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Set Of 'must Get' Mill And Lathe Items

Discussion in 'The Tool Shed' started by Warloch, Mar 5, 2021.

  1. Mar 5, 2021
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    OK - so I've finally got a Lathe and Mill coming now that I'm not moving to Utah. Its been - eh, lets just say way too long since I've used these tools. What I would like to know is the basic set of tooling folks think would provide the most bang for the buck to start back on things.

    Mill - T lock vice - should it be a swivel type, or is a straight lock the 99% usage?
    Mill - which type of bit should I start with?
    That's the kind of input I'm looking for. I can always get a 'special' tool for a project if needed.

    Mill is a Jet JMD-15
    Lathe is Precisions Matthews PM-1022V with DRO
     
    mike starck likes this.
  2. Mar 5, 2021
    mike starck

    mike starck Member

    salem,oregon
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    Congratulations !
     
  3. Mar 5, 2021
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Mill- A set of end mills & colletts. If you don't want to spring for a full set then 3/8, 1/2 & 3/4 would be a good start. Learn about center finders & get one of those as well. A face mill is something I've lived without but you may find you need if you're planning on leveling large areas.

    Lathe- preferences vary but a cut off tool, a set of carbide cutters (looks like you'd use the 1/2" shank ones) & a small variety of HSS blanks. Not sure what you'll be doing but a set of boring bars may be of use. A knurler is occasionally darned nice to have.

    If you don't have a dial indicator get one with .001 resolution.

    As I've added over the years I've picked up a set of reamers, broaches & a few specialized shape mills. Hint- Carbide router bits work just dandy on aluminum & with some patiens & technique on steel as well :)

    Your mill is the same basic machine I have, google "rong fu RF30" or "wrong fu". They have their limitations but also their pluses. This guy has a very realistic take on them-

     
    Mark T. likes this.
  4. Mar 5, 2021
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    What Howard said.

    Get a Nooga style indicator holder. I said style. The bases aren't better than the Chinese ones. Get an indicator. I last bought a Mitutoyo. Get calipers for "good enough" measurement and micrometers for accurate.

    A set of collets for both machines is a must. Can be Chinese if you're looking for =/- .0005-.001

    Center drills. Get several small size ones that you will break.

    Way oil.
     
  5. Mar 5, 2021
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    A swivel vice is nice but you don’t have a lot of Z axis real estate.

    Fly cutter 1-1/2” or 2” diameter, make it as a project.
    Indicol for indicating parts,
    .0005 test indicator
    1.00” drop indicator
    Several soldered carbide tool bits for the fly cutter.
    A set of 1/8” thick parrallels up to 2”
    Stop for mill vise
    Dead blow hammer for tapping parts in vise
    Shars tool sells sets of insertable end mills they will last longer if your easy on them than endmills.
    Chuck you can call me if you want!
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
    Danefraz likes this.
  6. Mar 5, 2021
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    A conversation would make things easier, just let me know.
     
    Vanguard likes this.
  7. Mar 5, 2021
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Don't worry - when it gets here, you will hear from me 'cause I've got questions :p and I know you have answers...
     
  8. Mar 17, 2021
    teletech

    teletech Member

    Santa Cruz, CA
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    Aug 20, 2016
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    A center finder has been mentioned but an edge-finder for the mill is extremely useful.
    Did nobody mention a clamp-block set yet? Well, you should have one, a $50 cheap set will suffice.
    Assuming your mill uses a drawbar with a 3/4" hex on it and all your clamp-nuts are 7/8", find a 3/4"-7/8" double-ended box wrench. Of course Bridgeport-style machines are covered in 3/4" head adjustments so if your machine is all metric YMMV.
    I live by the Blue-Point XD-2428 (discontinued, Ebay is your friend) for it's shape and size.
    You can get a cheap DRO setup for under $200 for your mill for X and Y at least. You might as well just do that. It will help make up for the fact you will have funky backlash issues and do inch/metric. I don't know what your Z options are for DRO.

