Naerok RDM350M milling machine

[TheYellowLandy]

Hi all,

I recently bought a Naerok milling machine, and have managed to move it [with some difficulty] into my workshop. Everything works and it is a decent piece of kit, however I don't have a stand or bench suitable to mount it on yet. I can't find any photos of a factory supplied stand, so was wondering what would be suitable.

I've come up with a very rough sketch on the computer showing some tooling drawers under the stand, but any better ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Jameshow]

Nice I must make one for my Naerok pillar drill. 18mm ply with dowels / biscuits / Domino's should sort?

Out if interest can you use a xy vice on a normal Naerok drill???

 

[Inspector]

Your mill is what we generally call a round column Mill/Drill. Grizzly have a few that look to be bigger like this one. https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-8-x-29-2-hp-mill-drill-with-stand/g0705
They are decent enough for home use but be aware that because there is no way to hold the head to column alignment, raising the head while making something will mean your head won't be in the same location once moved. It can be relocated again with effort.
The stand for most if they had one is similar to the Grizzly if they even had a door. If you go ahead with your sketch be sure to put a chip catching tray between the cabinet and the mill's base to catch the swarf.
The grizzly site has a lot of manuals available for the mill/drills that have sold in the past and you can probably find a close match to yours if you don't have one for yours.
Now you are about to discover that the mill is the cheap part. The tooling for it is where the real money is.

Pete

 

[TheYellowLandy]

Nice I must make one for my Naerok pillar drill. 18mm ply with dowels / biscuits / Domino's should sort?

Out if interest can you use a xy vice on a normal Naerok drill???

Hi Jameshow,

If your Naerok drill is anything like this one, I'd imagine you could fit an xy vice to the circular bed, as then it could move up and down on the column. However I don't know if the bed on this one is anywhere near as level as the one on the mill as it wasn't designed for milling. The head and motor assembly look similar enough if a bit smaller so with a bit of modification I'm sure it would be possible.

As for your stand suggestion it is a good idea, but I might have to add some larger timber supports to that as the machine weighs ~150kg.

Edit: spelling

 

[TheYellowLandy]

Your mill is what we generally call a round column Mill/Drill. Grizzly have a few that look to be bigger like this one. https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-8-x-29-2-hp-mill-drill-with-stThe and/g0705
They are decent enough for home use but be aware that because there is no way to hold the head to column alignment, raising the head while making something will mean your head won't be in the same location once moved. It can be relocated again with effort.
The stand for most if they had one is similar to the Grizzly if they even had a door. If you go ahead with your sketch be sure to put a chip catching tray between the cabinet and the mill's base to catch the swarf.
The grizzly site has a lot of manuals available for the mill/drills that have sold in the past and you can probably find a close match to yours if you don't have one for yours.
Now you are about to discover that the mill is the cheap part. The tooling for it is where the real money is.

Pete

Hi Inspector,

The Grizzly one does look like a much more modern version of the Naerok, although mine does keep the alignment between head an column when moved up and down. It has a bevel gearbox on the column with a crank handle, and the whole column/head assembly moves up and down as one piece, with the bottom end of the round column poking through the foot [and presumably a hole in the stand if one was fitted].

This is the gearbox - I have the original crank but someone was using a ratchet spanner as the old bench got in the way of the handle.

I've got a manual which came with the mill although it is fairly brief and unhelpful.

A chip tray is definetly a good call, don't want my nice new wooden stand soaked in oil

As for tooling, a few decent bits came with it but I'm trying not to look at prices

 

[Sandyn]

I would weld up a very sturdy stand for the mill and put the cabinet under it. I would also put wheels on the stand, but engineer a system to raise/lower the stand, so it's not resting on the wheels when static. It looks a bit top heavy, so much care needed when moving.

 

[Inspector]

Putting an X/Y table under a regular drill press or pillar drill won’t work very well. The reason being the side loads and vibrations of a milling cutter loosen them up and they drop out. The mill/drill and milling machines have a drawbar (long bolt) that holds collets and chucks where they belong. You might get away with it if you are using small cutters (>3mm) but 6mm and up will shake out, usually ruining the work and cutter.

Pete

 

[Fergie 307]

I have an xy type vice under my old Sealey floor standing drill. Very handy for positioning stuff but only for drilling. As Pete says don't try and use this arrangement as an impromptu mill, unless it has the facility to use a draw bar. Even then you will probably find that the drill has too much movement, which will lead to chatter at best. If you want a milling machine buy a milling machine. As to the O P's original question look for machine stands on e bay or similar. Usually bolt together and made of angle but work well as long as you ensure it is designed for the weight. This is a very heavy machine for its size, I doubt a ply cabinet would be up to it. If you are lucky you might find a second hand proper cabinet. For chip trays I have often used commercial baking trays, big range of sizes in either aluminium or stainless.

 

[Fergie 307]

Hi Inspector,

The Grizzly one does look like a much more modern version of the Naerok, although mine does keep the alignment between head an column when moved up and down. It has a bevel gearbox on the column with a crank handle, and the whole column/head assembly moves up and down as one piece, with the bottom end of the round column poking through the foot [and presumably a hole in the stand if one was fitted]. View attachment 139871
This is the gearbox - I have the original crank but someone was using a ratchet spanner as the old bench got in the way of the handle.

I've got a manual which came with the mill although it is fairly brief and unhelpful.

A chip tray is definetly a good call, don't want my nice new wooden stand soaked in oil

As for tooling, a few decent bits came with it but I'm trying not to look at prices

Warco also sell a similar machine, or did.

 

[Spectric]

Putting an X/Y table under a regular drill press or pillar drill won’t work very well. The reason being the side loads and vibrations of a milling cutter loosen them up and they drop out. T

I was thinking along similar lines, a mill is normally very substantial, that looks like a std chuck.

 

[TheYellowLandy]

I would weld up a very sturdy stand for the mill and put the cabinet under it. I would also put wheels on the stand, but engineer a system to raise/lower the stand, so it's not resting on the wheels when static. It looks a bit top heavy, so much care needed when moving.

Thanks, I think wheels would definetly make it easier to move. Can confirm it is very top heavy.

 

[TheYellowLandy]

For chip trays I have often used commercial baking trays, big range of sizes in either aluminium or stainless.

Decent idea, will look into that and see if I could spray it in a matching blue

 

[TheYellowLandy]

Warco also sell a similar machine, or did.

Yes, looks like they still make it:

 

[user 36867]

This works well with my Waco