Milling machine advice.

[Diwrnach]

OK in the long winded process of buying a new house, with the intention of building myself a workshop with a mill and a lathe to make my own yokes (tripple trees) risers, spacers etc etc.

Now space is going to be pretty limeted, so I am basically looking for the smallest mill I can get away with that's up to the job.

Now please don't get all technical with me as I have never used a mill I will be learning from scratch, so talk to me like you would a child in nice simple words

Did consider a mill/lathe combo but have been told its better to go with seperate machines, though one of those would be great for a small workshop like I will have.

Also another question (sorry) is it worth just going for a cnc enabled machine right from the off? I'm not entirely sure how much harder it is to do things on a manual machine over a cnc, and if its possible to do intricate stuff without a cnc?

Like I say complete novice to this, so any and all info is most welcome.

[joyridin']

I've worked in machine shops and the industry in general for about 25 years now. My suggestion is simple: start with a manual and work your way up. Get to know the tooling, inserts, feeds and speeds and when you decide to move to a CNC, at least you will understand how everything works and you can focus on the programming.

As for what you should buy, that is really determined by what you want to make. For me, I would have a decent engine lathe and a smaller bridgeport with a rotary table. That would be about the minimum you need to make something like a triple tree (you don't need the rotary table, but a compound vise would help. One last thing...before you buy anything, check your electrical box and be sure you can supply the power to whatever you buy. Some companies limit your usage to 60 or 100 amp if you live in a residential neighborhood.

[Diwrnach]

Thanks for that, been looking at some Bridgeport mills and noticed they were all 3 phase, and I only have single phase 240volt available.

Not sure what the ampage is though?

Something to consider that I hadn't until now.

[Diwrnach]

Well the biggest thing I will make would be something like this Triumph Speed Tripple & Daytona Billet Yokes Conversion - Trees | eBay

Maybe not as big as these, but that kind of thing.

[Tink]

Hi

I have a Chester mill, it does the job but you need to be creative with the setups and can only take very light cuts. Having used much bigger stuff professionally I find it useful but limited.




Chop Yokes (trees)


Yamaha XS1100 middle gearbox.


There are some milling ops you can do in the lathe


Trike Yokes



HTH

Tink

[Diwrnach]

That looks like the thing I am after. Like I say I am a complete novice, so it will be a big learning curve, but I will put the hours in and work it out, and what you are making there is pretty much exactly what I am looking to make.

Looked on their site and cant seem to spot the model you have there, but would this one be the kind of thing Chester Machines UK - Machine Tools and Accessories ?

Thanks for the help and advice guys, much appreciated.

[Diwrnach]

How about this one? Chester Machines UK - Machine Tools and Accessories

[Iron Stickz]

You can get a phase converter to make it work.....their not too expensive. I have limited space as well and I was looking into getting a small lathe and mill from here. Quality Machine Tools Home

[joyridin']

Originally Posted by Iron Stickz

You can get a phase converter to make it work.....their not too expensive. I have limited space as well and I was looking into getting a small lathe and mill from here. Quality Machine Tools Home

Man...those little bench top mills look good! For that price, definitely worth look!

[Tink]

That Eagle 25 looks like an updated version of my mill.

Tink

[hanger]

If you're going to buy one make the investment and get a bridgeport. If you decide later you don't want it you can seel it and get your money back..........they hold their value if you take of it. I have a bridgeport w/ a 9 x 42 table and digital read out (DRO) I bought a phase converter from MSC for about $150.

[06 pitbull]

I wired up all my dads shop equipment.. a rotor phase is much better than the static phase.. all of my dads equipment is 3phase..

[Tink]

Originally Posted by hanger

If you're going to buy one make the investment and get a bridgeport.

I would have to agree (in a perfect world) but not having the money, space or good enough access to my shed I had to make do with the Chester.

Tink

[Green Bean]

I love seeing work shops and there tools and set ups.

[EYECANDYCUSTOMS]

I second the rotary phase convertor. Get a bridgeport port with DRO. Used you can find them for under 3,000. You will not know how you lived without it once your done. For a lathe, i would look at the Enco with DRO. Hard to find a good lathe with DRO used for less than what Enco sells them for. Could run both off the same rotary phase convertor.