    For the Lathe, a set of quick-change toolholders. Aloris AXA would be the desired standard but a set would cost as much as your mill, so if you don't mind made in China you can do fine with a set of Phase-1 clones. I also wouldn't turn my nose up at a set of old KDK holders, for the money you'll spend you get a lot of function.

    You will make your lathe cutter and end-mills dull, so you need a good grinder to sort them out. A bench/pedestal grinder will work in a pinch for just lathe tools but a small surface-grinder will do a LOT more for you and get your tools a lot sharper all things being equal. Conventional stone for HSS tools and diamond stone for carbide. A compound vice (or two small vices clamped together) is nice for setting tool angles and a end-mill sharpening fixture will at least let you sharpen the ends of your mills. With that mill you will be taking SHALLOW passes anyway, so being able to sharpen the ends is a huge help.

    I had a mill just like that and got rid of it as soon as humanly-possible. Replaced with a WWII Index Mdl-30 with high-miles for about the same money and can't tell you how much happier I am.
     
  9. Mar 17, 2021
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Dro Install (was "its Here!")

    On a new mill I wouldn't expect any major backlash issues, funky or otherwise. ;)
     
  10. Mar 17, 2021
    teletech

    teletech Member

    Santa Cruz, CA
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    Expect, ah yes, expect...
    I've seen brand-new but junky mill-drills with some pretty awful leadscrews and leadscrew bushings, enough that holding .005" is a challenge and .001" is wishful thinking even if you are pretty careful in your take-up or coming in from the same direction. For the price DRO is cheap insurance you have the table in the right place.
     
  11. Mar 17, 2021
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Point taken, there can be real quality differences between the RF30 type machines- the Taiwanese ones are usually pretty decent but the Chinese knockoffs can be sloppy. Still they are capable of doing good work if you understand their limitations - just makes you a better machinist :)
     
  12. Mar 21, 2021
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Well - the recent news is 'god knows' when I'll see the equipment. Things keep being pushed out - to the point that I'm being offered free cancelations for the orders.

    Guess I need to rethink this plan right now.
     
  13. Mar 21, 2021
    47v6

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    I must say that the prices these were listed at were extremely reasonable. I can see why they either sold out or maybe might have trouble honoring the price?
     
  14. Mar 21, 2021
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    :(
     
  15. Mar 22, 2021
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    Its all due to Covid and the shut down of 1/2 the planet. They are having problems getting microchips for automobile computers and controllers. There are tons of things that you can't get right now. Supply chain is totally screwed up now and for the near future.
     
  16. Mar 22, 2021
    Madeline3b

    Madeline3b Optimized for analog

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    I have no idea of how the used machine market is where you live, but I have had good luck finding old American made machines locally for not huge money. I have a 14.5" southbend lathe, a 9" sb lathe, and an old J head bridgeport. Newest being the '56 bridgie. Of course there is always logistics and labor involved. Ebay is your friend as far as tooling up, but of course, buyer beware! And IMO, a worn out US machine a lot of times is better than a new chinesium one, just depends. My 2c. Happy hunting!
     
  17. Mar 22, 2021
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
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    Colorado is a machine wasteland compared to the east coast.
     
  18. Mar 22, 2021
    47v6

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    And old American machine tools here are basically no newer than 50 years old. That’s about when stuff from Taiwan started coming into the market and cheaper than the US made stuff. A lot of it is was very good quality25-50 years ago, but when you can buy similar quality stuff that’s not wore out for 5 k, why buy worn out for 2500?
     
  19. Mar 22, 2021
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Yup - lathes and mills are almost non-existent here in the used realm. A few worn out machines pop up once in a while, but that's about it.

    Supply seems to be the issue - components to build the machines are just not available right now.
     
  20. Mar 22, 2021
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    Maybe getting out too far ahead, but a rotary table definitely expands your horizons on a mill. I picked up a 12" Troyke about 3 1/2 decades back and it has been pretty useful addition. The only caveat being I'm getting almost too wimpy to set it on the table.
     
    dozerjim likes this.
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