Author Topic: TS's new toy  (Read 11479 times)

Offline Twinsquirrel

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TS's new toy
« on: March 21, 2009, 04:22:55 PM »
Some of you may have seen my attempts at buying a milling machine over on the HMEM forum some time ago, to cut a long story short I managed to buy myself a machine from flea bay that it turned out was bigger than the OUTSIDE dimensions of my workshop  :)  :)

Feeling slightly wounded from the whole experience I kind of held off from buying another, until now..........

I've had my eye on one of these http://www.amadeal.co.uk/xj20.htm for a while and was planning to order one next week, until a second hand one popped up on ebay a few days ago located about 3 miles from me!!

So with the seller duly contacted I went up to view the machine.....it all looks great apart from a small mark on the table and the low speed gear not working apparantly due to the a problem with the crown gear which the seller had but has not fitted. The best bit is that the price was more than ok.

I think the XJ20 is the same as the Chester Century, has anyone any experience or opinions on this machine?

Sorry for the over-excited post, I'm just a very happy-Modder,

David

P.S Will post some pictures tomorrow as the machine is still in the back of the van.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2009, 04:26:53 PM by Twinsquirrel »
So many ideas, so little skill

Offline DeereGuy

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2009, 05:33:55 PM »
David the saying is "good things come to those who wait" and it looks like it holds true for you.  Congrats on the mill and here's to many happy years with it.

Offline Divided he ad

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2009, 05:04:00 AM »
Nice one David!  :clap:


So, you made anything yet?  :D


How about now?


Now?



Oh, ok..... I'll wait till you've got it in the 'shop and set up    :zap:   ::)   






Have fun  :)




Ralph.
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Offline sbwhart

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2009, 03:54:44 PM »
You're cooking on gas now David,  :ddb:  :ddb:  looking forward to seeing some pics

Stew
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ja2on

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2009, 04:53:47 PM »

Is it out of the van yet ? :wave:
 :worthless:

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2009, 05:39:14 PM »
Well..... it  is out of the van but I haven't done anything else yet as today is my wedding aniversary and mothering sunday so I've been doing my husbandly duties most of the day.

Here is a dodgy pic of the machine still in the back of the van.



And here's a pic of Rhiannon, my youngest future engineer taken today.



Hope to make more progress tomorrow

David
So many ideas, so little skill

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2009, 07:49:07 PM »
Yep, some of them there mothers day commitments here too!

I'm sure you will be putting it through a few tests this week coming though eh?


"future engineer" .... I think there is a need for a plastic hammer and saw in that tray  :) 
(At least the second pic' was good quality  :thumbup: )





Ralph.




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Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2009, 06:28:13 AM »
I've given myself the day off today due to the weather (that's my excuse anyway), so plenty of time to mess with the new toy.....

Here's the xj20 in it's temporary position in my workshop.



Now that is all apart I'm quite impressed with the general build quaility, I was expecting to find huge blow holes in all the castings and casting sand everywhere but all I can find is a small <2mm hole in the saddle casting.

The z axis had about .5" of play which the previous owner said it had from new! I didn't think that was acceptable but found that adjusting it out was easy, the screw has a thrust bearing with a locking nut adjustment at the top, a quick tweak got rid of about half the play.



The Z screw has a nut arrangement that is pivoted using 2 grubscrews to take up the backlash, similar to the cross slide on my mini lathe, I find these easy to adjust but they quickly need attention again....we'll see..



I was quite surprised to see tapered gibs on all axis I'm hoping that this is a better arrangement than the grub screw and locking nut arrangement I have on my lathe? The x and y axis screws and nuts have a kind of split nut which can be "pinched up" to remove the play, I reckon this is a better way of doing things than pivoting the whole nut as on the z axis?



When I went to view the machine I didn't notice that the table had a bit of damage, I'm telling myself it's not too bad, what do you guys think?



I still haven't recieved the replacement crown gear for the head so it is still stuck in high range, hopefully it will arrive in the post today...fingers crossed.

