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  1. #1
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    Default Holding workpiece for milling

    First up, I have not as yet done any milling, but will soon be on a vertical milling slide on my lathe.
    The pieces I want to mill will be 85mm square by 52.5mm thick.
    The milling will be performed across the 52.5mm face, so the face of the piece will be standing 85mm out from the face of the slide.
    As yet I have no way of holding these, so before I drop $$$$s, I want to know if a precision milling machine vice (Precision tool vices QKG80_Machine Tool Access._M&G Productions) would be suitable, or is there a better option?
    I will be making 6 of these, so need to have something that works, but doesn't cost me a kidney, and will be useful in the future for other projects. (Versatile)
    Cheers

  2. #2
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    In theory yes, but at 7kg is going to be mighty heavy. I would also check what size it is. Most vertical slides for lathes are not all that wide, so it may not fit.
    You might be better mounting an angle on the slide and then clamping the blocks to the angle, either with G clamps or another angle on the other side and some all-thread or something clamping the two bits together (if you did it that way you could clamp the second angle down to the slide too, to give further support).

    Michael

  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    I don't think a vice will be as important of an issue as the other sliding components on the lathe. You will have to make sure there's no slop on this - maybe even tighten them up a bit for the job?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    In theory yes, but at 7kg is going to be mighty heavy. I would also check what size it is. Most vertical slides for lathes are not all that wide, so it may not fit.

    You might be better mounting an angle on the slide and then clamping the blocks to the angle, either with G clamps or another angle on the other side and some all-thread or something clamping the two bits together (if you did it that way you could clamp the second angle down to the slide too, to give further support).

    Michael
    The slide is 125 X 100.
    The weight is an unknown quantity, because the same seller quotes the same vice as 5.5kg on his ebay listing.
    I could go for the next size down (Precision tool vices QKG73_Machine Tool Access._M&G Productions) which is 4.1kg.
    The angle iron idea might work too, thanks.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    I don't think a vice will be as important of an issue as the other sliding components on the lathe. You will have to make sure there's no slop on this - maybe even tighten them up a bit for the job?
    Bob, I can lock the carriage for each pass, and the cross slide is pretty good if run a bit tight.

  6. #6
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    Is your lathe quite rigid? I made a vertical milling slide based on the H&F one. I deliberately put a lot of weight into the adapter plate, about 30Kg of steel. The adapter itself was dead rigid and solid. I tried a small cut and gave myself a fright and immediately made plans to buy a 1.5 ton milling machine.

    With the amount of stickout from the saddle, you are putting a lot of leverage. My lathe was a 300mm x 1000mm chinese one. I'd say the best you could hope for is very light cuts and you need to make sure the cutting is pushing down on the toolpost cos lathes aren't too good on force pushing upwards (well mine anyway).

    I had read how light mills can only do light cuts and never thought it would a problem. In reality, I couldn't live with less than my heavy mill. Its scary when milling and things go wrong. Be careful and good luck. If its just pasltic or maybe aluminium, you might be ok.

    Avoid climb milling at all costs.
    Last edited by sossity; 3rd Feb 2020 at 08:29 PM. Reason: Added the last bit.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by sossity View Post

    Is your lathe quite rigid?

    I tried a small cut and gave myself a fright and immediately made plans to buy a 1.5 ton milling machine.

    With the amount of stickout from the saddle, you are putting a lot of leverage. My lathe was a 300mm x 1000mm chinese one.

    I'd say the best you could hope for is very light cuts and you need to make sure the cutting is pushing down on the toolpost cos lathes aren't too good on force pushing upwards (well mine anyway).


    Avoid climb milling at all costs.

    Reasonably rigid but who knows if sufficient until tried.

    On the shopping list I have made for when the lotto win comes through

    I can set the slide towards the centre of the cross slide if that would help

    There will be no up or down machining, the direction will be front to back, and only 53mm of travel. There will be no toolpost involved, just the slide bolted to the cross slide, perhaps via a solid block to raise it up closer to the centreline.

    Indeed, no climb milling

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