Milling Table Height

[Justin ThymeParticipant @justinthyme24678]

I have access to this machine which as you can see has a milling head mounted above the cross slides. I always find is quite difficult to use due to the distance between the top of the cross slide and the cutting tool.  (150mm)  as per the image – the quill/spindle will move down 50mm from there and the whole head/gantry will move up 150mm.

Is it normal to construct some form of platform and attach it to the  slide to reduce this height?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Have a google for “engineers cube”

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Chester Machine tools have a similar multifunction machine & have a raisng block to overcome the issue you are having  for their machine here

The similar Clarke CL500B (seemingly now discontinued) had something similar :

You may be able to find one or the other used via the likes of Ebay.

HTH

Nigel B.

[Justin ThymeParticipant @justinthyme24678]

Aye, that’s what I need, theyre no cheap and I doubt I can justify the cost for what it gets used.

 

I was thinking of making something out of some 6″ square tube  (it will need to be longer than this but it will be free)
would something like this be solid enough?  I could weld some cross members inside to stiffen it up

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Your square tube section would do the job as long as you only intend to make small cuts with care. Milling it square with the minimum of metal thickness lost will be a challenge also, but you have nothing to loose and its a cheap alternative to a cast iron cube. The top and bottom could be reinforced with some ground plates and stiffening would do no harm.

The best solution would be a dedicated mill, but not everyone has the room or the funds for one.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Four solid pillars supporting a hefty top plate would work well and be bit more versatile.

Maybe 1/2″ – 12 mm steel plate for the top, 1 1/2″ – 35 mm alloy for the pillars with both ends tapped for the same thread as the T-nuts sized to fit your slots. Short studs on the bottom ends of the pillars so they can be screwed into the T-nuts. Countersunk cap heads to hold the plate on so nothing projects through the top.

Drill or tap top plate as makes sense for your work. I favour grid of holes, maybe 5 spot dice patten on 1″ – 25 mm centres for 1/4″ or 6mm bolts, for convenience in holding small work. For most ME sized work simple home made clamps made by bending 3 or 4 mm steel into an L shape and drilling / slotting for a bolt work pretty well so long was you don’t get over ambitious with cuts or feed. Take up less room than the usual bar and step block type. No great loss if you have to cut one ‘cos its irredeemably in the way because a replacement is easily made.

With post and plate you can have two sets of posts of different lengths. One set for when you are working with parts held in the vice and one set for parts clamped to the table, via a sacrificial plate if need be.

Clive

[Author]

Posts