RE: Homemade mill (was Very small miller/engraver)

Hey Ballendo,

that's almost exactly what I am doing right now !
After having searched unsuccessfully for an affordable small mill for the
last few years, I decided to make one from two small 5-1/2" x 12" milling
tables. I bought them from BusyBee in Canada but are the same as Enco's
201-2826. I will mount them as you describe, with one exception, the
vertical one will be retained by its center, so it will be rotatable (5th
axis). As the mounting base is round, well it will be anyway, after I put it
in the lathe, its edge can be graduated in degrees.

As a spindle, I am using an ER-20 collet extension, which is a precision
shaft of 1" dia by 6" long with a collet chuck at the end. It will be
installed in a steel block of 4 x 4 x 6" bolted to the vertical table. I
will use adjustable taper roller bearings. I have two 90V.DC variable speed
motors I will (somehow) attach to the spindle.

The base of the machine is not totally defined yet. As I want something very
rigid and massive, I have to be sure the back support member can not flex at
all relative to the bottom plate. I was thinking of using large structural
steel rectangular tubing of 8" x 10" x 1/2" wall. One length is laid on its
side and serves as the base, then another length is put vertically on it to
act as the back support member. That should theoretically be very rigid, and
can even be filled with cement if necessary. I would obviously have to have
the end of the vertical piece precisely squared at a machine shop.

The bottom piece could also be made from a H-beam. The rear piece, however,
could not, as I will have a large bolt going through it ( the pivot for the
5th axis) and the web of the H-beam is in the way.

The frame could also be made from two thick steel plates, but then I might
have to brace them together to reduce flex.
Anybody has ideas for a rigid L frame ?
Anybody else done something similar ?

Regards,

Guy


-----Original Message-----
From: ballendo [mailto:ballendo@...]
Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 4:42 AM
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Very small miller/engraver


Hello,

MaxNC used to sell plans for a mill made from two import xy vises,
and a 1/2 thick piece of aluminum. They were sold for $65, and
included maxnc phase s/w! I don't know the price nowadays, but I'm
pretty sure they're still offered. (Tell 'em Ballendo sent ya)

The resulting machine is simple to build (using hand tools even),
slow, but VERY sturdy (I added stiffness to the vertical support).
Easily capable of machining steel.

One neat part is that the "upper" xy vise, which provides the z axis
motion, IS a VISE. Making it very easy to mount and adjust/change
spindles. Another interesting result from using the xy vises, is that
there is an "extra" axis. It can move the spindle left/right! This
can be used to extend the travel of this little mill, OR could be
used to make a tool changer! I've got the details worked out, but
have not yet built it.

(I made a second model using larger vises from HF, and better drives
later, after "proofing" the idea as presented by MaxNC. Which uses
the 3 and 4 inch xy vises, with radio shack parts for the drives.)

Worth looking into, IMO. Hope this helps.

Ballendo

P.S. Another choice would be the compucutter mill pkg., by R Bartlett
in the UK.

P.P.S. I will be offering plans for this bigger small mill w/
toolchanger, which is derivative, but not a copy of, the maxnc plans.
(hint: I've been playing with the IDEAS used in dental handpieces for
use in small machine spindles). But my first 2 books are ahead of
these plans in the pipeline.

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "Graham Stabler" <eexgs@n...> wrote:
> Has anyone out there built anything in the way of really small
mills/engravers. I only want to make small parts out of perspex,
balsa, pcb and ocasionally aluminium. I've seen "The Brute" on the
web and might buy the plans but just wanted to see if there were
other alternatives.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Graham Stabler
>
> p.s. First post


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