Milling circles and radi…

[tmac1956]

For the machinists…

Ok… It looks to me (the novice) that a way to bore out circles and cut radiused corners on my mini drill mill will be to get a a small rotary table. I know that I could bore out holes with a boring head too. However, I want to most bang and flexibility for the buck. If it’s going to be the rotary table, can anyone recommend an economical but decent one? Like everything else, there sure is a lot of junk out there.

Thanks in advance!
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
When you buy a rotary table make sure it is one that uses dividing plates and sector arms. Also, you will want one that works in both the horizontal and vertical positions. This will allow you to cut gears and pinions on your mill. I think I gave you some information on that before but if you can’t find it I will try to dig it up. Did you get your mill?
david

[tmac1956]

David:

I thought I had everything that you posted, but I’m getting old so…

I know you spent a lot of time putting together a list for me, but it went into the Internet graveyard when you posted it.

The DM is still in the crate/box – I just started a new semester so it’ll probably be another week or so before I can find the time to break it out. Like Pavlov’s dog, however, I am salivating at the thought.

I am now broke, but happy!

Thanks for all of your help..
Tom

[tmac1956]

David:

It looks like this 6″ model might work – I can get the index plate for it at extra cost. What do you think (Phase II 6″)?

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=498&PMITEM=200-1144

Thanks!
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
I have two rotary tables for that mill. One is a 3″ with a degree handwheel only and the other is a 4″ with a dividing plate and sector arms. The 4″ is about as large as you can put on that mill. The 6″ is a bit of a monster and is better suited for a larger mill. The table with the degree marking is more useful for a job requiring angles such as machining a part with an angled leg. The dividing plates are for jobs that require divisions such as a bolt hole circle or gear teeth. The 4″ was the smallest table I could find with a good selection of divisions. I can’t remember where I purchased the tables but it was probably Ebay.
My concept of which machine to buy has to do with functionality and not designer label pazazz. As far as which machine is the best in the world my opinion is that it is not a revalent concept. Your levin is certainly one of the finest watchmaker lathes ever made and can turn about three times the rpm with more accuracy that a cone bearing lathe. If you are drilling micro holes into something this is a critical feature but if you are making watch parts it is superfluous. By the way with the HF milling machine and a sector arm dividing system you will get much more stability and accuracy than a watch lathe with a milling attachment could ever do. Also for drilling and machining pilar plates the mill is a much more convient platform to work from as opposed to a face plate. By mounting dial indicators to the X and Y axis, you will be able to do extremely precise work provided you work from numbers.
david

[tmac1956]

@david pierce wrote:

Tom,
I have two rotary tables for that mill. One is a 3″ with a degree handwheel only and the other is a 4″ with a dividing plate and sector arms. The 4″ is about as large as you can put on that mill. The 6″ is a bit of a monster and is better suited for a larger mill. The table with the degree marking is more useful for a job requiring angles such as machining a part with an angled leg. The dividing plates are for jobs that require divisions such as a bolt hole circle or gear teeth. The 4″ was the smallest table I could find with a good selection of divisions. I can’t remember where I purchased the tables but it was probably Ebay.
My concept of which machine to buy has to do with functionality and not designer label pazazz. As far as which machine is the best in the world my opinion is that it is not a revalent concept. Your levin is certainly one of the finest watchmaker lathes ever made and can turn about three times the rpm with more accuracy that a cone bearing lathe. If you are drilling micro holes into something this is a critical feature but if you are making watch parts it is superfluous. By the way with the HF milling machine and a sector arm dividing system you will get much more stability and accuracy than a watch lathe with a milling attachment could ever do. Also for drilling and machining pilar plates the mill is a much more convient platform to work from as opposed to a face plate. By mounting dial indicators to the X and Y axis, you will be able to do extremely precise work provided you work from numbers.
david

David:

I have gotten the machining bug just from using the lathe so I guess the drill mill is a good place to take it. For me, many of my limitations are more from my inexperience than from the lathe – I know you can do one heck of a lot on the lathe if you know how.

I’ve already been looking at digital read-out kits but I’m trying to get good enough at manually finding centers, using dial indicators, etc. first – stuff that you learned many years ago. Besides, I’m broke now.

Anyway, I’ll keep a look-out for a good 4″ rotary table with dividing plate and sector arms that does vertical and horizontal. Additionally, if you have a good recommendation for the read out indicator kit, I would appreciate that too. Anything you help me with I appreciate greatly. That goes for everyone here – I’m always grateful for the information.

Thanks!
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
I do not know what a digital readout system costs for that mahine but a couple of dial indicators can be had for very little money from HF. Digital dial indicators can also be purchased inexpensively from HF or Enco.
david

[tmac1956]

David:

I have the two that you recommended – general dial indicator (with stand) and one that measure the inside dia. of holes (mounts in the mill chuck) to find center. I don’t have the double dials used for tramming, so I hope I can do the aligning I need with the dial indicator that I have.

There’s a guy on YouTube who installs a Digital read out kit on a HF mini drill mill (with step motors, etc.), but I haven’t had the time to look at it very closely. From what I can remember, it looks pretty complicated.

Thanks,
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
If one of your indicators is a small one with a dovetail mount that is what you use to tram in the head. There should be a stem mount included with the indicator. The dovetail portion of the stem is fastened to the indicator body and the stem will go into the spindle of the mill held in with a chuck or collet. The probe of the indicator is then swept around the bed by rotating the spindle by hand. The column is adjusted until the indicator dial nulls out. The process is made easier if you put a couple of matched 1-2-3 blocks (without holes) on the bed and ride the indicator probe over the blocks.
david

[david pierce]

Tom,
If one of your indicators is a small one with a dovetail mount that is what you use to tram in the head. There should be a stem mount included with the indicator. The dovetail portion of the stem is fastened to the indicator body and the stem will go into the spindle of the mill held in with a chuck or collet. The probe of the indicator is then swept around the bed by rotating the spindle by hand. The column is adjusted until the indicator dial nulls out. The process is made easier if you put a couple of matched 1-2-3 blocks (without holes) on the bed and ride the indicator probe over the blocks.
david

[tmac1956]

David:

This is the small one that I have. Is this the one that you’re talking about?

Thanks,
Tom

[david pierce]

Tom,
Yes, that should be all you need. Mount the stem to the dial indicator with the dial face up. The probe can be adjusted with your fingers and should be moved down at a slight angle so the round portion of the probe can ride across your mill bed. The stem can be put into the drill chuck or collet allowing you to sweep the indicator over the surface. You can then adjust the column until the dial nulls out.
david

[tmac1956]

David:

Got it.

Thanks!

Tom

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