David
« Last Edit: March 25, 2009, 06:31:44 AM by Twinsquirrel »
So many ideas, so little skill

Offline Darren

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2009, 06:39:36 AM »
You're getting there, I don't thing that mark on the bed will cause you any problems. Just make sure you knock off the high spot if there are any.
I used a fine diamond stone on mine as it too had a couple of dings.

You don't want to be making the bed nice and shiny, just knock off the highs spots, it only takes a quick wipe.  :thumbup:
You will find it a distinct help… if you know and look as if you know what you are doing. (IRS training manual)

Offline sbwhart

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2009, 06:48:12 AM »


When I went to view the machine I didn't notice that the table had a bit of damage, I'm telling myself it's not too bad, what do you guys think?


Hi David looks a tidy machine you're giving it a bit of TLC and will be a asset to you're shop when you've got it fixed up, as for the damage I've seen far worse on machines in industry, just make shure none of the damage is standing up to throw your work out you can smooth it off with a flat or square stone Arkansus grade probably the best, you can get them from here

http://www.hswalsh.com/items.aspx?c=478

Hope this helps
Have fun
Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2009, 06:49:55 AM »
Great, thanks Darren/Stew, will "finesse" that later.

This milling business is REALLY new for me, if there is anything I should be checking/doing along the way, please feel free to chime in..... I'm a bit lost.

David
So many ideas, so little skill

Offline sbwhart

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2009, 07:29:12 AM »
Hi David

One thing you will realy need is a propper collet set to hold your cutters, a drill chuck just won't cut the mustard, and a good robust milling vice, more expence I'm afraid  :(  but you will realy strugle without them.

Have fun

Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2009, 08:45:22 AM »
Thanks Stew,

Yep, I will be getting well tooled up at Harrogate, one of the good things about buying this machine is that I had already budgeted for a new machine, so buying second hand has more than doubled the amount of money available for lots of lovely accessories :)


Any recomendations for a decent vice, collet set and rotary table?

So many ideas, so little skill

Offline sbwhart

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2009, 09:22:06 AM »

Any recomendations for a decent vice, collet set and rotary table?


Hi Dave

I've been lucky as regards to a vice I got given one by a friend who'd made it when he was an apprentice, he used it for grinding tools and gauges up so its spot on for squareness, the only thing I would advice is stear clear of vices described as drill mill vices they won't be up to the job you need something that good and robust, I use a Clarkson type collet set I got from RDG http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/ but a know a lot of the chaps swear by the ER system I think Johm pointed somone to Arc Euro http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/ trade for a good set. My mill is symilar in size to yours perhaps slightly bigger my RT is a Vertex 5" model I got it from RDG its best to go for the biggest size that will fit your mill/pocket.

I've got things from Chornos in the passed but I'm a bit P****d with them at the moment delivery is very bad I've been waiting over two months for one bit of kit I'm giving them a couple of more weeks when then said they would get a delivery and if it doesn't turn up I'm going to cancel.

Cheers

Stew
A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Stilldrillin

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2009, 11:22:59 AM »
Any recomendations for a decent vice, collet set and rotary table?

David,

I`m very pleased with this ER 32 set from Arc.....

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=787.msg5310#msg5310

I`ve since added extra collets, to cover from 2 - 20mm.

David.
David.

Still drilling holes... Sometimes, in the right place!

Still modifying bits of metal... Occasionally, making an improvement!

bogstandard

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #15 on: March 25, 2009, 12:44:28 PM »
TS David,

It looks like that you have the collet set sorted, you can't go far wrong with ER.
For the vice and RT, I would personally, if you can afford to go the little extra, buy Vertex.

The are not the cheapest, and by far not the most expensive, but the few squid extra does show in the build and use quality. The K series of vices are very good value for money. But again, things are improving dramatically in the Chinese import stuff, I can only comment on what I have had personal dealings with. I also have bought Groz & Soba vices, and IMHO are not worth bothering with. They look nicely finished, but don't stand up to in depth scrutiny and performance. I think I only have one left, having given the others away to needy causes.
Don't pussyfoot around on size, fit the biggest one you can. Measure the width of your mill table, double it, and that is the maximum length of the vice (not width) you should fit. A little shorter is ideal. So if your table is 5" wide, a vice around 9" long would be ideal.

