[Documentation] Astra (CST) L4 - Vertical and Horizontal Milling Machine

[Ben17484]

This is why the vertical head on many horizontal mills have a separate motor and mount where the overarm mounts. Even on this little mill that would provide 3 or 4" additional inches.

It is a neat little mill and I'm sure much more rigid than many modern mini-mills of similar capacity.

Yeah, I’ve seen a few of those and actually spent some time trying to search one down for this mill. It would definitely make it much more useful as a vertical mill. It seems the original quill feed vertical heads (that sit on top of the ram) are extremely rare, so probably not much chance of finding one. I’m not sure about the option of adapting a vertical quill feed head from another machine on to this mill?


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[Aaron_W]

Yeah, I’ve seen a few of those and actually spent some time trying to search one down for this mill. It would definitely make it much more useful as a vertical mill. It seems the original quill feed vertical heads (that sit on top of the ram) are extremely rare, so probably not much chance of finding one. I’m not sure about the option of adapting a vertical quill feed head from another machine on to this mill?


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That dove tail probably makes adapting a non-standard vertical milling head tricky. Those with a round ram style of overarm are often able to mount a Bridgeport M head.

 

[Ben17484]

I finally got the x axis DRO scale installed.

I’m using touchDRO for both my mill and lathe, so I’ve got the tablet set up on a swivelling mount so I can move it where I need it depending on if I’m on the mill or lathe.


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[Ben17484]

I’ve not updated this thread in a while because I’ve spent more time on the lathe than the mill.

Recently I did tear the mill down again and give things a proper clean, and painted the remaining parts:

Now that it’s all clean and tidy….. it’s for sale. It’s up on eBay at the moment, so we’ll see how that goes. I’m looking to replace it with a bench top vertical mill with a quill and a larger table.


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[Ben17484]

Machine now sold and replaced.


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[wachuko]

Machine now sold and replaced.


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And its replacement is ????

 

[Ben17484]

And its replacement is ????

Haha, sorry I should have mentioned that.

It’s a ToolCo VM32. Equivalent to a PM30.

I went the route of buying a new (well, 2nd hand but ‘as new’) this time so I could actually learn how to use a Mill rather than buying old (as I did with the Astra) and spending more time in fixing it than using it.


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