Home-made Milling Machine for Sale

[craniac]

Good grief, snob?

Your swimming upstream judging by the reply’s so far, and what you don’t know about me is that I make production assembly fixtures for a living.

So yeah, I know the components and can tell just by looking at it how poorly it will perform.


Have a nice day.

This is still the hobby machinist forum though. We can still have sympathy for someone attempt to make something. I kind of admire this kind of crazy thing. Somebody went for it at least, they didn't just run out and buy a bridgeport. I'm thinking about the old popular mechanics shop projects where it was assumed that you'd make what you needed, tooling and accessories. Maybe the result drops into the laugh or cry category but I would rather know why its that way. I don't do this for a living and can't tell just by looking.

The comment about linear bearing not being up to the task is on point for example. good to know. There is probably more than $400 in materials in this contraption. Maybe it has the bones of a working machine somewhere in it.

Tim

 

[RaisedByWolves]

This is still the hobby machinist forum though. We can still have sympathy for someone attempt to make something. I kind of admire this kind of crazy thing. Somebody went for it at least, they didn't just run out and buy a bridgeport. I'm thinking about the old popular mechanics shop projects where it was assumed that you'd make what you needed, tooling and accessories. Maybe the result drops into the laugh or cry category but I would rather know why its that way. I don't do this for a living and can't tell just by looking.

The comment about linear bearing not being up to the task is on point for example. good to know. There is probably more than $400 in materials in this contraption. Maybe it has the bones of a working machine somewhere in it.

Tim

Since no one here owned up to making it(so far at least) it’s fair game for critique and harshly so if the situation fits.

Now if someone here were attempting to make this and they were getting their stones broken, yeah, that would be out of line.

In that situation I would be the first to tell people to back off as a member of the site is endeavoring (<<<<is that even a word?) to learn, and I would be doing my best to use it as a teachable moment.

I’ve had apprentices under my wing and have helped and also left them to fail according to what they needed to have happen at the time.

Another poster alluded to “It is a poor workman who blames his tools” which I heartily believe is trus.

But that goes hand in hand with “A fool and his money…”

There is probably on order of $1500 worth of components there if purchased new and in new condition. I doubt that these components were purchased new as for that much money you could buy a small mill.

Given that, how do you think this would perform?

Single speed, no way to tram the head, at least not easily as far as I can tell and little in the way of mass to prevent the table from lifting, leaning, deflecting or doing any number of unwanted things. And I haven’t even got to the spindle bearings yet or table locks yet.

Will it do something?

Yes.

Will it do anything well?


Considering an end mill could set you back $40-50 and get ruined the first time the machine goes into uncontrolled gyrations, is it even worth finding out?

As to this being a Hobbiest forum, shouldn’t those with knowledge of the topic try to steer those who are still learning, straight?

 

[Braeden P]

Is this one of your 6th grade projects, @Braeden P? If there's anyone here who could make do with what they've found, it's those boys from Reading, PA.

I never had that much metal laying around, I do plan on making a power hammer that will look like it was made in the same garage as that

 

[craniac]

Since no one here owned up to making it(so far at least) it’s fair game for critique and harshly so if the situation fits.

Now if someone here were attempting to make this and they were getting their stones broken, yeah, that would be out of line.

In that situation I would be the first to tell people to back off as a member of the site is endeavoring (<<<<is that even a word?) to learn, and I would be doing my best to use it as a teachable moment.

I’ve had apprentices under my wing and have helped and also left them to fail according to what they needed to have happen at the time.

Another poster alluded to “It is a poor workman who blames his tools” which I heartily believe is trus.

But that goes hand in hand with “A fool and his money…”

There is probably on order of $1500 worth of components there if purchased new and in new condition. I doubt that these components were purchased new as for that much money you could buy a small mill.

Given that, how do you think this would perform?

Single speed, no way to tram the head, at least not easily as far as I can tell and little in the way of mass to prevent the table from lifting, leaning, deflecting or doing any number of unwanted things. And I haven’t even got to the spindle bearings yet or table locks yet.

Will it do something?

Yes.

Will it do anything well?


Considering an end mill could set you back $40-50 and get ruined the first time the machine goes into uncontrolled gyrations, is it even worth finding out?

As to this being a Hobbiest forum, shouldn’t those with knowledge of the topic try to steer those who are still learning, straight?

Of course steer us straight, that is precisely the point. Your last post is chock full of useful information about what to expect from a build like this. When I look at something like this particular machine I don't expect great performance but don't yet know all the why it won't work which you have helpfully listed above. What I see sometimes on other forums (mostly) is a type of criticism that seems dismissive instead of educational that gets old really fast so a drift that way, even unintentional, touches a sore spot.

Tim

 

[OTmachine]

Well, I like the DIY mill, AND …… would use it it a pinch. Ain‘t much that you cannot fix with a file. Cheers to the mechanic that fabricated it, with quite obviously, what he had on hand.
I once made a hydraulic drive shaft for a WABCO Motor Grader that ran inside of the front drive shaft out of 1” diameter chrome moly with 19 and 21 splines on the ends using machinery similar to that. Necessity is the mother of invention. All that I had available to me at the time and Got ‘Er Done. Ranch hands insisted on not letting the hydraulic oil warm up before running it in -15 degree F weather. Twisted the old one right off.

