Milling Machine - Pictures added

[stewart]

I was able to call over after work this afternoon and do some measuring up and take a few photos.

The milling machine doesn't have a maker's name anywhere that I could I find. It's from Axminster and has a label on the front calling it a Drilling and Milling machine.

I'm told it took four burly blokes to get it into the workshop - looks like I'll need to rally some friends round! Anyone got any tips they can pass on about the best way of moving it?
The lathe fortunately takes up a bit less space.

This was lying on one of the benches. I think it's an attachment for the milling machine:

 

[9fingers]

Hi Stewart,

The mill is a generic design which has been badged by lots of suppliers.
Usually referred to as Mill Drills as it is essentially a rigid pillar drill with an XY table.

Z axis movement is achieved via the quill with good accuracy but the rest of the travel vertically is obtained by moving the head up and down the round column and in most models, x and y registration is at best compromised and sometime lost in the process. That said they are a whole lot better than nothing and can do useful work if the job is planned so as the head does not have to be moved vertically throughout.

The lathe is an ML10, the little brother of the ML7. It came in a few flavours ML10 Speed 10 and I think diamond 10 but I don't know enough to tell the difference. The Bradley book won't be quite as relevant. I don't know if there is an ML10 version.
ML10 will not be as re-sellable as a 7 series machine but still attractive to the model engineer who is tight on space.

HTH

Bob

PS the accessory is a rotary table for the mill and useful for angular work and to drill holes to lie on a circle for example - a saleable item in its own right if you don't want it.

 

[Digit]

I'll hazard a guess Stew that the head of the mill will wind up the pillar and lift clear, should reduce the weight considerably.
Let's know how you get on with it as I'm thinking of getting one.

Roy.

 

[stewart]

Thanks for the identification job, Bob - the lathe book is still on its way, I'm sure it will be useful for a complete beginner!
And thanks also, Roy - it hadn't occurred to me that some parts might be able to be removed

I'm hoping to be able to collect the tooling tomorrow and I'm working on a new floor plan to fit the machines in.

Will keep you posted.

 

[bob_c]

I think you,ll be please with the mill once you get a grip of what it can do.I have a slightly smaller Warco mill drill,with a dovetailed column.Ive made allsorts of jigs with it from aluminium and steel.I broke the gears a few weeks after getting mine ,instead of replacing them ,i converted it to belt drive using timing gears.Yours is already belt drive so thats good.I even make small metal planes on mine.And ive used it twice resurfacing/initial flattening of the bottoms of two old planes that were warped.

 

[stewart]

I am sure I will enjoy it, Bob - when I saw it again last night I was relieved that it wasn't as big as it had become in my memory, though it still occupies a square metre.
I'd like to have a go making some metal planes so this is the right machine, I suppose.
Increasingly I wonder just how much will actually come out my workshop as opposed to the efforts I put into organising it and having fun!

 

[GCR]

I had one of those mills (and a bad back) some years ago. It was delivered "through" the door so that it rested on the floor and blocked the door. A crowbar moved it across the floor to gain space. I hired a hydraulic engine hoist, the type with a "V" shaped wheeled foot. Using a very short sling the hoist made light work of lifting and the wheels allowed me to manoeuvre the mill without difficulty, although the ceiling still has a gouge in it from the hoist arm (before I shortened the sling!). It came out the same way.

The ML10 is an excellent machine and many accessories from the ML7 range fit it eg. chucks

Bob

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

Rather than starting another thread, does anyone here know of any metal working forums?
After seeing this thread, and being in the middle of a small metal working project I'm very keen to learn more, and hopefully acquire machines similar to these.
I have a small idea how to use them, but any forums, or even websites that have good instructions on safe mill and lathe use would be great.

 

[jasonB]

Here are a few to get you started, there are also specific forums for users of a particular make of machine, let me know if you have something in mind. Have not found a really good metal version of UKW though

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.rec.m ... 8&oe=UTF-8

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com ... 4334d3;www

Jason