Member postings for Chris V

Good afternoon, can anybody help at all with my last posting, copied below?

Hi all, Ive been looking at the Martin Model and Hemingway die filer kits as a potential first project on my Myford ML1, that has 3-1/8" centre height. I have a vertical slide for it but I don't have a seperate mill..I do have a decent size bench drill. Oh and I'm a beginner.

Putting aside the table which I figure I could fabricate from mild steel (is cast iron better for machine tables such as this?) I'm wondering if I have the size capacity to make one up???

I prefer the look of the Martin model but for some reason figure the Hemingway might be the way to go.

Could any makers of either of these two please comment?

Many thanks

Chris.

Hi all, Ive been looking at the Martin Model and Hemingway die filer kits as a potential first project on my Myford ML1, that has 3-1/8" centre height. I have a vertical slide for it but I don't have a seperate mill..I do have a decent size bench drill. Oh and I'm a beginner.

Putting aside the table which I figure I could fabricate from mild steel (is cast iron better for machine tables such as this?) I'm wondering if I have the size capacity to make one up???

I prefer the look of the Martin model but for some reason figure the Hemingway might be the way to go.

Could any makers of either of these two please comment?

Many thanks

Chris.

Thanks Neil, I've ordered some books and past ME issue CD'S and will take some time to process what's next.

Cheers

Chris.

Thanks Neil, I've ordered some books and past ME issue CD'S and will take some time to process what's next.

Cheers

Chris.

Thank you Nick, Dave, Not done it and NG2 I will investigate further.

In terms of my work I'm used to BA, BSB & Whitworth threads, though I normally use metric drills. I find most of my raw material suppliers still supply Imperial sizes. But measuring myself anything under 1mm my metric digital calipers come into their own...referal to conversion charts for drill sizes etc is frequent.

My lathe the old Myford ML1 was bought on grounds of size, ie small, basic, and looks, I like old tools & machinery. I am gradually learning the basics of how a lathe works and what does what, not that its running yet. Before buying I was aware a ML10 or ML7 is much more sophisticated and up to date but I felt it better to start basic. Someone mentioned Drummond treadle lathes I think, I was SO tempted but being tall I figured I'd bang my knees and maybe that was a step back in time too far, oh and space was against it too, I can store stuff under the Myford.

Apart from the general ability to turn steel (I hand turn brass on my wood lathe) the aim for me is to be able to make a stationary engine kit such as a Stuart Turner James Coombes. I started one years ago and put it down when self employment work took over. By started I mean I did some basic work like chain drilling and cutting out apertures in the plate steel, filing up castings and taper turned the 4 columns on my Unimat SL. Leaving the tricky stuff....

A few years back I gave it away to a relative to finish but hes not touched it so I might be able to get it back, if I don't I'd like to build something like the Polly Benson engine kit. But I don't have a mill and can see a dedicated machine would be better than trying it on my basic lathe. So I then looked at German Bengs kits, as they don't need milling, its already done. But they use metric threads of which I have very few, though I guess I could use imperial.

I expect the S Turner kits specify any milling required in imperial but I don't recall? That why I asked about metric or imperial, in a nutshell

Cheers

Chris.

Regarding the milling, also metric or imperial??? I'd probably find metric easier to get my head around than fractions of an inch, but would be interested in your thoughts?

Cheers

Chris.

Thank you Nigel G2. Well if I want one it looks like it will be imported and small, I only have one available place for it and that's at one end of my workbench. Whist the bench is substantial I take on what you say about rigidity etc but I'm restricted to the bench only. My drill is a bench top model. Yes I had looked at the BCA's and agree it sounds like its not ideal for me. Yes I was looking at Warco's offerings, I could get to their showroom ok to see first them hand. Looks like machine size will more determine what I can and cannot take on to mill, but I have to start somewhere. Having a modest capability rather than none will help guide me as to what I want to end up machining, most likely stationary engine kit/s. I wont be rushing into buying that's for sure.

