Mill hand wheel upgrade

hi I would just like to know if anyone has changed the hand wheels on their mill or lathe. I have a Sieg SX 2.7 Mill and a Sieg SC 6 metal lathe both of which I would like to change the black cheap looking hand wheels for a bit larger spoked wheel with the key cut into them.

There are a lot on EBay but it would be great if somebody has already done and could advise me thank you John

Have you asked Arc Euro?
They carry metal hand wheels for lathes, maybe they would fit the mill?

When I renovated my elliott mill I junked the original handles as they were plastic and looking tatty. I replaced them with some nice cast iron ones from wdsltd.co.uk (usual disclaimer, no connection, just a satisfied customer).

They do a range of sizes, materials etc. Just one word of warning - the keyway will cost you! I bought mine without a hole as I needed to bore it to fit an imperial shaft and cut a keyway on the lathe (doubleboost style). As an example, a 100mm dia cast iron wheel is £11 + VAT without keyway, £25 + VAT with!

Rob

i changed mine on an SX2P mill recently, got two 100mm cast iron wheels from China for not very much. Nice quality cast iron, easy to machine. drilled and reamed to suit and turned down the boss to fit the ring with the markings on. Wheels came very quickly considering from China and would have coizst me more than double in the uk. Wish I had done it sooner!

I have two hand wheels to change. A larger diameter one for the table of my mill, to reduce the effort, and the tailstock wheel on my lathe because it does not have a handle. Neither are difficult but it is just getting round to it as both are functioning at present.

Just get one you like, in the correct diameter, but with the correct boss, or one that can be altered. I would not recommend cutting a keyway on the lathe unless you have the correct tool to use with the saddle locked (not seen the doubleboost video - he now sensibly uses broaches?). Drilled, before boring, and cleaned up later is an option.

Do get one with a loose handle - I find fixed ones are not as nice in the long run - however shiny they might be.

I intend making one handle from scratch and modifying the boss of one I already have - when I get round to it! Shaper will be used to cut the keyway as it is built for that type of job.

I would like to thank all the people that replied to me and have had some great advice thank you John Kinnane Tasmania Australia

Am sure that Arc Euro will help if at all possible. Since you have a Seig machine, it is likely that they can

Howard

I doubt it is economic to send hand wheels to the other side of the Earth? China is much closer and better (subsidised?) postal rates!

I am thinking of getting one of the 125mm wheels from RDG on ebay UK, 351115443777. It has a 12mm bore that could be increased quite easily. The Tom Senior light vertical X axis has a nice balanced handle, but I prefer a round design that can be held in both hands at once comfortably.

How about a verhicle steering wheel. You could get a bit of momentum up for a smooth feed and if you put a scale round the periphery you could set to tenths of tenths.

Ausee who advertise on the RH side of this page sell Seig machines and are based in Australia. I am sure that Ketan at Arc Euro would recommend them.