Bob Gitsham from Adelaide Sth Australia.

[Bob GitshamParticipant @bobgitsham90361]

G'day, I originally posted this back last December 2016, but must have put it in the wrong place, so I'll try again.

G'day Bob Gitsham from Adelaide, South Australia. I have just joined this forum last night. I'm a retired marine engineer. My first qualification was fitter turner / toolmaker, I added Hydraulics fitter, specialist welder and finally marine engineer. I also took a job as a sales engineer for about 5 years '76 to '81. just for something different



After retiring I realised I missed the work of high quality machining and fitting so after much discussion with friends and arguments with "she who must be obeyed", I and against her wishes I bought a lath



My new lathe is a LD 1216 Still getting the hang of it, but so far so good. I also want a mill but do not have the room. So am thinking of building a vertical spindle milling attachment for the lathe. Interested if anyone has any info on such a project..

 

[Bob GitshamParticipant @bobgitsham90361]

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Hi from Cairns, Bob. I served my time as a fitter and turner at the old Chrysler Mitsubishi factory on South Road many years ago. Never made it to sea but my old man sailed with Holymans and Blue Flu for many years as an engineer. Welcome to the forum.

Can't help you with a milling attachment. But a vertical slide for you lathe might get you started with a lot less outlay of money and time.

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

Welcome along, shame you do not have the room for a mill. Man with your skills could do a mill justice.

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

Welcome to yet another well qualified member. I liked your post on epoxy resin.

Mick

Edited By mick H on 29/08/2017 08:20:51

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

G'day Bob. Top of the morning to you

Good milling spindles are relatively rare and never really caught on, possibly because of expense and stiffness issues

Drummond did a nice version

I'm currently try to improve a lathe milling slide by squaring it up into a box section (latest pet project) so it is not unlike the box section on a shaper, you can even use the tailstock as a support leg

If it's good enough for a shaper then it should be good enough for a milling slide (in theory)

Milling slides are limited but can be used for light milling

A man with your skills should make light work of any improvements.

One big issue if you take the milling spindle route is torque, you need lots of torque to mill steel

GL

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