So I had to look up what DRO meant, ....as its available on new machines is it now considered a must have?
On the down side it adds around a third to the cost of the small machines and is no doubt another thing to go wrong.

That said I didn't want digital calipers as I knew the batteries would run out and they would likely go wrong...Well I was right but that, but I'm so grateful I can see the display to read what I'm measuring!!!! (-:

So maybe the same holds true for DRO?

Cheers

Chris.

Thank you Bill & Silly Old Duffer, seems like I'll have little choice but to go Chinese, still think its a shame though.

Cheers

Chris.

Thanks Neil, oh ok, add that to the rest of the stuff I didnt know! (-:

Cheers

Chris.

Hi Silly Old Duffer and thank you. I just looked online and at least I dont think I made a mistake buying the ER20 collet set, I dont think the ER32's are available on a 1MT, that would fit my lathe. Actually I have a Tyme Cub woodworking lathe also that they fit, I do my freehand brass turning on this, and cutting threads using taps & dies. But now at least I know a little more of the various types and can take that into consideration when considering Mills.

Cheers

Chris.

Thank you not done it yet, yes I figured there would likely be a compromise somewhere along the line, appreciate you point out what it is. I'm thinking buy a mill in due course to replace the drill, but put the drill in my other workshop. Its not i'm sure ideal but at least then I'd have the height available to drill holes at least.

Out of interest what make of mills do you have? In due course I'd much rather buy British if I can, even if it has to be second hand....

Cheers

Chris.

Oh this forum is like gold dust, thank you.

Nigel, ok I see a way forward then. move my Startrite drill into my woodworkshop so I have the height to drill holes in tall bits. Get a mill that dosen't have a round column and put in my engineering workshop, there isnt room on the bench (or otherwise)for both. Get the biggest mill I can, but I have max headroom off the bench (sloping roof) of 37.5"/ 950mm.

The above idea is I'm sure not ideal but it might be my best option....

Just to cover all bases, is a jig borer designed for milling? They look like they're built like tanks but maybe designed more for drilling?

So I had a look at Eurotrade, then looked up where Seig are made )-: I would MUCH rather buy British if I can.

I found Cowells which look great but no doubt you'd say too small for general model engineering?

I see Myfords made one also but expect that would bee too tall even if I could track one down.

Any suggestions of a mill made in the UK?

Many many thanks

Chris.

Thank you Howard, yes I will save up for one....I have no desire to damage my drill or me! There is so much to consider with it all, and of course you can only consider it if you are aware of it! (-: I guess some will become clear in time.

I understand about the round columns i find it similarly frustrating with the pillar drills round column.

Thinking of space(lack of) I suspect for reasons I don't yet know a milling machine dosen't make a good drilling machine either? Perhaps they don't take Jacobs type chucks....

Cheers

Chris.

Thank you Nigel, understood! (-:

I much appreciate this.

Cheers

Chris.

Ah maybe you suggest restricting the cutter size to 10mm to protect the drills bearings......

Thanks for that Old Mart, I just followed that up, and now I know much more than I did about my drill too. Having bought an ER20 collet set which has a draw bore thread in the 1MT arbour it would be great to be able to fit that, if I understand the text correctly my drill should have a 1MT to match. Of course the drills bearings might not like it much and the compound vice would have to be obtained but worth considering.

When I bought the collet set I was only concerned it would fit my lathe, the 20 part of the ER20 meant nowt to me and still dosent. you mention ER16, the the numbers presumably refer in some way to the size of some aspect?

Thanks again,

Cheers

Chris.

Many thanks Howard, I shall look out some of those books and keep some of your suggestions on file for when I progress.

Yes I could not agree more, I've learnt so much for the forum and I only signed up on Saturday, thank you all.

Thank you Larry, yes I shall certainly heed the advice and wait till I get a proper milling machine. I rather like the look of the Fobco Universal and Dore Wesbury's.

Thanks Nigel G2, yes indeed I did think a coordinate vice (that's like a compound slide type right?) would do the trick,.... the more I learn the more I realise I do not know!

