Tool Rack Directly On The Mill

Okay, Jim, lets try to stay on topic this time. ;^)

How many of you guys have a tool rack directly on your milling machine?

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Sorry, can't help. The Clausing mill is on a cabinet base with a collet rack in the door, and the other tooling is on a shelf rack behind it. In my limited exposure I haven't seen a tool rack other than for R8 collets mounted on a mill. The big CNC machines had automatic tool changers.

Even big VMC are often paired with a tool cart or tool rack outside the machine with more tools than will fit in the tool changer. In theory a large magazine at least allows for preloading every tool for the current job, but not always, and of course there are plenty of machines with much smaller magazines.

Even big VMC are often paired with a tool cart or tool rack outside the machine with more tools than will fit in the tool changer. In theory a large magazine at least allows for preloading every tool for the current job, but not always, and of course there are plenty of machines with much smaller magazines. Bob La Londe CNC Molds N Stuff

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My own designs used a minimum number of the cutting tools the shop foreman suggested. At home on the rare batch job I set up stops for quickly changing the part and run all through each machine setting, or spot hole locations and let the stub length drill or tap position the unrestrained part. This is the pre-CNC mass production method:

That can work if you are making a batch of identical parts. Maybe not so much for finishing out a batch of "similar" parts.

I have missed out a few times on gang drills that went cheap. I always thought it would be efficient if I could buy one cheap enough to setup one up for my most common drill finishing operations. Pin press, pin slip, tap drill, tap, etc. A turret drill might also work. I had a little tail stock turret on my 8.5 x 18 lathe for a while for making knobs a while back. Had it setup for two different thread sizes in the six positions. Drill click, counter bore click, and tap click click click. The little 3C collet closer got quite a workout until I decided they were still to much work to sell at a reasonable price.

T-slots, vises, or just holes are all options. Never let a flat table dissuade you. Heck, on my welding table I've been known to turn the table itself into a fixture by welding steps directly to it. Not so easy to do a repeat job months later, but I'm working on that.

Carr-Lane does make some cool stuff. I use their Tiny Vise edge clamps all the time. I probably have a dozen fixture plates made up using them for batching different size stock. I don't even know how many of the CL5TVLP tiny vises I have.

That can work if you are making a batch of identical parts. Maybe not so much for finishing out a batch of "similar" parts. Bob La Londe

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Would it work for standardizable features like hinges and latches that locate from an edge?

I don't want you to think I don't already do work in that fashion when its suitable. For instance drilling hinge pin holes in different molds that are the same footprint. At one point I played with the use of a self centering vise for that with molds of different thickness. My issue was a I do just enough different types of work to make leaving the self centering vise on the mill table inconvenient. Yeah, I know. Cut the ears off and make it into an insert vise. That is still one of my plans.

Now a gang drill with fixtures and/or vises attached to the table with a press on the end of the table, or a smaller foot print with a turret drill... I just don't have the space for it any more.

That's where my idea for a custom made step drill came from. One drill to make the press fit, slip fit, and a slight deburr/chamfer in one operation. I wouldn't even need to set the depth stop anymore. When it deburrs its done. My initial experiment sorta worked, but the I wasn't good enough, and got over sized slip fit holes. I may remake the tool again, but I have a million ideas that need development all the time. I even asked a commercial tool maker about making the step drills for me from carbide, but I never heard back. I guess if I have time and think of it I may contact some others.