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(DIR) Return to: Machine Tools, Machining, and Toolmaking
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#Post#: 62424--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: MasonvilleEngines Date: April 4, 2024, 8:41 am
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Just saw that the 3 axis adds 700 bucks, but yolo. Not sure what
you are starting with but consider having a nice vice and
clamping set is a must. Drill chuck, collets also plus tooling.
It adds up, I cried every payment now I am done paying for it I
enjoy the hobby time it provides.
#Post#: 62427--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: Stoker Date: April 4, 2024, 9:49 am
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There are soooooo many advantages to having a DRO on your mill,
that it would be pointless for me to enumerate them.
However, perhaps the greatest single benefit is that it
eliminates any need for thought of backlash on your cranks and
dials, thus simplifies all calculations and movements. The DRO
only indicates actual table movements, and offers a host of
other pushbutton calculations to aid in finding positions like
centering & etc.
If I recall correctly the purchase price of my aftermarket
3-axis DRO was something north of $300, and while instillation
was simple in principle, it really was not all that simple nor
easy to actually accomplish, and it needs to be accomplished
with a high degree of precision if it is to work correctly. The
indicator (encoder) rods are very easily damaged if mishandled,
or especially if not installed with near perfect linear
alignment to their axis of movement! They also need to be
somewhat shrouded for chip protection but still open enough for
connectivity. Therefore, at the end of the day I truly believe
that the added cost of having it factory installed may well be a
better bargain, especially if there is a warranty involved.
Edit:
Additionally, a point I should have mentioned above is that
there is, among the many features available on a DRO, one that
is especially wonderful, maybe even magical, in that no matter
what system your machine was built to, and your dials are set
at, with the push of a button you can work in either Imperial or
Metric measure with perfect facility!
#Post#: 62483--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: Bobsmodels Date: April 5, 2024, 7:35 pm
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I have a bit of a different position on DRO’s. Yes get one on
your new mill whatever one you purchase. It will be a great
“aid” in your machine work. You get what you pay for so match
the quality of the DRO to the machine you purchase, maybe one
step higher. Remember the machine you buy is going to move
around when you cut, how much depends on its rigidity. Since I
started in the machining hobby in the mid 70’s, I have acquired
5 milling machines that I kept, two with DRO’s, each of these
five machines act differently when cutting. The two with DRO’s
let me cut a whole lot faster, but when you get close to the end
it’s time to get out accurate measuring devices. Of course it
depends what you are making.
The point is do not assume the DRO is going to make your machine
any better than it already is. The DRO is just an “aid” that
makes cutting and measuring easier, as long as you remember
which side of the center you are on or which side the cutter the
zero is set etc. You still need to acquire all the mill
machining skills i.e. what your mill does with a climb cut, how
much of a cut can you take, how to compensate for your vise, if
you have variable speed ( another worthwhile “aid”) how does it
affect the cut if changing on the fly, power feed control
another “aid” that needs understanding, cutting dry or with a
lubricant, and then add in the with or without the DRO.
BTW you mentioned the possibility of a lathe, that’s a whole
different set of possibilities with a DRO, again an “aid”. I
have one with a DRO and can make stuff at least 50% faster as
long as you pay attention.
You will enjoy a nice heavy mill compared to Taig you mentioned,
and after a few projects wonder how you got jobs done without
it. You need to pay once and “cry once” or you will pay twice
and “cry louder”! I think that has been inferred in the posts.
Good Luck and enjoy your retirement gifts – be generous to
yourself.
Bob
#Post#: 62486--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: St Paul Steam Date: April 5, 2024, 9:16 pm
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Thanks Bob & Masonvillengines, Stoker.
I am not a total novice at machining, just not use to a big
mill. i am fully aware of the cost of buying nice equipment and
yes, my wish list for the mill is almost doubled by the add on
tools. I know its not a cnc mill & that I will need to do all
the work and layout. A DRO kind of sounds like a GPS,it can get
you where you wanna go, but don't trust it completely & keep
your wits about you.I have come to the conclusion that a really
nice precision mill vise is imperative (dang they're expensive
though) the mill I'm looking at is large (850lbs) w/base, 1100
lbs.
What is a good mill vise for the money ? I know of Kurt &
Glacern vises, I prefer not to mortgage the house for a vice.
#Post#: 62487--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: Stoker Date: April 5, 2024, 9:37 pm
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[quote author=St Paul Steam link=topic=7086.msg62486#msg62486
date=1712369813]
Thanks Bob & Masonvillengines, Stoker.
