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rockwell/clausing horizontal mills

I just added a Clausing 8540 horizonal mill to my shop. It seems to be in good condition. The lead screws have about 15 thou backlash and everything seems to run ok. The table has lots of dings and some coolent stains but nothing serious.

I also have a Rockwell combo horizontal/vertical mill that I have been using for awhile. I have used the horizonal a small amount. I have mostly used it with an endmill to machine from the back instead of the top. It is also great for cutting keyways; The #30 spindle is very rigid and runs woodruff cutters well. I have used it with the arbor and a thin milling cutter like a saw to cut some 3/16 brass plate. (yea, I need a bigger bandsaw).

Its interesting to compare the rockwell and clausing horizontal mills.

I really like the power feed on the clausing. Its quiet, runs off the main motor so it stops when the machine stops. The limit buttons are simple and there are no cables hanging around. My rockwell does not have any power feed but they did offer an electric one that seemed to be "ok". I have used electic power feeds and they do the job but keep going when the machine is shut off. Also the stock rockwell power feed removes the right handwheel. That would annoy me!

The rockwell has 6.75 inchs of Y travel and the clausing only has 5. MAJOR difference. I think the rockwell has a bit more knee travel as well but I don't know yet if that will be significant.

The clausing runs smoothly and the variable speed is nice. No belt changing like the rockwell. The clausing back gears are also very quiet while the rockwell back gears are pretty loud. (I checked them and they are in good shape). The downside is that the clausing variable speed system is somewhat problematic and can be VERY expensive to repair if problems are not promptly discovered and repaired.

The clausing arbor is about 2 inchs shorter than a standard arbor and finding a used one is tough. Too bad, because Bison sells standard #30 arbors for about 100 bucks via (penntool).

Optional vertical head for the rockwell is great! My only complaint is the lack of a quill spring. It works well but changing from horizontal mode to vertical is a royal PIA. You have to remove the horizontal overarm (3 diameter rod) and install the vertical head which is even heavier than the horizontal ram.

I have seen bridgeport heads added to machines and that seems like an interesting project for the clausing. They I could use the power feed in vertical mode too. Only downside is the correct size bridgeport head would have MT2 taper and all my tooling is R8.

Both machines are too short and I think they need to be lifted up a about 4-6 inchs to get a comfortable working position (I'm tall).

Rockwell has 200 thou/rev leadscrews where the clausing has 100 thou per reveloution leadscrews. If you are use to bridgeports you will like the rockwell, but I think 100 thou/rev is better.

Any other opinions? chuck

Reply to
Charles A. Sherwood
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Whadja pay? :)

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®

I put my 8540 on 6x6 timbers. Works great.

Gunner

Lathe Dementia. Recognized as one of the major sub-strains of the all-consuming virus, Packratitis. Usual symptoms easily recognized and normally is contracted for life. Can be very contagious. michael

Reply to
Gunner

I cut some metal with the clausing 8540 last night.

It didn't take long to realize the merits of the double overarm bars vs the single larger overarm bar of the rockwell. With the double bar, you can put the outboard bearing away from the arbor to change cutters. When you are done, you just slide it back in and you don't have to align anything. With the single bar, you usually have to rotate the bar a bit to line up the outboard bearing. Rotating a tiny bit can be a challenge because once it starts turning it over shoots.

The clausing seems like a well designed little machine. Horizontal mills really rock when it comes to making chips.

chuck

Reply to
Charles A. Sherwood

It is. Now find a nice sharp 3" helical slab mill and a nice chunk of cold rolled. Instant chip shower. Even more fun with Aluminum.

Btw...chips from a horizontal miller are nasty and tend to be sharp as hell, particularly from a slab mill. Think of some ways to control your chips before you track razor sharp long thin scalpels around the house. I cut a chunk of 1/4" lexan so it fits the "chip end" of the table and hold it on with the T slots. It really helps keep the chips from winding up on the far side of the shop.

Now if I could only figure out a good way to do the same on the shaper....sigh

Been there done that.

Gunner

Lathe Dementia. Recognized as one of the major sub-strains of the all-consuming virus, Packratitis. Usual symptoms easily recognized and normally is contracted for life. Can be very contagious. michael

Reply to
Gunner

snip

I've used a 5 gallon bucket suitably positioned in front, on its side. I was thinking about pairing it up with defunct Sears shopvac canister that had casters and making a telescoping sheet metal duct connection, but the shopvac got tossed. Those shaper shavings are like little sand burrs, they stick into everything and are really hard to get gone. The shaper tosses them halfway across the basement, too.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

This is where you need to start considering HP. A 3 inch cut in steel could require more that the 1.5 HP motor on the clausing. Seems like coolent would be very nice to have too.

I used the old Brown and sharp horizontal at the local college and I could make lots of smoke milling 1.5 inch steel.

chuck

Reply to
Charles A. Sherwood

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