 

[atunguyd]

I don’t think you live in a third world country.

Actually we (I also live in South Africa) do.

This year so far we have had 173 days of what is called load shedding. Where the power is cut for a 2 hour period once to 4 times a day because half our power stations are broken down.

Most towns have intermittent water supply because the water infrastructure is crumbling. One of the roads near my house had municipal water seeping up through the road for over a month to it was repaired.

We have an official unemployment rate of 40%, I say unofficial because when you give up looking for work and resort to something like begging you are no longer classified as unemployed, real figure is probably more like 60%

Only about 18% of the population pays tax so those of us that do need to pay 43% of our income to the state.


Our state owned Airline went bust (after being bailed out by the government for power a decade). Our state owned post office is currently insolvent (what country does not have a functional postal service)

I could go on but it is too depressing. All this happened in a relatively short time. I grew up in the 80s and rember our currency being stronger than the USD. We are now at a 20:1 conversion

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk

 

[woodchucker]

Actually we (I also live in South Africa) do.

This year so far we have had 173 days of what is called load shedding. Where the power is cut for a 2 hour period once to 4 times a day because half our power stations are broken down.

Most towns have intermittent water supply because the water infrastructure is crumbling. One of the roads near my house had municipal water seeping up through the road for over a month to it was repaired.

We have an official unemployment rate of 40%, I say unofficial because when you give up looking for work and resort to something like begging you are no longer classified as unemployed, real figure is probably more like 60%

Only about 18% of the population pays tax so those of us that do need to pay 43% of our income to the state.


Our state owned Airline went bust (after being bailed out by the government for power a decade). Our state owned post office is currently insolvent (what country does not have a functional postal service)

I could go on but it is too depressing. All this happened in a relatively short time. I grew up in the 80s and rember our currency being stronger than the USD. We are now at a 20:1 conversion

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk

sorry to read that.

 

[great white]

Actually we (I also live in South Africa) do.

This year so far we have had 173 days of what is called load shedding. Where the power is cut for a 2 hour period once to 4 times a day because half our power stations are broken down.

Most towns have intermittent water supply because the water infrastructure is crumbling. One of the roads near my house had municipal water seeping up through the road for over a month to it was repaired.

We have an official unemployment rate of 40%, I say unofficial because when you give up looking for work and resort to something like begging you are no longer classified as unemployed, real figure is probably more like 60%

Only about 18% of the population pays tax so those of us that do need to pay 43% of our income to the state.


Our state owned Airline went bust (after being bailed out by the government for power a decade). Our state owned post office is currently insolvent (what country does not have a functional postal service)

I could go on but it is too depressing. All this happened in a relatively short time. I grew up in the 80s and rember our currency being stronger than the USD. We are now at a 20:1 conversion

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk

Well, you’ve got it worse than me for sure, except in one area: I pay 42% income tax here, 1% less than you do.

The rest of your post though….phew!

It often strikes me hiw different a persons life can be based just one where they are born on this rock.

I’ve been to enough places on this globe to be very grateful to live in Canada. Joined the military relatively young, saw and did a lit of stuff in a lot of different places and all it really did was solidify that I never want to live anywhere besides where I am now….

I wish you good luck in your endeavors.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Of course steer us straight, that is precisely the point. Your last post is chock full of useful information about what to expect from a build like this. When I look at something like this particular machine I don't expect great performance but don't yet know all the why it won't work which you have helpfully listed above. What I see sometimes on other forums (mostly) is a type of criticism that seems dismissive instead of educational that gets old really fast so a drift that way, even unintentional, touches a sore spot.

Tim

I probably lose sight of the fact that I understand a lot more about things like this than the average person. There’s a lot of really smart people here which is why I joined but there are also people who may struggle with certain concepts I take for granted.

Take the rails on the knee for example.

Imagine (or go ahead and try) the force it would take you to hold an endmill in your hand and scrape off a .030 chip similar to how a mill would cut it in a block of aluminum, I honestly doubt most people could do that.

Then take that force and multiply it by the leverage a 1.5’ (distance from chuck to center of ball roller blocks.) moment arm? I think is the term and you will begging to understand the amount of force put into those rails and how much they would flex.

I have a set similar to those right behind the chair I’m sitting in and while their great for taking a horizontal load when supported properly, their not ment to take a side load at all.

Side loading on those iirc is 1/10th capacity.





And let’s say you can get by making some chips with that machine. Those roller blocks will fill with grit and chips and will cease to be roller blocks. We often have ball cages Jack bushings out of dies when they get gummed up or are at the end of their travel, so that alone will probably lock that knee in place eventually.

Ballcage post and bushing for those not familiar.

http://web.tradekorea.com/upload_file2/product/591/P00319591/cbe9caa5_40251144_62ac_4d75_9e5e_abed5901cfc8.jpg

This is why ways and gibs are found on most machines. Their rigid, stable, and can be easily locked in place by friction and hold postition while that is being done.


I won’t mention brands, but I see some really poor design elements in some of the home shop offerings. I understand that the manufacturer wants to make their machine stand out with big capacity ratings, but the way they go about it is absurd.

Can you use them? Sure.

But just a few design tweaks would make the overall user experience much much better.