VN Best tooling to start with for VN12?

J

John TV

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Ok, so I don't even have the VN12 home yet but I started thinking about tooling. I need your suggestions on where to start.
I believe I have a full set of the VN 5v collets coming with the mill and if memory serves they max out at 1/2 inch. So my questions are the best set up for drill chuck, fly cutter, face mill etc. Have any of you had any luck making your own collets to hold these larger tools?

I have absolutely zero experience with a mill of any kind. All knowledge so far is from reading and YouTube and this forum.

Regarding the horizontal mill, I'm getting the arbor and over arm support but no tooling. So wondering what the most useful or common cutters would be so I can start looking for them.

Thanks for your thoughts and experience.


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As for a fly cutter, i would highly recommend finding a 5v shell mill collet. On my no10 I can only run a 2" shell mill due to size of motor.

Due to the lack of experience with a mill, I would spend your money wisely. Don't go buy a high dollar single end mill until you understand speeds of the cutter, and feeds of the table. Find a nice complete set of 2 and 4 flute end mills.

Your tooling will depend on the type of work. Start small to learn as much as you can and contribute to the tooling per the requirements of each job. Over the last year, I have picked up more tooling than I initially started with. It will allow me to learn more and broaden my capabilities.
 
Van Norman "C" collets (which Hardinge call 5V) max out at 5/8". Hardinge makes 5V collets up to 3/4" collet as well, but everything from 5/8" up is stepped and won't hold a long tool.

Keep your eye out on eBay for Weldon shank endmill holders. They come in sizes up to 1-1/4" and a much better for holding endmills than collets:

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/att...ll-holder-set-for-van-norman-mill-jpg.113933/

For the time being, just use what you have until you get a little experience with the machine.
 
Regarding cutters for your horizontal arbor. Main thing is determine the ID of the arbor. Then look for cutters with that ID. Lots of older horizontal mills used 1” and smaller arbors. Now days lots of cutters are 1 1/4”, so they don’t fit. And the older sizes just aren’t available anymore - so tend to only sporadically come available.

Seems like the most common horizontal mill cutters are slab cutters. These have longish cutting surfaces 1” or longer, for producing smooth, flat finishes on bar stock and flat parts. This might be the style cutter you could first start with. Just to experiment.

Glenn
 
Glenn Brooks said:
Regarding cutters for your horizontal arbor. Main thing is determine the ID of the arbor. Then look for cutters with that ID. Lots of older horizontal mills used 1” and smaller arbors. Now days lots of cutters are 1 1/4”, so they don’t fit. And the older sizes just aren’t available anymore - so tend to only sporadically come available.

Seems like the most common horizontal mill cutters are slab cutters. These have longish cutting surfaces 1” or longer, for producing smooth, flat finishes on bar stock and flat parts. This might be the style cutter you could first start with. Just to experiment.

Glenn
Click to expand...

Thank you to all who responded. I'll start small and keep looking for old VN tooling and the occasional new item. Your input and help are invaluable and the reason I was not too hesitant to give some old iron a new home.


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This is the place for Van Norman fans. I actually did my homework on eBay looking & comparing what all was out there. I kept coming back to the VN that wasn't selling. Though I now am thinking of adding an auto feed spindle, I didn't like the Bridgeport style of hanging motors off the end of everything. VN is better to my thinking! I'd only focus on what tooling will fit the collets that you have coming until you can inspect everything to be absolutely certain of what tool holders will fit & indeed what tooling options will fit the spindle itself. I can do the VN no2 Collets or NMTB 50 holders / arbors with the drawbars I have. Yours might have options that you aren't aware of yet. Beware, my model is a different model from yours so my input is just generally speaking. Best wishes & looking forward to your updates!
 
The 12 will be the C taper. It is possible that the spindle has been reground to R8, but highly unlikely.

For the face mill arbor, just make it. I have been buying tooling for a couple of years and I have seen 2 for sale.

You will want, at minimum, 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" collets. Be prepared to spend some money. I have the very first 12 ever made, as well as a 16s.

Jason
 
Jason, in my quest to learn (because I am not a machinist), I have to ask why a preference for starting with Collets over Tool Holders? I have a VN no2 system that mounts up into my NMTB 50 Spindle. It came with just a 5/8" tool holder. Being laid up from back trouble has prevented my experimenting - but it seems a pain to change that 1 tool holder to anything else. Essentially, why Collets over Tool Holders or a Quick Change set up? Just trying to learn & being on a budget causes us to plan our strategy & best move.
 
Availability. There are no end mill holders available. You might find a used set on eBay, but I have been looking for over 3 years, and I have yet to see any for sale.

Tooling for C taper machines is limited. New production collets will run you from $125 to $175 each. Used collets run around $35 to $50 each.

The other issue with end mill holders in a 12 is the overall height from the end of the tool to the table. You will loose 4" or so, which can make a difference.

Jason
 
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