Convert a Pedestal Drill to a Mill

A 3MT mill. I think it has been said before on this group that it is better to get an R8 version of these mills due to better tooling availability. Certainly me neighbour that had one like you linked to said so and when he replaced the mill I helped him modify the new mill from 3MT to R8. It looks like that company Hare & Forbes don't do R8 mill in mill/drill or turret type machines. All mill/drills being 3MT and the turret machines being 30int or 40int.

There are a few how-to DVDs on how to do exactly this.

Jose Rodriguez has a two hour DVD called "Milling on the Drill Press". He claims he's been doing it for two years, and has good results. Five or six folks give the video good reviews. The DVD can be found here:

Each DVD rents for just $9.99 / week , and includes free shipping both ways.

TJIC

O.K. That is a start, and bigger than what I was looking at.

Which kind? The machine has a mass of 300 KG (about 660 lbs), so a well balanced cutter won't vibrate the machine itself much.

As for perceived vibration through the handwheels -- that is going to be a function of spindle speed and number of flutes in the milling cutter -- with worst being a single-point fly cutter.

For miling you'll want to pick up some #3 Morse Taper collets or end-mill holders, because the problem of milling cutters pulling down in a drill chuck remains. Unlike drill shanks, the mill shanks are hardened and ground to a very smooth finish, so the jaws can't grip it well -- unless you get one of the special Albrecht drill chucks with diamond grit faced jaws. End mill holders will d better at resisting drawdown than Morse Taper collets,even 8with* a drawbar holding it in place.

Of course the Clarkson style collets don't have that problem, and I believe that Clarkson end mills are easier to find in OZ than in the US.

There'll be a gazillion other things which you will want to pick up to go with this -- but details as to the sort of work you expect to do will help in our making reasonable suggestions.

Enjoy, DoN.