What success and failure have you had with a lathe milling attachment?

Thriller

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Don't really have the room or available funds for a milling machine. I have a Craftex CX706 lathe its a 10X22. Looks like the precision Mathews 10x22. I would like to hear both the good and the bad about one of the lathe milling attachments. I was thinking of using it to put a flat spot on a piece of round stock or put in a small keyway. Pictures are great. thanks in advance!
 
I milled in my lathe for many years. You can make some decent parts but it's tuff. It's tuff to see what you're doing and tuff doing the layout as the table is vertical and nothing stays where you put it. That said, milling on the lathe is better than not milling. I used a single slide table and an angle plate to make mine.

DSC_0085.JPGSPANNER WRENCH FITTED TO NUT.JPG
 
I'd think for the simple applications you listed (flat spot on a piece of round stock or put in a small keyway) it would be suitable.

A milling attachment really is not a replacement for a mill, but in a pinch it can cover some basic use cases. As long as you don't expect to do much with it, you'll find it a valuable addition. If it is going to cost you more than a couple hundred to set up, I'd look at some basic mini-mill units. They are easily found used for very cheap.
 
The thread title is successes and failures with the lathe milling attachment, so here goes:

Success: I found one and bought it for a "good" price. It was complete and in great shape. It almost seems... unused. Huh.

Failure: I've had it a couple years and never used it. Ever. Maybe that explains why it looks unused... I find it reassuring that this old lathe attachment will remain in pristine condition.

If I had no mill, the attachment could be a life saver. I also see how it could be very frustrating to use. My point of view is that you would get better work out of a cheap benchtop mill.
 
My experience with one on a Clausing 5900 lathe was that it was hard to keep it square to the spindle and it wasn’t very ridged.
But on the other hand, people with Myford lathes in the UK do some impressive work with one.
 
Nice work there
I milled in my lathe for many years. You can make some decent parts but it's tuff. It's tuff to see what you're doing and tuff doing the layout as the table is vertical and nothing stays where you put it. That said, milling on the lathe is better than not milling. I used a single slide table and an angle plate to make mine.

View attachment 319199View attachment 319200
 
I couldn't find a picture of it but I built one for my 9" Seneca Falls Star lathe using a very nice, small X-Y table I got on eBay. So, call it either a success or a failure but it convinced me to build a mill.

What I have learned though is there are many applications that I thought could only be done on a mill which I have been able to do on the lathe. Get familiar with your 4 jaw chuck and with holding work pieces on the cross slide.


Cheers,

John
 
I bought a Palmgren 250 a couple decades ago. Used it on my Atlas and currently on my Jet 1340 clone. Yes there are limitations. Working with any metals you have to feed in the correct direction to avoid tool snatching the part and moving things about. I always push away if the tool is below, and pull towards me when the tool is above the part. This way my backlash is removed in the cross slide.
I found that you want the center pivot bolt of the Palmgren for example to be near or even with the spindle centerline. Helps equalize the loading on the vice.
The other day I milled and squared up some aluminum blocks and then cut a slot into both. I was taking 0.01” per pass when cutting the slot with a 3/16” end mill. Unfortunately I didn’t have the right collet so had to use regular chuck. Collet are not really made to hold end mills but can work in a pinch. Usually you would use an end mill holder.
How I mount mine, is on the same stud that the QCTP is held down with. I did make a long spacer to take up the distance, and I make sure that the surfaces are oil free to get the best hold to prevent slipping.

Rules for success
Secure mounting of the vice to slide with no oil between.
Center the vice pivot bolt to spindle center line.
Use end mill tool holder is best.
Conventional milling only.
Tighten the gibs and lock the carriage if possible.
Heavy cuts only in Aluminum
Use power feed on facing cuts

Pierre

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I used one very similar to Pierre's for years. Found it more than adequate for cutting keyways and general milling,
Would be nice if it had a DRO.

Greg
 
I would love a mill but without the funds I made a vertical slide for my lathe.
and heres some of the items made with it.
Light cuts is the secret as I does chatter on heavy cuts.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/my-first-steam-engine.21205/page-2#post-700160 post 35
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/the-giant-binocular.55688/page-5#post-650469 post 144
It does not take the place of a mill but its better than nothing and is definitely way cheaper.
 
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