home made milling machine

irishwoodsman

irishwoodsman

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has anyone tried or made a homade milling machine just a simple one, size of spindle that i could use to mill with blades and bits, i got a 4x4 chunk of square steel 16" long which would make a good spindle houseing and think i could use a small riding lawnmower transmission 4 speed chain drive or would belt be better, just putting some idea's together for the winter months
 
Paddy OFernichur said:
It might be a fun adventure, but I suggest that you might find more value in buying one and using it. After all, wouldn't you need a milling machine to build one? All the companies that made or currently make such machines seem to already have such machines. I guess it's a chicken-egg/which came first thing.
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i know but that chicken wants alot for that egg and i thought by scavenging metal i could make a simple one
 
If you have a scrap yard locally, go down and buy a bit of scrap for future projects and get to know the guys, then tell them you are after an old milling machine and leave you number. They are usually under paid so you could offer a carton of beer for spotters fee if they get you one will work. If they do get you one they have the truck to deliver cheap as well.

If you have some machine shops around, you could go and ask them if they had any old machines they are thinking about getting rid of.

And last keep and eye out in the paper and Craig's list, and also put the word around you are after one.

You are in the lucky country for machinery, unlike over here.

Dave
 
Davo J said:
If you have a scrap yard locally, go down and buy a bit of scrap for future projects and get to know the guys, then tell them you are after an old milling machine and leave you number. They are usually under paid so you could offer a carton of beer for spotters fee if they get you one will work. If they do get you one they have the truck to deliver cheap as well.

If you have some machine shops around, you could go and ask them if they had any old machines they are thinking about getting rid of.

And last keep and eye out in the paper and Craig's list, and also put the word around you are after one.

You are in the lucky country for machinery, unlike over here.

Dave
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i here ya im in the mid west and they love to scrap that steel, i think if granny had braces they would try and scrap her lol, i do have a machine shop close by that they let me dumpster dive in 20.00 for what i can carry out and it has paid off for me from time to time, i even got about 25lbs of mt3 drill bits spent a week sharpning them.:biggrin:
 
A drill press will work in a pinch for some light stuff with an adjustable milling vice like HF sells for cheap. Please note that a drill press was not made for side ways forces just drilling. Maybe make a better spindle for a press and buy a mill table and you will be in good shape until you can get a regular mill. Just something to think about for now.
Paul
 
pjf134 said:
A drill press will work in a pinch for some light stuff with an adjustable milling vice like HF sells for cheap. Please note that a drill press was not made for side ways forces just drilling. Maybe make a better spindle for a press and buy a mill table and you will be in good shape until you can get a regular mill. Just something to think about for now.
Paul
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i thought about that before then a guy told me the same thing about the spindle being to small for side way cutting and i do have a older drill press that is pretty heavy duty, think i will look into that more. what is a good thickness on a spindle:biggrin:
 
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