Wanted Milling Attachment

Hey Doug,

One of the guys from MDMC brought in a show-and-tell last year. He made one up from a 3" cast steel 90 degree pipe elbow and two end plugs, some plate, and some welding (brazing). He made a piece up like the male spigot on the bottom of the compound slide and brazed that onto one plug on the elbow. This would eventually be put into the place on the cross-slide that the compound goes now. Then he made a plate with a copy of the "hole" the same as the top of the cross-slide including two set-screws, and brazed that onto the other end of the elbow. so now, he had created a "90 degree extension" to mount the compound on. He got an el-cheapo vice and fastened it on the now vertical compound in place of a tool-holder.

So, now you can rotate the whole mess, just as you could the compound, plus you can rotate the now vertical compound, plus still move both the carriage and the cross-slide AND the compound too. Pretty neat eh.

Gee, I wonder who I know with a lathe and that might have connections with a factory supplier like Westburne that might have an elbow, and a cheap vise. Hmm .... I'll have to think about that for a bit. Lemme know if you can think of anybody, will you?

Take care.

Brian Laws>Hi Group,

hmmm never thought about using pipe elbows but that kinda makes sense. I've been trying to come up with a way a using the compound on the milling attachement. I'll have to think on this.

Hey Doug,

Read what I wrote again. It's only one pipe elbow, and you DO use the compound!! Although they are adjustable, most milling attachments are used with the compound mounted to move in the dead vertical position. That allows you to make "sharp corners" with a milling cutter running in the head-stock.

Cross-feed does the "X" axis, the compound does the "Y" axis, and the carriage does the "Z" axis, or depth of cut. But with the compound "adjustable", you can set it to cut along an angle that is not 90 degrees if you want. That's hard to do with a standard milling machine, and would usually require a rotary table.

Take care.

Brian. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX >

I have a Palmgren tilting rotary table with x and y axis movement that I use on the mill. I think it would make a better milling attatchment for the lathe. When in use on the mill the x and y movement is redundant.

Ridz Vulcan, MI

oops typo on my part. I think I get the general idea. You place the elbow where the compound usually mounts. With I guess a plug in the end that allows the angle bit on the cross feed to go inside it and then the regular wedge pins and screws to hold it down. Then on the other end of the elbow you mount the compound rest. You'd have to have a similar wedge shaped protrusion here that you have on the cross feed. Mount a vise where the toolpost goes and just like magic you got a milling attachment the also swivels.

Do I have it clear in my foggy mind now?

Doug

Hey Doug,

Yep! It may be me, but on my lathe there is a "hole" in the cross-slide, and a boss on the compound. Maybe your lathe is the opposite. But the idea is the same.

See ya!

Brian. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX >