WARCO WM-250 lathe family and WM16 mill - 001

Dias,

thanks for the video link .... that actually explains a lot. I have a number of manuals including the original (Busy-Bee) and Grizzly but while they show nice exploded views with all the gears etc there are no indications on how to get at them for replacement. The video suggests that you can rotate the head and get in through the back.

The other site looks good too although I haven't explored it much yet.

Rik,

Like your machine, mine came with a 2MT spindle but I bought a retrofit R-8 spindle kit which I found easier to work with.

I started with regular end-mill holders but got fed up with having to change the holders frequently. I switched to a collet holder (ER-25) and found it much easier and quicker. I then also bought an ER-32 holder which, for me, gives a more useful range.

Sid - could you please let me know details of your retro R-8 spindle ie. Vendor, order no. etc. Also, having fitted your R-8 spindle does this mean you cannot use morse taper drills etc? Excuse my ignorance but I have zero experience of R-8. --- Rik

Defiantly a self ejecting drawbar on the WM16,don't clonk with a hammer otherwise you will damage the threads.

Mark P.

Rik, I don't think it will do you much good. I'm in Canada and bought my machine 4 or 5 years ago locally from Busy-Bee Tools. It came with MT2 and one day while I was in the local store talking to one of the reps he told me that the latest models they had imported were with MT3 because accessories were more generally available in that size (as opposed to MT2). That didn't ring true to me - at least for hobbyists - and I said that anyway I'd prefer R8 given a choice.

He then told me about the R8 conversion kit which, amazingly, they had in stock so I bought one. But I don't recall them ever advertising it or even listing it on the website. I can't find any mention of it now .... although I do see a similar model mill which comes with R8 as standard.

I any event, I doubt that you'd want to have one shipped from Canada (I'm assuming you're in the UK). It would appear that the Far Eastern manufacturers make any spindle size that the customer wants for these machines - you could try asking one (or more) of the UK suppliers whether they have R8 conversions - or can get one.

Rik, Grizzly G0704 comes with a R8 spindle, and Weiss lists one of its WMD30V milling machines with either MT3 or R8 spindle. You could e-mail them and ask if it is possible to get a R8 spindle (and possibly bearings).

Thor

Thanks Thor for your interesting info. --- Rik

As mentioned; the WM 16 comes with a 10mm & a 3/8" draw bar, also the chuck supplied is a 3/8" fitting, mine has. I personally wouldn't like to fit tang extension sleeves as the longer you have the drill/cutter protruding out the less rigidity you have & the more chance of something nasty happening. I use a ER 25 collet set (M10 tapped) for all my cutters & keep the quill extension as short as possible, with the head lowered / raised just far enough to allow me a clear view to see what's happening.

The ejection / retaining bush is just that, although I have found that to release the collet takes some leverage on the 'SMALL' square on the end of the draw bar which will eventualy 'round off ' & find that I have had to give a gentle persuasive tap with a plastic / brass hammer once I have backed up the draw bar to the underside of the bush (shows me that the matching tapers have a good grip..on mine !). I'm thinking.. make new draw bars with a hex' head (hex' bar machined with appropriate thread) to allow a socket or ring key fitting.. or weld a hex' nut on & modify the bushing to suit, I'm sure there are many other alternatives which you guys will come up with.

Cheers

George

For a spanner to fit the drawbar square I found that a mini brake adjuster spanner has the correct size square to fit snugly,have been using one for a few years now. When I say mini I mean the car,the original mini. I http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=mini+brake+adjuste

Mark P.

I find a 9mm 12-point socket (on a ratchet wrench) fits my drawbar square nicely.

Sid / Mark

Thanks for the update, will check it out tomorrow.

G.

Edited By mechman48 on 20/05/2013 22:09:58

Ordered the recommended HV4 rotary table at Harrogate to go with the new WM16 mill. It was only when I arrived home that checking the WARCO website I found that the table is a diminutive 75mm diameter. I checked with WARCO and they confirmed that anything bigger would be TO big. I cancelled that item on my order.

OK, I suppose they know their business but I would have thought that a 100mm dia. (at the least) rotary table would sit on the mill nicely. Maybe it's because of height restrictions on the Z axis - I don't know - do you?

Rik

Are you sure you are looking at the right rotary table

Warco's paper catalogue gives the HV4 as a 110mm table eg nominal 4", HV6 as 150mm nominal 6" and so on. I can't even see a size for the HV4 on their site

Edited By JasonB on 22/05/2013 16:55:44

I started with a 4" RT and found even that a bit "dinky" actually. The small size wouldn't allow me to do a number of things I wanted to do. It might be OK for small models though.

I'm currently running with a 6" which is a bit big in some situations but quite usable - and more versatile - in others. Overall, I much prefer the 6". I think there's a case for someone making a 5" for these machines.

I wouldn't waste money on a 3" unless I was only into really small stuff.

I made an adapter so I could the faceplate from my WM 250 on my 4" rotary table.huge area when needed.

Mark P.

What would be a good rotary table size for the HBM BF25, 6'' or 4''? The machine has a 700x180mm table, but is otherwise similar to the Warco WM18.

Can anyone recommend a good rotary table - preferably on the "good value for money" side - not necessarily the cheapest.

That's not a bad idea. It would also make it easy to transfer a part from the lathe to the mill too. And if the adaptor also centres the faceplate on the RT, it would maintain the turning centre.

Geir, I think a 6" RT should fit well on a HBM BF25, I have the same milling machine and a 4" RT that I think is on the small side. So I am trying to make a slightly larger rotary table - 120mm(almost 5" - after a description found here.

Thor

Geir, given my post above and the fact that your table is a bit bigger than mine, I obviously think that a 6" would be better than a 4".

It's not just about table dia though. Table height plays a part and you should check the heights of various tables to make sure you can accomodate them in your setup. You lose some height with a 6" .... probably OK but you should check with your longest tools in the spindle (drill chuck and large drill perhaps?). Use of a collet-holder/collets usually helps in this respect.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 23/05/2013 14:18:43

I loved reading that description about making the RT on the Taig lathe, very inventive chap to overcome all those problems working at the limit of his machine's capacity. Good stuff

Chris

Rik,

I have a 4" Rotab' I bought some time ago from Chronos(usual disclaimer) that hinges to vertical, I have just fitted a 80mm 4 jaw to it this weekend & although it does look 'dinky' I think it will suffice for my needs..at the mo'. I like the idea of using my face plate as an addition to it (thanks for the idea Mark P), anyhow I made an adaptor to fit as when I looked in the centre to identify the taper I found it had a 5/16" BSW thread ..? anyhow I ran a tap down the thread & all the way through to clear out any crap & ensured the thread ended up full size and  an adaptor made to suit, which can also be used to center up the table. I have include a pic of the working height left; from the top of the chuck to the bottom of cutter, 6", with the head at max' elevation, so if I take half the length of the cutter again I will have 61/2" of working headroom, pics are available in my album but have included the main pics here:

Adaptor fitted,

Free headroom approx' 61/2" but will change with whatever is in chuck or if drill chuck is fitted but gives you some idea of set up & measurements.

Cheers

George

Edited By mechman48 on 28/05/2013 12:20:16