Tom Senior Light Vertical arrived!

[slim_boy_fat]

T slots are 0.500” wide at the top, widening to about 0.875” at the bottom. Overall depth is about 0.875”

I'll measure up first chance and let you know.

 

[Guineafowl]

I'll measure up first chance and let you know.

 

[Guineafowl]

Yes, nice to have, eventually, but definitely not essential - how did all those machinists manage, before DROs became readily available? My first milling machine was never fitted with a DRO but it sufficed for about 15 years, before being superseded.

DROs do make operation so much easier - but the current generation will likely never know how to cope with hand wheels and backlash. A bit like ‘oiling the dipstick’ in your car engine, these days - many would not even know how to top up the oil, if the level was low.

When using a centre finder and no DRO, do you just touch off one edge and then calculate the centre from the part diameter?

 

[Guineafowl]

Anyone know which, if any, modern motor frame will fit? Mine has an oldish B56, but it looks to have been adapted on. Might bump up from 250W to 550W at the same time.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Guineafowl Had a measure today, I suspect that the clamps would be too big for your machine. Sizes here

You can confirm [or otherwise] if they'd be any good for your mill.

 

[fizzy]

T slots are 0.500” wide at the top, widening to about 0.875” at the bottom. Overall depth is about 0.875”

Never!

I already have a MT2 boring head, which came with the lathe. It takes 3/8” tools, which aren’t in the arc catalogue.

DRO will be fitted in the future, as the decent ones are quite expensive. I’ll muddle along till then.

I haven’t got any particular plans for its use, beyond general repairs and making bits. As I said in the original thread, sort of a mill equivalent of my Boxford. At the moment, just looking for a starter set of tooling. One project might be a Hemingway fixed steady for the lathe.

@RichardM should I remove the moving jaw of the vice and skim the whole bed?

Mill is now installed, table stoned and trammed:
View attachment 377583

Cheap Chinese DROs are fine everyone uses them. No need for fancy expensive ones!

 

[Guineafowl]

@Guineafowl Had a measure today, I suspect that the clamps would be too big for your machine. Sizes here
You can confirm [or otherwise] if they'd be any good for your mill.

Yep, too big. Thanks anyway.

Cheap Chinese DROs are fine everyone uses them. No need for fancy expensive ones!

Ok. Which one have you got?

 

[fizzy]

Yep, too big. Thanks anyway.

Ok. Which one have you got?

Just type DRO into Ebay - they are all basically the same.
I had to buy separately for my lathe as the travel length was over 1000mm

2Axis/3Axis DRO Display Digital Readout + TTL Linear Scale Mill Lathe CNC Kit | eBay UK

1set 2Axis / 3Axis DRO & Linear Scales. Min resolution of DRO angle :0.0001/pulse. Readout input signal: TTL square wave. (4) Digital readout kit can avoid wasting weeks to check machine precision. (6) 1pc digital readout(2Axis/3Axis) with scales(upon your options), 5μm /1μm resolution (at 45ºC).

www.ebay.co.uk

Pardon our interruption...

www.ebay.co.uk

I bought off fasttobuy the bottom link but as long as they have good feedback doesn't really matter. I have another 3 or 4 lathes to convert!

My mill has the old anilam 2 axis it came with. 3 axis is nice but not essential.

 

[Richiew]

2/3 Axis Digital Readout Linear Scale 5um DRO Display CNC Milling Lathe Encoder | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2/3 Axis Digital Readout Linear Scale 5um DRO Display CNC Milling Lathe Encoder at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

I have this model on my mill. Wouldn't be without it. I expect they are all pretty much the same. If you buy local or European you are paying for the extra support and customer service.

I don't think I bought from this seller but the model number is the same.

 

[Agroshield]

T slots are 0.500” wide at the top...

It will be quite difficult to find imperial T-nuts, studs and nuts. You might have to settle for 12mm T-nuts with M10 hardware.

It you really, really want imperial ones, maybe Rotagrip or Gloster Tooling might have them, but metric sets are everywhere.

 

[Seadog]

You've got a mill, make some

 

[Richiew]

It's not a bad little project to make your own t-nuts on the mill. Bit of threaded bar for the studs. Mix and match your imperial and metric to upset a few people on here, and away you go.

Beaten by Seadog.

 

[Agroshield]

You've got a mill, make some

And the flange nuts. And the step blocks. And all the studs. And the finger clamps. And the coupling nuts. And the plastic or bent tin holder for everything.

Even if you charge your time at zero, you could not do it for the price of a bought set.

If you have the itch to make something, make something that complements the standard set and works with parts of it rather than duplicates it. Some good ideas here: http://www.homews.co.uk/page288.html

 

[Rannsachair]

T slots are 0.500” wide at the top, widening to about 0.875” at the bottom. Overall depth is about 0.875”

I bought a 7/16 clamping kit from Amadeal: https://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/Clamping-Kit-7-16-AMA_AC_400_3437TD.html

 

[James1979]

@Guineafowl Had a measure today, I suspect that the clamps would be too big for your machine. Sizes here

View attachment 377709

View attachment 377710



View attachment 377712

View attachment 377713

You can confirm [or otherwise] if they'd be any good for your mill. View attachment 377711

They may fit mine if no one else is interested. I’ll confirm in the morning as it’s snowing now and it’s gone Guinness o’clock if that’s alright John?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

They may fit mine if no one else is interested. I’ll confirm in the morning as it’s snowing now and it’s gone Guinness o’clock if that’s alright John?

Aye, fine James.

 

[Guineafowl]

You've got a mill, make some

Fair point.

Just looking for a starter set of general tooling, then I promise I’ll make my own stuff…

Regarding the motor question, @W.olly just bought one like mine. What motor does it have on it?

 

[W.olly]

Fair point.

Just looking for a starter set of general tooling, then I promise I’ll make my own stuff…

Regarding the motor question, @W.olly just bought one like mine. What motor does it have on it?

its original one

stuck a VFD on it

 

[Guineafowl]

its original one

stuck a VFD on it

D71
That’s more like it. Thanks.

 

[Guineafowl]

Done the new 1hp, 3ph, B14 motor mount in ally:

I’ve been getting some advice on the Model Engineer forums, where there seem to be lots of Tom Senior types. One problem is play in the splined drive:

I think mill has been used mainly as a drilling machine, which would even out the wear on the male splines, since the play is evident all the way to the top, suggesting it’s mainly in the female part. If anyone is willing to make one up for me ( I can probably turn the round aspects) or even a splined repair insert, I’d be very grateful.