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School me: Tooling for milling machine...

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Rocky 
#1 ·
I just ended up with a mill, so I need to get some tooling.

For general fab / 4x4 stuff, what do you guys think is a good set of cutters to start with? (Like, say you had to name your 5 favorite cutter bits..what would they be?)

Anything else I should consider a must-have?

I have no tooling for it, actually I need a new cross slide X/Y table as well.
 
#3 · (Edited)
congrats on the new pick-up.
What type of mill? What type of tool holders does it use ?

It depends what you want to do with it. This is what I have learned so far:

you will need tool holders, collets, and your actual cutting tool. The tools are pretty straight forward, drill bits are obviously your most basic for drilling operations. Endmills are the next step, not really made for plunging but you can surface with them, side cut etc. Endmills can come with chamfers on the bottom corners but they are really there to avoid square corners. Ballnose endmills are just that and endmill with a hemi-sphere sphaped end. It obviously has it's advantages for cutting certain shapes.

If I was setting up a mill in my garage today I would get a few tool holders, a collet set, and a chuck. I would buy some standard endmills, most likely some cheap carbide ones, they are kinda disposable like drillbits but you can get some life out of them. US standard sizes are usually easier to find and cheaper than metric sizes. I would get standard square end mills in like the1, 1/2,1/4 and 1/8 sizes to start you most likely wont need anything more for simple stuff and that should get you started unless your doing alot of small detail work. I would also want an edge-finder and digital redouts for the x and y axis to help with any more precise parts.

You will also NEED a quality vice, some parrallels and some gauging blocks and clamps for that nice new table your buying.

I know it sounds like alot but you can get cheap brands that work well and you dont NEED all of it right off the bat especially if your just doing some simple parts. (then I would get the vice, holder, collet, and endmills and have fun)

Information on tool holders here:
http://process-equipment.globalspec...uipment/Machine_Tool_Accessories/Tool_Holders

you will probabley also need Collets if you dont have them:
http://www.efunda.com/processes/machining/mill_cutters.cfm
 
#4 ·
I would start with a clamp set, a machine vise, a set of parrallels, dial gauge to tram in the head is a must, an edge finder, collet set (I don't see the need for a chuck), a set of cheap HSS cutters (till you lnow your speeds and feeds), and maybe a fly cutter if you plan on cutting down a large surface area. Also, some quality collant. As you use it more you might what to buy a set of ruffing end mills and some ball end mills as needed.
 
#5 ·
digital display. because im lazy and love them.

but besides that I would second what rocky said. I am glad I do not have to outfit a mill it will cost your left nut. but once you have it it will be nice as hell for projects. I do think a chuck is nice have just incase you need to fit something a funky size. like today i needed to use a hole saw and of course i dont have a hex collet. so I grabed a chuck, through that in a collet and then put my hole saw in the chuck.
 
#7 ·
I do have a chuck for it already. I don't have any collets, though.

Its nothing great, a chinese mill, but its better then the harbor freight/grizzly stuff. And I got it for a steal of a price. I haev no idea how I'm going to get it out of my truck. Heavy SOB..

I believe its an MT3 taper on the quill.

I won't be doing anything fancy with it anytime soon. But I like to be able to do stuff like milling the arms for my bender, etc.
 
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