Made some brackets for the milling machine

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Some years ago I made a 7.5" raising block for the milling machine so I could get the 20" of headroom to rough machine the ram ways on my shaper.

The raising block has become a permanent feature of the mill, since the original spec allowed a the quill to be flush with the table when both were at their highest position (stupid!).

At the time, I added some lugs so that I could mount backets onto the side of it, just in case that would be useful.

I've spent the last few weeks welding and machining some brackets to allow me to hang the rotary table and its chuck, the large angle block and the vices on it. This has freed up space on the bench and floor and makes it far easier to mount them on the mill table:- Just loosen the clamps, move them over the table and raise the table under them.

Second vice and angle block.

Rotary table.
Need to re-site the mains plug to alow for a bracket for the first vice.

Overall view.

A few tweaks are still needed, but I'm happy so far.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

brackets to hold the rotary table, vice etc.

[HuubParticipant @huub]

Mark,

You have done a nice job and now have a back, time and space saving setup as result.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Excellent handy storage Mark. No point tearing your back out lifting parts that can be stored at a handy height for direct mounting.

I have done something similar for the TOS mill I am rebuilding. It has swappable tables and work heads which are all 30-50KG so I have mounted them all on a wall rack and I've made a small swing crane to load them on and off the machine when it's done.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

In the American forum, The Home Shop Machinist, there have been several threads showing a variety of cranes made for lifting heavy parts of mills and lathe chucks from the machine to their storage shelf or bracket. The biggest chuck that we have for the museums 9 x 20 Smart and brown lathe is 6 3/4", and that is as much as I can manage without lifting gear. A 5" mill vise is as big as I would want to lift, a 6" weighs almost double that.  We also have a tilting/rotary fixture that can hold a vise or 4 jaw chuck which weighs about 80 pounds, which used to be used occasionally on the round column mill, but much too big for the Tom Senior. It has only been used once this year, as I bought a much smaller tilting plate for most uses.

Edited By old mart on 11/09/2022 16:08:40

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Pete – the top three just look like they are held up by magic. I guess I am missing some obvious bracket at their outer end.

Mark – just keep an eye out for long term vibration loosening a supposedly tight grip.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Bazyle yes they are all nose-heavy. I have them retained with a thumbscrew from below.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Posted by Bazyle on 11/09/2022 16:11:15:

Mark – just keep an eye out for long term vibration loosening a supposedly tight grip.

If there was a larger diameter section (thick washer) at the bottom of the circular pin holding the RT, it would locate under the chuck jaws and provide some extra confidence.

Similarly, a stepped piece that hooks under the vice jaws would stop it falling unless there is large movement of the jaws.

The tilting table is easy becasue it has a T-slot.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Posted by DC31k on 12/09/2022 09:15:44:

Posted by Bazyle on 11/09/2022 16:11:15:

Mark – just keep an eye out for long term vibration loosening a supposedly tight grip.

If there was a larger diameter section (thick washer) at the bottom of the circular pin holding the RT, it would locate under the chuck jaws and provide some extra confidence.

Similarly, a stepped piece that hooks under the vice jaws would stop it falling unless there is large movement of the jaws.

The tilting table is easy becasue it has a T-slot.

Oddly enough. There are. The bits of the pins that go between the vice jaws also have flats machined on them.

When the nuts on the top of the pins are nipped up, the grip is very good.

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