Clare end mill holder (for Meddings Pillar Drill)

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

I want to try some light milling on my Meddings MF4 pillar drill and have acquired a number of Clare milling cutters of different sizes which I think are supposed to be very good quality, but no holders! They have a type of bayonet fitting at the end. Can anyone steer me in right direction to find some holders?Does anyone have any advice on choosing milling cutter holders/adapters for the Meddings (2MT)? Thanks

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

If the pillar drill does not have the facility for a draw bar then you are asking for trouble, the tool holder will just fall out as you cut.

Bob

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Bob, that does make sense but the chuck is very heavy and doesn't fall out of the 2MT nose/quill, admittedly only operating under compression force. I had been told that people do mill on the MF4, but maybe I need some sort of adapter/collet mechanism made up or purchased….

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

It's very bad practice not to use a draw bar in the same way it's very bad practice to hold milling cutters in a drill chuck. You'll always hear stories how people "got away with it" but it always bites you when it's an important job and you're least expecting it. Who here hasn't had a morse taper tailstock "let go" even when in compression from a cut? 

Edited By Chris Trice on 03/01/2015 10:54:32

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Obviously the more secure the better for milling but then why do people sell threaded End Mill Holders that have a taper fit? What sort of draw bar do you recommend for the MF4 and how would the end take a collet? Should it be threaded externally like a Myford nose? Maybe I could take off the MF4 spindle and put an external thread on that …any recommendations? thanks

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

DON"T DO IT. A drilling machine is just that, if you want both, a mill drill is what you need. A Morse Taper is not designed to take side loads, even light ones, I soon found out about that when I tried milling with a Jacobs Chuck in my then brand new vertical mill with a 3 MT.

Ian S C

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Adam

As everyone says don't do it!

HERE is a good explanation.

No point in saving money and risking injury. As far as MT end mill holders all that I have come across have a tapping in the end of the MT for a drawbar.

Norman

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> A Morse Taper is not designed to take side loads, even light ones

Not strictly true, it's large area is more than adequate as long as a drawbar is used.

Neil

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

Thanks everyone for the guidance on drawbars – I understand the point completely, and I'm sure I can fabricate a drawbar to match the 2MT collet/holder or even drill out the spindle if it is not hollow all the way through. What about a holder for the Clare milling tool which has the bayonet-style end??

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/01/2015 15:37:31

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/01/2015 15:37:48

Edited By Adam Harris on 04/01/2015 15:38:15

[Adam HarrisParticipant @adamharris13683]

By the way , regarding side loads on morse tapers/ spindle bearings, I am not concerned because I only intend to take very light cuts.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Neil, sorry I ment to say that MT was not designed to take side pressure with out a draw bar.

Ian S C

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