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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Default What would you choose? Milling machine mods

    I have a bday coming up which affords me some dreaming on my machine shop wish list. Modest upgrades but allows me to continue to find my projects vs stalling them to fund purchases to improve processes or use ability.

    I’m looking at 3 options for the mill and wondering what people would choose themselves if in the same position.

    1. 3 axis DRO - I have a round column mill so would have to still work a solution to get the z axis neatly added in. But I can see some benefits. I don’t really do much high precision work yet. I’ve mostly been facing tubes for welding or milling our scribe lines on parts.

    2. Power feed - this would get used regularly but for my mill the only options seem to be the ones where you lose the left handle and it adds a lot of length to the table. Not a major issue but I’d much prefer the option that attaches to the right handle and maintains the wheel that side too (as I have clearance issues on the left).

    3. Dividing head - I’ve have a need to do milling with rounded sections plus maybe gear cutting in my distant future. Clearly a rotary table would be cheaper as a starting point but it looks like the rotary table could cover both for a bit more $$ and benefit of doing accurate divisions too.

    I have a load of projects on the go at the moment but none of these are critical to these (other than a rotary table).

    But what have people added and thought they should have done that much earlier.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Default

    All those options are very worthy investments. I have all three (although I'm powefeed-less again atm) and like you I acquired most of those at separate times along the way as time/money and opportunity presented.

    Each item greatly improved my capability but if I were to prioritise then the top 2 would be the DRO and rotary table.

    The DRO on my first mill is a very basic cheap system but i remember it was a game changer overnight for me. No more counting handwheel rotations or mis-counting and stuffing a job up. No more having to worry about backlash when returning to a position or a datum.

    Having said that, I bought a rotary table BEFORE the DRO but the DR OK was much cheaper and the RT was birthday present no i didnt complain!

    Tough choice between those two but for you i would lean towards a DRO especially with the round column. You can set up a datum position on your table and at least use the DRO to find the datum again once you raise/lower your head.

    I don't have a power feed atm and I think I would miss it the least of those three.

    Simon

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    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  3. #3
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    Default

    For me it would be DRO first, drastically reduces scrap and anger levels. Next power feed as end mills are expensive esp carbide. Distantly followed by a rotary table I almost never use one but I use my dividing head constantly, at least once a month.

  4. #4
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    Aug 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Default

    Your probably right cask with your 2nd choice but rightly or wrongly I have broken more endmills with power feed. I prefer to feel the cutting by hand.

    I feel very awkward using power feed with very small endmills.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  5. #5
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    Jul 2016
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    Default

    It really really helps having a machine with known feed rates in mm per min as you can then use manufacturer data to set known safe feeds. When I just had a generic power fed Bridgeport style one it didn't help much on the small stuff.

    With those it's worth keeping a little book of combinations that have worked in the past.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by neevo View Post
    ...

    3. Dividing head - I’ve have a need to do milling with rounded sections plus maybe gear cutting in my distant future. Clearly a rotary table would be cheaper as a starting point but it looks like the rotary table could cover both for a bit more $$ and benefit of doing accurate divisions too.
    A rotary table and a dividing head are not quite the same thing. The R/T has lower gearing so that you can mill circular arcs. A dividing head on the other hand is made for indexing, typically being locked while the machining goes on. (you can (and do) mill with a dividing head moving when doing spiral milling, but it is usually driven from the X feed).

    If you get a rotary table that can be used in both horizontal and vertical positions, and get the indexing plates for it, you will have more options than a dividing head would offer. As a rough guide a R/T the same diameter (or smaller) as the width of your table is the usual thing. The bigger the R/T diameter, the more control and support you will have for milling. The upper limit is that the R/T becomes too heavy to lift or that the diameter is larger than the table and so you start losing table travel.

    My personal vote is for the DRO, particularly if you are making parts that are several turns of the travel handles long. It's a pain to try and keep count.

    Michael

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Drouin Vic
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    Default

    Another vote for the DRO, it is used in almost every operation on the machine and makes everything easier and more accurate. The RT is something you'll also want to add but I'd go for the DRO first.

  8. #8
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    Sep 2009
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    Sydney
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    Default

    Looks like the consensus is DRO then Dividing Head.

    I think I’m leaning towards the Dividing Head the the moment as it gives me something I don’t have yet. I can count handle rotations or use scribe lines still and powerfeed just seems like a nice to have.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Newcastle
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    Default

    another vote for the DRO here,
    and having a round column mill myself I'll be very interested in hearing which DRO you go for, if that what you decide.
    Hafco AL320G Lathe
    Toolex RF31 Mill/Drill
    Saber Bandsaw

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    melbourne, laverton
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    1,910

    Default why not

    hi mate . diffucult choice. Dro's are very handy make life a little easier .
    Its pretty clear to me you need all 3 of these up grades.
    time to beg borrow or steal. Or may be could.
    get the dro.
    instead of a dividing head try some thing like this.
    PF70/5C Spin Index with Tail Stock_Machine Tool Access._M&G Productions

    make your own power feed using a drive belt and some drive like this.
    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ORIENTAL...oAAOSwA3ddqQNb

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Southern Flinders Ranges
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    Default

    I had to ponder the same question recently as part of an insurance claim (was given a store credit with a tool supplier as part settlement).
    i looked at the same three things.
    i had a brief discussion with a mate on it, he said you can have nice round parts when you use a rotary table, or you can accurately machined parts all the time with a DRO.
    Sage words
    I pick up my DRO next week.

  12. #12
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    Sep 2009
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    Sydney
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    Default

    I think I’m a little way from need super accurate parts. Have a 2x72” belt grinder project coming up and will need to mill some slots around a centre point. So I’m thinking a Dividing Head might be a good investment now and a DRO next.

    I’ve been eyeing up a Dividing Head on the auction site as it looks like it flips up 90 degrees and so would give me a rotary table solution too. Anyone bought/used one of them?


  13. #13
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    Jun 2007
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    sydney ( st marys )
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    Default

    With the semi universal it's physical size will minimise the working room you have under your spindle when in the Vertical position with a chuck attached, you will also be limited to what you can attach/hold on the front plate unless you make an adapter plate, they are not particularly rigid if using the chuck, the main reason being the distance away from the main body, in the Horizontal you have the support of the tail stock. They are able to be rotated through 90 degrees useful if that is required.

    It does come with plates, centre, chuck and Tailstock.

    A Rotary table won't take up as much Vertical space even with a chuck attached, can be used in both Vertical and Horizontal, work pieces can be attached directly to the front face, as can a chuck,
    plates and tail stock would need to be purchased.

  14. #14
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    Sep 2009
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    Default

    Pipeclay, what’s the difference between the setup phot above (Dividing Head) vs a Rotary Table with dividing plates?

    I can’t figure out where one would be preferable over the other. If I can get dividing plates for a rotary table, then I think I prefer the compact size of it.

  15. #15
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    Mar 2011
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by neevo View Post
    I think I’m a little way from need super accurate parts. Have a 2x72” belt grinder project coming up and will need to mill some slots around a centre point. So I’m thinking a Dividing Head might be a good investment now and a DRO next.

    I’ve been eyeing up a Dividing Head on the auction site as it looks like it flips up 90 degrees and so would give me a rotary table solution too. Anyone bought/used one of them?

    Most DRO’s have a function for bolt patterns that can be used for that, but a dividing head is a solid choice if you are happy counting still.
    If you want a ghetto fab power feed mill an attachment to fit where one of your handles mates and a drill chuck, power it with a variable speed drill.

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