Subject: What type of Milling Machine

From: [email-masked](brian stewart )
Date: 25 Apr 1996 23:14:48 GMT

Hello:

Can anybody tell me what would be the perfect milling machine for
making gun parts.  I am a licensed collector of curio and relic
firearms and would like to be able to manufacture my own parts to
repair obsolete rifles and pistols.  Also, should I purchase a used
machine or buy one of the new ones.  I figure the biggest part would be
twelve inches long and no more than four inches thick.  

Please e-mail me back your respones.  Thank you for your time and
expertise.

Signed:
Brian    :)

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From: [email-masked] (CBear81438)
Date: 27 Apr 1996 09:06:51 -0400

Get a Bridgeport Vertical or good BPT copy

Cecil

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 27 Apr 1996 05:32:58 GMT

brian stewart ([email-masked]) wrote:

: Can anybody tell me what would be the perfect milling machine for
: making gun parts.  I am a licensed collector of curio and relic
: firearms and would like to be able to manufacture my own parts to
: repair obsolete rifles and pistols.  Also, should I purchase a used
: machine or buy one of the new ones.  I figure the biggest part would be
: twelve inches long and no more than four inches thick.  

Well, with 12" parts, I think the Sherline-size machines are too small.
I have an Antique Bridgeport in my basement, and I really like it.  I
have an Enco 3-in-1 machine at work, and I DON'T like it!  I think a
knee-type machine is a real plus, but the bench machines with movable
head can be used, with some small disadvantages.  Most of them lose
the X (and a little bit of Y) position of the head when you have to elevate
it.  Anyway, if you have the room, an old Bridgeport or other small,
knee-type machine is a lot better built than some of the cheaper import
machines.  Beware that the old, Bridgeport M-series head usually comes
with the Brown & Sharpe #7 spindle taper, which is a lot less common than
the R-8 taper on the newer machines.

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From: Mike Rehmus <[email-masked]>
Date: 29 Apr 1996 17:01:55 GMT

Or you could purchase a quick-change tool holder
that would take care of all the problems in one
swell foop.

Only costs money.

M-heads are pretty good machines.  

Best,

Mike Rehmus

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From: Steve Wellcome <[email-masked]>
Date: 29 Apr 1996 15:17:14 GMT

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss an M-head Bridgeport.
B&S #7 or Morse #2 collets are readily available, and
you don't need very many anyway.  You could probably
get by with 3/16", 3/8", and 1/2".

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 1 May 1996 06:21:40 GMT

>   [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson) writes:
Brian,
  I see a lot of questions about "what type of mill" advise.  So, I put together a spreadsheet of a number of builders of knee type 
vertical mills.  You can see it and download it for free from my home page http://www.mortonmachinery.com
  Hope you find it helpful.
  -- Mark Rogo, Morton Machinery Co., Inc. Los Angeles, Calif.

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 4 May 1996 06:02:39 GMT

Steve Wellcome ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss an M-head Bridgeport.
: B&S #7 or Morse #2 collets are readily available, and
: you don't need very many anyway.  You could probably
: get by with 3/16", 3/8", and 1/2".

Well, thats right - I have an M-head bridgeport, and it would probably do
fine for his work.  i occasionally am chagrined that I can't use 3/4" 
tooling, and a LOT more arbors and similar things are available in R-8
taper than B&S #7, but I can do a lot with it.  The J-head also has the back
gears to achieve really slow spindle speeds.  That would be nice.  I really
think the power quill feed could be a danger to a novice (like me).  I have
also found that some large diameter work doesn't go well with 1/2" straight
shank tools.  I have a boring head, and I have never gotten really clean
cuts without chatter or patterning on the holes.  I will eventually have to
make a B&S #7 arbor for the boring head.  The 9 x 32" table that goes with
the old M-head machines is mounted on a smaller pedestal and turret than
the newer dovetail-ram machines.  My machine is just barely taller than 6'.
A dovetail-ram J-head bridgeport is well over 6' tall, and with 
variable-speed drive, it is over 7' tall.  That is a limitation for basement
use of the newer machines.