, parallels to get it in the vice flat. A test dial indicator to set your vice square with the tool, set of collets and some end mills. This will allow you to set up your guard square.

Littlemachine shop is really great and please call them, they are very helpful

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Thanks for the info JBS.

Patrick, I thought I had seen some people around here using basically the same mini-mill as this. I did not think it wa THAT underpowered, especially for small stuff. :(

Patrice
 
The very minimum would be a 3/8" collet for what ever size you have because most mill bits will come in 3/8" shank. A good vise. and a set of parallels. and of course an edge finder. Oh and a hold down kit/ bolt kit for the table.
 
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