FILENAMES: HzMill.jpg HzMill.pdf DESCRIPTION: These files are about a horizontal milling machine built from stock steel. Posted by Kevin Carroll . Kevin provided the following description: > I'm presenting this drawing of a table top milling machine for your >consideration and comment. Although I work in a machine shop and the project >is a commercial one, I am not an engineer, and we have none on the premises, >so I do not feel this in any way violates the spirit of amaturism >Metalworking.com represents. Besides, if we can't make them cost effective >we'll probably just make a few for the guys at work to take home ;-) > > This is the second, very preliminary, drawing for my horozontal milling >machine. All structural elements are from cold rolled steel, about 200 >pounds of it. I know CRS is not perfect in thickness, parralelism, >streightness, etc., but the design minimizes these faults and should prove >adequate for hobby use. Ways are lined with Turkite B way matierial. > The spindle is an Ericson collet holder and is equiped with a back- >gear transmission, this means the spindle can pass up to a 3/4" bar. By >clamping lathe tools and drill chucks to the table the mill can be used >as a bar chucker lathe! I will attempt to adapt a four or even six inch >chuck to fit the Ericcson holder. > > Most of the machining is done on the CRS for the prototype, and the >X axis way Ball screw has been installed. It looks like the prototype >will work, but commercial success depends on being able to CNC all the >holes, counterbores, bores, threads, and edges fast enough to reduce >the labor costs to a managable level. 300oz inch Stepper motor CNC will be >an option that will not impede manual operation, and a sub-$300 DRO option >(using the customers 386 or better PC and Steve Lindsay's software) will be >available, of course the customer can add these parts later. Several kits >consisting of just the slabs, kits with all parts, (both UPS-able in several >boxes) as well as complete machines are planned. Cost and accuracy of the >machine MUST be compettitive, but I feel the versatility of a horizontal >mill and the ability to double as a lathe, not to mention the BEEF of >200 lbs of CRS will set this machine apart from the pack. > > The project is on hold for another month or so while I retrofit a 1978 >Giddings & Lewis / Gisholt lathe (a huge slant bed, can hold and turn 24" dia, >cross slide is 36" wide, 30 tall, and 8" deep, what a monster, photos soon). >I'm using a Delta Tau PMAC motion controller card (now THAT'S a commercial >plug!) inside an enclosure I made from polished aluminum deck-plate, >the machine is a real show piece. > > Kevin Carroll > Haberle Machine Co. > 3202 N. Kenmore St. > South Bend, In, 46628 > 1-219-289-2860