My first mistake on my new to me mill

Musky_Hunter

Musky_Hunter

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I'm pretty new to all this and recently got a BP clone knee mill. After spending a week cleaning it up and getting it running I was ready to take some cuts in wood just to get a feel for the controls. I tightened my collet draw bar with a ratchet. Then spent 30 minutes or so trying to figure out what the new noise was the mill was making before I realized I forgot to take the ratchet off the draw bar. Won't make that mistake again.
 
You certainly wouldn't be the first. We all have start somewhere, and not much knowledge is acquired, without a good deal of failure involved in the process. Welcome aboard. Mike
 
Good thing it was a ratchet and not a box wrench- BTDT and it puts a big dent in the motor and tightens the nut so much it's near impossible to remove
-Mark
 
markba633csi said:
Good thing it was a ratchet and not a box wrench- BTDT and it puts a big dent in the motor and tightens the nut so much it's near impossible to remove
-Mark
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Yes I will always use a ratchet now that I have made that mistake. I hope I never do it again but just in case I do.
 
Been there done that, several times. My Tormach has a spindle lock that can't be unblocked unless the spindle wrench is removed and a door with an interlock that prevents the spindle motor from starting unless the door is closed which can't be done if the spindle lock is engaged.

The RF30 clone is a different matter. I use a box wrench on that spindle drawbar which in most cases will hit the column, stalling the motor. I made a spindle lock wrench for the Grizzly G0755 we had at work which would whack into the frame if left in place, again stalling the motor. The thgought of a wrench spinning at head level is terrifying though.
 
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