How much space do I need for a seig sx2.7 mill.

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I am considering purchasing a mill.

My problem is the space I have available in my garage workshop.



Can someone with a Seig sx2.7 take measurements please and save me a 150 mile round trip with my tape measure?



How much floor space do I need to get full travel of the bed, and have enough room to work if the mill is located against a wall?



I see some people advocating putting a mill in the corner of the workshop – Is this a good idea? Again, what is the footprint required for full use?



Arc Euro Trade sell the sx2.7 with 2 bed length options.

If anyone can answer these questions, can you also let me know which size bed your mill is fitted with please.



Ta.

[IRTParticipant @irt]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

For the standard size table which is the more solid option you need min 650 to the right measured from the ctr of the machine but 700 would save some skin on your knuckles.

On the left it only needs 550mm ftom Ctr as there is no handwheel

The end of the Y axis handle sticks out 640mm from the wall, base 520mm from wall

Height is 850 but you want a bit above that so the drawbar can be changed without lowering the head all the way down so 1100mm but given the bench/stand height that would be within normal head height anyway.

If you put it across a corner then a triangle of about 1600 on its long edge would be needed.This is how I have my X3 setup.

In both cases I have the machines on my own benches so you don't really loose any floor space as that can all be used and there is also bench space and wall space behind the table for storage of tooling etc. The metal stand may move the machine further from the back wall.

Edited By JasonB on 17/07/2018 20:51:01

[IRTParticipant @irt]

Thanks for the excellent detail.

It is going to be tight!

I am planning on making my own stand.

Also considering putting it on casters, and having jacking points for lifting it off the wheels and levelling for use.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

As a matter of interest, which dimensions are not on the Arc website or can not be easily calculated?

I doubt there is any dimension that is obscure or that a simple phone call would not resolve.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

At just after 8.15pm a question was asked here In about 1/2 an hour a comprehensive answer was put up, who needs a phone etc with that sort of help readily available.

Well done by Jason B.

Edited By V8Eng on 17/07/2018 22:28:55

Edited By V8Eng on 17/07/2018 22:30:13

[IRTParticipant @irt]

The dimensions are not clear on the arc website:

Table size 520x100mm.

Effective table size 595×100. ??does this include the handle or not.

A phone call would have done it – but is this type of thing the purpose of a forum? I would not have got such clear answers as given by JasonB over a phone.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The two table sizes are a bit confusing and neither would give you any idea of the overall work area needed to use the machine. I doubt Ketan has one mounted across a corner. I would have replied sooner but could not find the photos I took for another member who has now bought one of these machines

The 520×100 is the area within the drain grooves and not really of much interest to us.

The effective 595 x 140 is the overall ground area of teh table that you have available to use as a working surface

There are brackets at both ends of the table and a handle on the right which brings things upto the O/A width shown on the site.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Ian

The dimensions of the long table are shown in the photos; the basic dimensions are provided in the specifications. It is clear, from the pic and specifications, that the table dimensions do not include the handle.

The only missing dimension required is the thickness of the end-plates on the table. Oh, and the diameter of the handwheel, should the machine need to be positioned across a corner ( which, from your post, it appears inot to be the case). Only you know, exactly, the minimum space needed for avoiding your hand getting scaped.

From the given dimensions, I could estimate, quite closely, the length of the handle end (having to assume those end-plates were 15mm thick, or so – so not a large error). From that, one can easily calculate the total spce required, at the extreme table positions, to within a few mm.

If there are important missing dimensions, for sizing the space required, I am sure Ketan would like to know, to improve the specification list on his website.

The one often missing dimension from some specifications is the extra head-space required for changing the drawbar on those machines with a fixed head and moving table. Not often relevant, in this case, as the head can usually be lowered sufficiently if the drawbar needs to be changed.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Well the good thing about practical measurements they tend to be base on whats actually there.

Don't know about this estimating lark, for a start you need 25mm added to the table on the left not just a 15mm plate so that's 10mm off straight away.

But if you can get to within a few mm I'd love to know how

[VicParticipant @vic]

Don’t back your mill into a corner unless you are absolutely sure you never want to work on long stuff. I have both my lathe and mill on the long side of my workshop. Only yesterday I had to turn down and then thread both ends of a 2 metre length of steel rod on my lathe. I’ve also machined the end of a long workpiece on the mill.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

long lengths on the mill are not a problem with a corner machine if you have a window in one of the two walls, I can put what length I like through the window on the left. Also these mills are light enough to just slide round if you do on the odd occasion want to have them mounted lengthways.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Jason,

Given just a tad more thought. As long as the table is the limiting dimension, the total space required will be table width plus long travel. 1135mm.

But here you are – as you did ask. It would not be 10mm off ‘straight away’, BTW, as the other side will be reduced by that same amount.

Here is how I might have done it on a scrap of paper.

With table on centre line (as long as that position is outside the control box overhang). Calculate from the specs, and that pic of the table, the distance overhanging each side of the centre line.

625mm/2 + 25mm to the left side. The 25mm is considered to be a reasonable estimate from a ‘goggle’ image I found, after your comment.

Overall width is given as 740mm, so the extra, on the right, beyond the table on the right side of the centre line will be 740mm – 650mm = 90mm

So with the extra 90mm the distance from the centre line to the right side of the table, (625/2 + 90)mm. OK so far?

Long travel traverse is given as 395, so 395/2 either way.

Centre line to extreme left will be (625/2 +25) + 395/2 = 535mm

Centre line to extreme right will be (625/2 + 90) + 395/2 = 600mm

Total space required will be the sum of those two = 1135mm

Long-winded, but gets one to the answer.

As an after-thought, had I assigned any value for the plate thickness (calling it ‘x’ as an unknown value) the resultant mathematical equations would clearly have eliminated x from the calculations. Hence, not really important at all.

QED?

Have a good day.

[Anonymous]

When I first installed my vertical mill, in a corner, I checked out the positioning using a graph paper cutout on a scaled drawing of the workshop. Helpfully the manual includes a proper plan drawing of the mill showing the extremes of travel of the table, and ram, including the handles. The travels are tabulated according to table size and power feed or not. So it's easy to work everything out without needing to measure.

I've subsequently removed the lefthand handle, for three reasons:

1. When using power feed I don't want the handle catching me in a painful place, or hitting other machines

2. It gives me a bit more space

3. I use the lefthand end of the leadscrew to drive a dividing head for spiral milling

Andrew

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Dave, as I said the tape measure gives the actual space needed, Like you I could have worked it out from the details on ARCs site and come up with 1135mm but the actual space I measured tip to tip is 1174mm.

I contacted Ketan earlier about where I can see his published sizes differ from what I measure.

Looking at other sellers sites there would be even more difference between published and actual and as Ian has not said where he is buying from could have come even more of a cropper.

 

 

Edited By JasonB on 18/07/2018 12:18:44

[Simon BabbParticipant @simonbabb50369]

My SX2.7 arrives next week, one option i may consider in the future is the power feed addition, how much extra room does that require on the left hand side?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

The feed unit and clutch block are 210mm long. The table end plate is replaced by the clutch so you gain 15mm there ignoring the lead screw end cap so total addition would be 195mm.

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

Super stuff, thanks especially to Jason.

[Author]

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