Seeking input on my first milling machine

[Drop Port]

Dang I love these discussions. Now for a moment of levity.

I'm teaching machine shop practicum, students are working on their projects, I'm sitting at the desk doing some computer paperwork. A student comes to me and says his Bridgeport is tilting over, looks like it's about ready to fall. WTF??? I walk over, the mill is tilting left at about fifteen to twenty degrees. Holy crap! How is that possible? I look down and he has a chair jammed under the rapid traverse motor under the right end and as he was lowering the table, and not paying attention, the chair jammed and was forcing the mill to tilt. I grab the handle and gently raise the table, the mill goes back to the floor and all is well. Since he was on the short side, he had been using the chair to stand on to reach the drawbar. We renamed that machine the Leaning Bridgeport of Practicum. I won't name names but that student is now racing a pro stock motorcycle in the NHRA Mello Yello series.

We now return this thread to your regular programming.

Kind of reminds me of years ago working as a mechanic when a friend left the secondary air safety lever on the lift jammed with a spark plug. Great during the day and quicker but overnight night a good idea if you have a mini van on the lift without the mechanical safety set and an oil drain under the vehicle, entertaining though.

 

[shortgrass]

I recommend keeping your fingers away from that sharp spinning thing. Hope that helps

And put your safety glasses on!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Will do. I'll be sure to put my crayons away and wear my helmet too

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Will do. I'll be sure to put my crayons away and wear my helmet too

Borrow one from tom, he's got extras.

 

[butchlambert]

The mill I run nowadays maybe with at least a 4th axis a 5th would be good to.
Haven't you ever maid square parts out of round parts on a lathe or bored a offset hole in a square part on a lathe

Boring an offset hole in a square piece of stock in a lathe is pretty easy. One of the reasons for a 4 jaw.

 

[Cloudrepair]

Boring an offset hole in a square piece of stock in a lathe is pretty easy. One of the reasons for a 4 jaw.

Just joking a little

A lot can be done on a lathe. some of those thing take a lot less setup time on a mill
My lathe still has to do some of the mill work if I don't want or have the time to take it to work and do it.
And because of space I've been thinking about one of those mills also
(pm-30 mv?)

 

[Ledd Slinger]

because of space I've been thinking about one of those mills also
(pm-30 mv?)

I almost got the 30MV, but the table travel required a little too much space for where I wanted to put it. The 25MV can be upgraded for more RPM or a more powerful motor. Watched a video where a guy made an adapter to change the gearing ratio on the motor and spindle (1 to 2) by using different belt pulleys. He had the little 25MV ripping along up at 5,000 rpm with the original 1HP motor and controls. Of course the original spindle bearings aren't designed for that kind of speed so he had to order the proper bearings.

 

[Doug Beach]

Dang I love these discussions. Now for a moment of levity.

I'm teaching machine shop practicum, students are working on their projects, I'm sitting at the desk doing some computer paperwork. A student comes to me and says his Bridgeport is tilting over, looks like it's about ready to fall. WTF??? I walk over, the mill is tilting left at about fifteen to twenty degrees. Holy crap! How is that possible? I look down and he has a chair jammed under the rapid traverse motor under the right end and as he was lowering the table, and not paying attention, the chair jammed and was forcing the mill to tilt. I grab the handle and gently raise the table, the mill goes back to the floor and all is well. Since he was on the short side, he had been using the chair to stand on to reach the drawbar. We renamed that machine the Leaning Bridgeport of Practicum. I won't name names but that student is now racing a pro stock motorcycle in the NHRA Mello Yello series.

We now return this thread to your regular programming.

Damn sturdy chair.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Damn sturdy chair.

Built by the woodshop class next door

 

[hogpatrol]

Built by the woodshop class next door

Close Dusty, Actually it was a metal and fiberglass chair and the weld shop is next door. I wish I would have taken a photo.