Also while you are around the show, don't forget a set of parallels. A 1/8" set is the starting point, then say a 1/2" set later on.

One of the most important bits of equipment you will require for your mill will be an edge finder. From personal experience and others as well, you have only one choice. The Chinese range vary in quality from OK to unuseable (I have bought a few over the years as spares), but I suppose they will get better. Starrett is the one to go for, and I doubt if you would be able to pick one up from the show, so it would mean a search on the net. You can get either Imperial or metric, depending what your machine is, and will cost you just over 20 squid. I have been using mine almost every day for the last 20 odd years, and it works just as well now as the first time I used it.

As you go around the show, you will be like a kid in a sweet shop, don't buy on impulse just in case you might need it one day, as it looks all new and shiny. At one time you used to get a lot of discounted prices at shows. Unfortunatley, it costs the traders a lot more each time they go, so 'real' bargains will be few and far between. You might find you can pick up the same items from their websites at the same price as at the show.

Just get your essentials to begin with, and add to your tooling as your experience and needs grows. If you are at the show with some of the lads, they will show you some of the essential knick knacks you will need.

John

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #16 on: March 25, 2009, 05:55:20 PM »
Thanks for that guys,

Quote
Also while you are around the show, don't forget a set of parallels. A 1/8" set is the starting point, then say a 1/2" set later on.

doh, can't believe I didn't have a set of parallels on my shopping list.

cheers

David
So many ideas, so little skill

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #17 on: March 29, 2009, 04:38:04 PM »
Well I took Darrens advice and headed down to the local car-boot sale today and as luck would have it there was a nice old chap there selling medals etc along with a few bits of tooling, used end mills and the like. We got chatting and it transpires he's beed a steam buff for years and has built or rebuilt everything from full sized steam lorries to model loco's, he showed me a lovely collection of photos of his past builds which must have spanned 60 years!!

Anyway to cut a long story short he produced this from the back of his car.



It's a 6" k series Vertex vice I think and looks virtually unused but the radial pivot is missing, Im not sure if spares are available but the price was right so it followed me home. It may be a bit on the large side though :D

david
So many ideas, so little skill

Offline Darren

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #18 on: March 29, 2009, 05:01:19 PM »
Well there you go David, you made me happy now... :thumbup:

The trick is to keep going, you'll end up with all sorts in no time... :ddb: :ddb: :ddb:
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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #19 on: March 29, 2009, 07:38:08 PM »
WOW!!!  That's huge!  Mines only a 4"!!!


The radial pivot.... Is off mine to create a little more clearance for jobs.... Never used it anyway!


Top find over a ton new!


You having fun yet??  :D




Ralph.
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bogstandard

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #20 on: March 29, 2009, 11:14:40 PM »
David,

Good find. That is exactly the same one as I have on my mill.

With ref to size, it is a little on the large size, but what the hell, as long as the machine is still stable and not liable to fall on you, anything goes. What will do a lot, will do a little.

You don't really need to worry about the rotating bases, they usually just end up lost in the workshop somewhere, never to see the light of day again. I would let you have mine, but I think they are machined as a matching pair, so fitting it might cause you more problems than it is worth.

Bogs

Offline sbwhart

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #21 on: March 30, 2009, 04:13:06 AM »
Good find David

A little extra weight never hurt, helps to damp down the vibration:- so the actress said to the Bishop  :lol:

Stew
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Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Twinsquirrel

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Re: TS's new toy
« Reply #22 on: March 30, 2009, 02:20:28 PM »
That's great I was starting to get it set in my mind that it would be no good without the pivoting base, just goes to show how inexperienced I am.

Just got to get a decent collet chuck etc now and I'll be all set for the moment....roll on Harrogate!

David
So many ideas, so little skill