I am not a total novice at machining, just not use to a big
mill. i am fully aware of the cost of buying nice equipment and
yes, my wish list for the mill is almost doubled by the add on
tools. I know its not a cnc mill & that I will need to do all
the work and layout. A DRO kind of sounds like a GPS,it can get
you where you wanna go, but don't trust it completely & keep
your wits about you.I have come to the conclusion that a really
nice precision mill vise is imperative (dang they're expensive
though) the mill I'm looking at is large (850lbs) w/base, 1100
lbs.
What is a good mill vise for the money ? I know of Kurt &
Glacern vises, I prefer not to mortgage the house for a vice.
[/quote]
That's a very good way to think of a DRO ... especially the last
part of that sentence. But with use and familiarity, it will
work well as a pair of calipers in your machining operations
too. Not to say it will replace calipers and micrometers at all.
A vise is your single most important accessory in my
consideration, but pricing is in direct proportion to size. On
my little G0704 I have a cheepo Chinese 4" which has served me
well and I wouldn't want anything bigger on my table. However, I
did have a bit of work to do on that vise to get it as square
and parallel as I wanted, but it was only a little work and that
saved me several hundred over a "name brand" that may have
needed similar adjustment, though probably not.
Perhaps recommendations from the company you buy the mill from
may be worth asking for, and even suggest a discount from them
on such accessories as a vise.
#Post#: 62488--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: St Paul Steam Date: April 5, 2024, 10:24 pm
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[quote author=Stoker link=topic=7086.msg62487#msg62487
date=1712371050]
[quote author=St Paul Steam link=topic=7086.msg62486#msg62486
date=1712369813]
Thanks Bob & Masonvillengines, Stoker.
I am not a total novice at machining, just not use to a big
mill. i am fully aware of the cost of buying nice equipment and
yes, my wish list for the mill is almost doubled by the add on
tools. I know its not a cnc mill & that I will need to do all
the work and layout. A DRO kind of sounds like a GPS,it can get
you where you wanna go, but don't trust it completely & keep
your wits about you.I have come to the conclusion that a really
nice precision mill vise is imperative (dang they're expensive
though) the mill I'm looking at is large (850lbs) w/base, 1100
lbs.
What is a good mill vise for the money ? I know of Kurt &
Glacern vises, I prefer not to mortgage the house for a vice.
[/quote]
That's a very good way to think of a DRO ... especially the last
part of that sentence. But with use and familiarity, it will
work well as a pair of calipers in your machining operations
too. Not to say it will replace calipers and micrometers at all.
A vise is your single most important accessory in my
consideration, but pricing is in direct proportion to size. On
my little G0704 I have a cheepo Chinese 4" which has served me
well and I wouldn't want anything bigger on my table. However, I
did have a bit of work to do on that vise to get it as square
and parallel as I wanted, but it was only a little work and that
saved me several hundred over a "name brand" that may have
needed similar adjustment, though probably not.
Perhaps recommendations from the company you buy the mill from
may be worth asking for, and even suggest a discount from them
on such accessories as a vise.
[/quote]
Precision Mathews sell several vices, a precision vice approx
$169 and an Ultra precision vice for around $369 made by homge.I
have already decided 4" would be enough for an 8" x32" table.
#Post#: 62498--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: MasonvilleEngines Date: April 6, 2024, 10:07 am
---------------------------------------------------------
$369 Sounds in the ball park, work holding will need other
threads I think.
#Post#: 62499--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: Stoker Date: April 6, 2024, 10:23 am
---------------------------------------------------------
While on the subject of vises, I have a Palmgren 2 1/2" tilting
vise that I find quite useful on occasion. It is not ridged
enough to make heavy cuts, not precise enough to equal a sine
plate, but for nearly any angle work that I do, it has proven
adequate. Picked mine up second hand on evilbay for somewhere
around $50 if I recall and have always considered that to have
been a great bargain. You may wish to keep your eyes open for
such a deal but beware that many of them out there are well
hammered and abused, so wait for a decent one as they do come up
occasionally.
On another note, you have probably already made this decision,
but another important choice that needs to be made in selecting
a mill is what kind of spindle nose you'll be wanting to mount
what type of collets, chucks and other tooling.
#Post#: 62510--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: txlabman Date: April 6, 2024, 12:58 pm
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I have a table top milling machine made in Austria that I got
from a good friend. I believe it is an Emco-Maier made in
Austria. I haven’t used it much. Mainly, I use it as a drill
press.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
#Post#: 62513--------------------------------------------------
Re: "Machinist thread" (please join in) I'm Considerin
g Precision Matthews Vertical Mill & "blondihacks"
machinist video
By: Stoker Date: April 6, 2024, 1:02 pm
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Looks like a decent hobby mill you have there Charlie ..... but
you really shouldn't go barefoot in a machine shop!
Ouch!!! ;c)
It would also be best if you didn't try to do any milling in
such close proximity to all of those wonderful display shelves,
without some form of good cover over them.
Chips do fly!!!
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