Riston Milling Machien

Hello to anybody interested in my problem. I have the chance to purchase a Rishton Metric Milling machine - little used with power feed on the table. I have checked the machine alignment very carefully and no problem with the X & Y. However when I checked the column with a prescion cyclindrical square I found the column to be leaning towards the front. The column is round has a vertical gib fitted and is of similar construction to the EMCO fb2. The cylindrcal square is 250 mm long and shows an error of 0.86mm over this length against the column to the table. The table is flat and free from any tool marks. Can this be corrected or is this normal. Any help would be gratefully recieved.

PS the Rishto Mill or the Tom Senior E are ideal for the work I want to undertake

Peter H

There is some info here!

http://www.lathes.co.uk/rishton/index.html

If the size is good for you, and the price, and of course the machine is not worn, go for it, The Tom senior E will be much more expensive, I would think.

good luck

Phil

UK

Hi Peter, the Rishton you are looking at is more or less a direct copy of the FB2, I have been using an Emco for 25/30 years, can't remeber the year I bought it. I have never had cause to doubt it's alignment but might just do a check out of curiosity.

However the construction is such that the column is fitted into a casting mounted onto the main table casting and if there was any problem I would suspect it would be on this joint, foreign matter in the joint would be my first thought to check. If it was at fault it should be an easy fix. The error you are finding is in my opinion very large which surprises me on a top quality machine. Also I think you will find the two castings are do welled together to ensure alignment left and right.

Just my thoughts. John

Thanks to all so far who have mind to the problem. The tome Senior E is the same cast as the Rishton. The Rishton is a single base casting bored to tke the column and clamping is 'closing slot' 2/3 Cap Head screws close the slot and therfore clamp the column. The Tome Senior appears to be two cotter type clamps tighten the screws puls both halves of the cotters together and therfore clamp the column. This action forces the column against the vertical face of the bore, whereas the Riston by closing the gap the column could be forced in any direction when tightened. Swarf muck or bruising is a possibility of the bore - not easy to check given I would have to lift it out. Howerver I might slacken the screwws and give the column a spin and re check at 90 deg intervals.

Many thanks

Peter H

Peter.

I did once posess one of these machines and it was somewhat of a disappointment. I bought it new and found the spindle wasn't true to the table, possibly the same problem as yours. I contacted the dealer who came to look at it and agreeing it wasn't very good he offered a refund, or a replacement from the factory. I opted for a replacement but when it arrived, although better, it still left something to be desired. I kept it any way, probably a mistake in retrospect. In use the other problems were a very short quill travel, about 40mm as I recall, and no fine feed to the quill. This meant advancing the cutter using the Z axis feed screw, and the issue there was the difficulty in getting the head to move slowly and smoothly without any radial play. It wasn't bought from Myfords but a Myford fitter told me he'd had some experience with one and had himself found it impossible to get an optimum adjustment. Eventually it had to go. It may be however that despite these limitations it would be OK for your purposes.

I haven't heard any complaints about the FB2 so possibly that would have been the better option. At the time it was a close call but I bought the Rishton as I felt the Z axis handwheel at 90 degrees to the feed screw was ergonomically preferable to that at the top of the screw on the Emco.

I seem to recall that Tubal Cain made some criticism of the Senior milling machine not maintaining registration when the column was moved. I don't think round column machines are the best option for milling although a long quill travel and a fine quill feed would improve their utility. As on the the Dore Westbury, a machine designed by model engineers with model engineers in mind.

Michael

What a coincidence, I have just re-read Harold Halls review of the Rishton and the small vice he made on it.

It seems quite small and bear a passing resemblance to the X1 mill, although it was claimed to be 100% British made. it also came with a 3-phase VFD as standard which is good.

I didn't like the look of the supplied vice much.

Neil

Neil, the vice was a shocker and expensive to boot. I was new to milling machines at the time and far eastern stuff wasn't getting a particularly good press. I was suckered into " All British is Best " syndrome.

I discussed the problem with Chronos and subsequently bought a Vertex vice. More than pleased and at less than half the cost. I then started to wonder about Eastern products and eventually bought a Japanese motorbike after many years with various British models. ( Remember all the "Jap Crap" comments at the time?) That was when I really started to enjoy motorcycling and have stuck with Japanese bikes ever since.

Michael

Many thanks to all of you who have considered my dilemma. I,m begging to think a dove tail column is a better option and perhaps the WARCo VM16 could be persauded to do what I want. Just a little worried about the elctronics and an unheated workshop.

Thanks again

In which case look for a Centec 2B

I was very disappointed with my Rishton VM60. The feedscrews wore very quickly - I think they were made in leaded mild steel. I did manage to make a new one for the Y axis - just to sell the thing!

+1 about the comments about the poor fine feed on the Z axis.

2MT tooling was also a pain in the botty to change.

I bought a Chester Lux mill in its place. Much better machine.