Spinning knob handle for knee movement

[pineyfolks]

The handle on my Bridgeport was to long and felt uncomfortable making such big circles. I made a shorter one and used 3/4 drill rod for the handle. It's still easy to crank and if I really need it I can put the original back on.

 

[NCjeeper]

No reason at all. First thing I did when I got my new Bridgeport clone was to fit a regular spinny knob handwheel - it's way faster to crank, and even for a little old wimp like me, not particularly difficult to turn - I just use both hands if I want to move upward a long ways:

What diameter handwheel did you go with?

 

[Frank Ford]

It's 8-inch diameter, from good ol' McMaster Here's my little article on the project:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Tooling/MillHandwheel/handwheel.html

 

[wildo]

I like the idea of a handwheel quite a bit, though for the Burke Millrite, the Y axis already has a 7" diameter hand wheel and a 6" wheel is about the largest that would fit the knee without interfering with the Y.

 

[Silverbullet]

I think the idea of the big crank on the Bridgeport mills is for the maximum load on the table , the amount of leverage to elevate the weight for the machine.
No reason to not use your 8" or 10" dia. Hand wheel. But if your load goes beyond ease of movement I'd keep the lever with the mill. Just my thoughts on these.

 

[Bob Korves]

6" is not big enough for the Millrite knee. The standard factory Millrite crank has a 7" throw, that is the equivalent of a 14" hand wheel. The factory crank is just adequate for a bottom to top lift, even without a big load on the table. There is no rule limiting you to just one system. Factory crank for big loads, hand wheel for no load and short lifts, and my drill powered electric system for quick and easy long lifts.

 

[NCjeeper]

It's 8-inch diameter, from good ol' McMaster Here's my little article on the project:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Tooling/MillHandwheel/handwheel.html

I checked McMaster and they have like a billion handwheels. Do you remember the stock number on yours?

 

[Silverbullet]

Hey Bob , get an old thirties truck steering wheel and a suicide knob. There's your crank.lol

 

[Frank Ford]

I checked McMaster and they have like a billion handwheels. Do you remember the stock number on yours?

I actually have two mills, both with similar handwheels. The Grizzly wood mill has McMaster #6026K135, which is unplated polished iron. The Bridgeport clone got a similar chrome plated wheel - I don't see it in the current listings, so it may have come from another source. They are both just fine.

 

[4GSR]

Hey Bob , get an old thirties truck steering wheel and a suicide knob. There's your crank.lol

Like this?

Second picture is one of the last jobs I did on that mill before it was sold.