Little help please.

[caskwith]

I have a milling attachment for my lathe (think a mini rodney style) and things are going well adapting it to fit on my lathe. One area is causing me some trouble however, toolholding. The spindle has a 3/8 24tpi female thread, I have drill chucks which fit this thread no problem but I don't want to drill with this tool, I want to mill with it so how am I going to hold milling cutters?

[andyf]

I suppose one way might be to make an ER collet chuck (and buy the closing nut for it) with a 3/8"x24 male thread sticking out of the back. If you don't want to hold cutter shanks of more than 10mm diameter, ER16 wouldn't be too clumsy. ER20 will hold up to 13mm.

But it sounds like your attachment was intended for drilling. Will its spindle bearings be up to the radial forces of milling?

Andy

[caskwith]

I suppose one way might be to make an ER collet chuck (and buy the closing nut for it) with a 3/8"x24 male thread sticking out of the back. If you don't want to hold cutter shanks of more than 10mm diameter, ER16 wouldn't be too clumsy. ER20 will hold up to 13mm.

But it sounds like your attachment was intended for drilling. Will its spindle bearings be up to the radial forces of milling?

Andy

Thanks for the idea there, I will add it to the list of potentials

The attachment is designed for milling I am sure, the spindle sits in a bronze bearing of substantial size and the coloum is rectangular and very sturdy, when everything is locked down it is very ridgid for it's size.