Bracing the column is a "fix" that's almost as old as the mini-mill itself and does help stiffen things up. The downside is that it adds clutter and makes the machine less portable which is an issue for some people.
The tilt column on the original machines came about because the machine was conceived originally as a small precision drill and mill and the tilt column was to fulfil the role of the tilting table that most bench drill feature
For those on a budget the idea of a precision drill and reasonably capable small mill is very appealing and one of the reasons I bought mine 15 odd years ago but the tilt feature does impact on the rigidity and is a nuisance to use as you have to re-tram afterwards. I've only used the tilt a handful of times.and I would have been quite happy to dispense with it for a stiffer machine were it offered at the time.
For those stuck with the old machine all isn't lost. The old Hollow column (hollow to house the gas spring that was a feature of the original design)has been proven to be surprisingly rigid and there are three simple fixes that contribute to better rigidity more than the column
dismantle and clean up and flat all the mating surfaces before re-assembly
Replace the angle plate/base bolts with decent high tensile items
Remove the Belville washer and replace with a 3/8 to 1/2" rectangular steel plate
These mods improved the flex by nearly 80% making the machine much more capable and enjoyable to use
Gerry W
Leeds UK
Sent: 14 November 2015 17:35
To: GrizHFMinimill@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [GrizHFMinimill] Opinions about mini-mill mod
Just out of curiosity would it be possible to put a pair of
diagonal braces/turnbuckles from as high as possible on the column out
at about 45 degrees to a bracket on the base? This might allow for a
stiffer column and still have the capability of tilting the column. Bill
in Boulder (Has no minimill!)
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Posted by: gerry waclawiak <gerrywac@hotmail.co.uk>
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