Gauges and other accessories for milling machine

Erin Burke

Erin Burke

Well-Known Member
{Cross-posted w/ BF}

Hey Guys,

I'm getting ready to place an order for a Seig X3 (Grizzly version) milling machine, and I am trying to nail down what accessories I'll need... primarily concerning gauges for squaring the mill/vise/material.

From what I can figure out - and please forgive me if I use incorrect nomenclature/terminology - I'll want a drop indicator and a test indicator. What range and graduation is prefered? Is a 1/2" range w/ 0.0005" graduation acceptable for the drop indicator? Is a 0.030" range w/ 0.0005" graduation acceptable for the test indicator? How about digital vs. dial?

I assume that I'll also need a magnetic base. Let me know if I'm mistaken.

Some other items on my purchase list:
  • 4" milling vise (expensive!!! :eek:)
  • R-8 Collet set (is a quick change set a good idea or should I stick w/ standard?)
  • Clamping kit
  • Parallel set (3/16" seems like a decent width for knife stuff)
  • Edge finder set
  • Wiggler/Center finder set
  • Drill chuck

Is there anything that I'm missing... other than tooling? :D

Erin
 
Some 1-2-3 blocks will be handy, can't think of anything else. You can ring the mill into square with the dial indicators, so you're good there.

:)


DRO will be awesome if you can swing it!
 
Les George said:
Some 1-2-3 blocks will be handy, can't think of anything else. You can ring the mill into square with the dial indicators, so you're good there.

:)


DRO will be awesome if you can swing it!
Click to expand...

1-2-3 blocks... check.

Les, I'd love to install xyz DRO if I could find a package at a decent price. Under $300 (even $400) and I'd jump on it. I also wouldn't mind a power feed. :D
 
Even just x and y DRO is awesome! I am totally spoiled with machine tools...

The 1-2-3 blocks, with the threaded wholes are best, you can fixture all kinds of things with them, V blocks are great to have around, but not necessary for the initial buy, watch e bay for things like that
 
I feel that the electric edge finders are easier to use than the normal eccentric ones.

They light up or beep when you hit, easier on old eyes.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=398&PMITEM=636-7042


Some people recommend holding an end mill with a Weldon shank endmill holder and not collets, as endmills can spin out of the collet and into the work or table.
-like this one, be sure you get one that matches your draw bar thread.
http://grizzly.com/products/5-8-MT2-End-Mill-Holder-Draw-Bar-Thread-3-8-16/G9539


A fly cutter
a boring head and boring bars
Woodruff key seat cutters
slit saws and the arbor

a rotary table is excellent...even better if you can mount the vise on one end, and the rotary table on the other so you can use both without having to move them all the time..
 
Last edited:
Les George said:
Even just x and y DRO is awesome! I am totally spoiled with machine tools...
Click to expand...

Even the xy-only DROs that I've seen are fairly spendy. I'll come up with something eventually I'm sure.


12345678910 said:
I feel that the electric edge finders are easier to use than the normal eccentric ones.

They light up or beep when you hit, easier on old eyes...
Click to expand...

Thanks... I'd never seen those before. 2thumbs

Erin
 
g9539.jpg


I dont think you have to worry about cutters coming out of the collets, but what these do give you is repeatability.

If you have to make a cut with say, a 1/2" cutter then move to a 3/16", you can come back to the 1/2" if you want without re inventing your Z axis.

Does that make any sense at all? :)
 
I got a tormach set for my mill, used it for about a year and finally bought a set of R8 collets instead. Someone who actually knows how to use a mill might get more use from the tormach than I did though.

Fly cutter is a good idea, though now I've been using a small carbide insert face mill more for metal and a carbide router bit for flattening wood for handles. The 1/2 shank on the router bit works fine in the collets and, not amazingly, a router bit actually does a better job flattening wood than a metalworking tool.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. I have placed an order and am looking forward to getting the Mill (and accessories).2thumbs

Several folks have mentioned that I should get a fly-cutter. Are there any recommendations for a good fly-cutter for this size of mill?

Thanks again. I'll keep y'all posted.

Erin
 
Wow… I just realized that I've already spent more than the cost of the mill on accessories: vise, indicator, parallels, chuck, collets, clamping kit, edge-finders... and yes, a DRO. AND I still haven't bought any tooling. :eek: No endmills, no facemill… nothing.huh1

Oh well… it's a process; not a destination.

Erin
 
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