RE: [GrizHFMinimill] Opinions about mini-mill mod



Hello Tom,
 
Since you asked for opinions and comments I will give you my personal opinions and comments. This is not to say that I am correct in any way, it's just my opinion.
 
It sounds to me like you are wanting to rebuilding the mill, attempting to make it into something that it is not. If you want a big beefy mill, I feel you'd be better off buying a larger mill. I going by your comment about being so glad that you went with a 12x24 lathe over a mini lathe.
 
Now, with that said, if by "standard super flexible column" you are referring to a tilting column, then by going to a solid column, they say the mill will be more solid. Little Machine Shop sells a solid column conversion kit to eliminate the tilting column.
 
I've never used a mini mill with a tilting column so I really can't say how much more solid the solid column is over the tilting column. When I purchased my mill I went with the solid column and air spring.

Michael - California, USA
Micro-Mark MicroLux 7x16
LMS Hi-Torque Mill
 
-----Original Message-----
From: GrizHFMinimill@yahoogroups.com [mailto:GrizHFMinimill@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2015 12:32 PM
To: GrizHFMinimill@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [GrizHFMinimill] Opinions about mini-mill mod

 

Hello group,
 
I am interested in group's opinion regarding following mod I am planning for my mini mill. The deluxue model I have with brush-less motor has the standard super flexible column. The goal of the conversion is to significantly stiffen both the column and the base in order to take full advantage of the power offered by the motor. I also will increase the Z-travel by about 5 inches and enable the mill to have 4'' inch Kurt style vise without sacrificing any y travel.
 
To stiffen the base I plan to use 2'' by 0.5'' steel bars, welded together for 2x1 bar in a rectangle formation under the current base. The steel frame will also have "paws" extending to the sides to widen the base of the mill & these will be clamped to the bench (rather beefy one weights few hundred #). The box will extend in the back to accommodate new solid column. The old base will be attached to the new one via 4 mounting screws.
 
The new column will be made of 6'' by 4'' C steel that is around 3/8'' thick. If it flexes too much I plan on adding some ribs at the back (I don't think adding ribs to the front to make a double C will be necessary). The C column will connect to the above mentioned base with 2 screws via welded "paws" & via 3 screws to the existing base via existing 3-screw setup. The old column will be connected to the C via 6 screws and will "float" above the base. I can shim the 5 screws to tram the mill.
 
The milling head, weighting about 30# can be supported via counter weight at the back of the C. The electronics of the mill, currently at the back of the column can be moved to the back of the C or side of the C column.
 
Similar mods were done by others with great success - I just modified the materials to fit what I have available locally - I am in the middle of Canada in Calgary & thus I cannot buy much locally.
 
I just want to make the mini-mill as useful of a tool as my 12x24 lathe ... so glad I got that vs. the mini-lathe.
 
More or less I want the limiting factor to be brush-less motor power & the mill head ...
 
Ideas for improvement? Comments?
 
Tom



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Posted by: "Michael Jablonski" <michaeljab@cox.net>



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