Old Mart, I had to go check how many speeds it has...oops! (-:

It has 5 speeds and two knurled collars with holes for tommy bars, does that sound like it qualifies as a quick change? I think the bearings are good. I've seen it written lower the chuck as far as it goes and check for side to side movement. As far as my eye can tell and feel there is no movement. Am I missing something, perhaps it occurs to me now I should put say a Centre drill in the chuck and a cross hair mark on some secured scrap, and then wiggle it, I guess that would be a more accurate test...?.

I would assume for me to make a milling head I'd need to be able to screw cut on my lathe? Gosh that seems a LONG way off right now, I'll have to learn the basics first, interesting though....

Ah now you mention 'say 10mm cutters', I have been wondering what a rule of thumb definition of 'light' milling might be?

Cheers all,

Chris.

And.thank you again Nigel. Well that was a great explanation as I pretty much understood what you were saying, which is something as the sprung Centre was completely unknown as a concept to me....and it sounds and looks great. A quick internet search and I found pictures to illustrate what you describe & eBay showed how relatively cheap they can cost.

Whist being a novice at metal lathe work I do have a fair assortment of mainly BA taps used in my work making and restoring lighting. Very few though have either a point or dimple in the tap holder end. Most are carbon steel, though I'm now investing in HSS ones as I forsee me wanting to use them in steel. Do you think I'd be able to drill the ends of the flat /plain ended carbon taps to accommodate the sprung Centre idea? (or would they be too hard?)

That said the sensitive drill aspect of one of tools/machines seems like it would be necessary for small drills? My Startrite pillar drill is fine enough for the big stuff but would I feel be pretty clumsy for small drills say under 1/8"?

Regarding the change wheels yes I'm sure its an incomplete set. At this stage I'm not too worried about that, if I ever become proficient enough to be able to tackle screw cutting on the lathe rather than taps & dies i figure I'll want to upgrade the whole lathe.

Apart from screw cutting I will only need change wheels to drive the tool post carriage along, different combinations will give different speeds of feed right?

I'm still trying to get my head round pulley ratios along with the back gears, so screw cutting seems a long way off right now! (-:

Cheers

Chris.

Hi Nigel many thanks again. Of course I had to look up to see what an EW Stringer lathe ls like...looks fab!

I'm quite sure if I had the room and funds I could collect old British lathes.

That's good to know about soft jaws, is this a recent thing ie offering both hard & soft jaws? I would presume the jaws on my vintage lathe would be considered hard.

Regarding books yes I got The Amateurs Lathe by L Sparey, read most of it but skipped the milling section as back when I read it a few months ago I was not considering milling..so now I will read it, and in time add to my engineering library.

Yes building tools,... no doubt like sharpening them in the wood trades, one can get bogged down in this (the latter). That said the sensitive pillar drill project looks like a very useful bit of kit, cannot decide right now if I want to spend the time building one or buy one ready made if it turned up. I know how useful they are for tapping as i have a horrible Ali, chromed metal and plastic affair which whilst looking orrible/ offending my eyes is a real help keeping things straight....but its not great!

I found some parts I needed for my Myford ML1 on eBay but I'm still looking for a Bull wheel gear Guard which has the single point fixing rather than two bolt holes on the later models.

Cheers

Chris.

Hi Bob P & Harry C, thank you for your messages.

Bob I think for now I need to concentrate on getting my lathe up and running, time being in rather short supply being self employed, but I will keep Societys in mind for the future.

Thanks Harry, I used to model 4mm LBSCR but this was way back as a teenager, crikey I turned 58 today!

I'm hoping to build a stationary engine of some sort having started a James Coombes about 30 years ago, though exactly what is yet to be decided. There is a chance I might get the JC engine back as it hasnt been touched since I foolishly gave it away maybe 5 years ago when I had little interest, if I do I'd carry on with that most likely...though Sterling engines hold an appeal also.

What scale are you modelling in Harry?

Cheers

Chris.