Old vs new milling machine

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Sounds like you are at the beginning of a wonderful journey …

Please do keep us informed of progress.

MichaelG.

[Sonic EscapeParticipant @sonicescape38234]

Today I discovered a few things. The milling machine is a FUS 250. Now I can look for the manual. The spindle is using a short Morse 5. So it is not that bad. And last, I need some kind of crane. Without it is impossible to do any serious work to this machine. For example I have the rotating table on the workbench and I can't lower it on the floor. And this is not the heaviest part. I can't imagine trying to hold the spindle with one hand and with the other one unscrewing the last bold to remove it

The markings were covered with grease. If I clean them with acetone they seems to be in good condition.

I removed a panel and I found out where are most of the gears. They look ok to me. The edges of the gears are sharp. I think this machine has an oil pump. I need only to remove the cracked paint but otherwise I don't want to touch this complicated parts.

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Sonic, if it is like the Alexander copy of the Eckel, what you think is an oil pump could be a gear coolant pump.

You will see where the pipes go.

Chris Gunn

[Sonic EscapeParticipant @sonicescape38234]

The reason why I thought that is has an oil pump was the fact that there was no oil left inside. I assumed that it was suppose to flow and when idle there is not much oil left. But then I had a better look at the panel that I removed. There are two small windows (covered with paint) where you can check the oil level. And 4 small holes to add or remove the oil. So there is no need to circulate the oil.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

It might be possible to incorporate an ISO30 into your short MT5, then much better tooling than MT3 could be used. The drawbar for the ISO30 would hold both in and the steeper angle would not be likely to disturb the MT5 when changing tools.

[Taf_PembsParticipant @taf_pembs]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 29/06/2023 05:45:29:

Sounds like you are at the beginning of a wonderful journey …

Please do keep us informed of progress.

MichaelG.

I'm with Michael on this one, looks like you are going to have some interesting and fun times ahead..!

Look forward to seeing the progress and good luck with it

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

You're rapidly getting very serious. Good luck with it all.

That orange truck guy looks like a very useful man to know

[Sonic EscapeParticipant @sonicescape38234]

Thank you. I think that I'll do more serious progress with the mill this winter. Now I'm busy building a chop saw.

I didn't search too much yet, but I think I could find an MT5 to ISO30 adapter. Or to ER40 maybe. But assuming I don't find a short MT5. How about if I cut one? The problem would be to make again the thread for the draw bar. Is it possible use a HSS tap into an harden piece of steel?

Or how about if I made the tool holder myself? For example and ER40 holder with a short MT5 taper. Ignoring for now the accuracy required, what would be the problem if I'll make it from mild steel? How easy it would deform ?

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

I would check the net, youtube etc to see what others did who had the same issue as you

Get some pointers and options

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I think Chris is correct if it's the same as the Thiel 158 there is a geared coolant pump under the gearbox. The machine looks ok inside, worth checking the oil seals in the base of the gearbox where the feed drive shaft exits. Hopefully possible to change without dismantling everything. As I said in my previous post mine had to have every oil seal changed as they were all rock hard and deteriorating. But it had stood for years in a tin barn and had been cooked every summer and frozen every winter! Hopefully yours should be ok, worth checking with some oil before you get too involved, as it has no oil in it it may well have leaked over a long period of time, if it is not too bad I think I'd be tempted to live with it .

One idea I saw on the net somewhere when I was looking up this sort of mill regularly was in a US machine shop that had a superbly equipped one. They had a trolley stands with the various tables on them and could wheel it into place and lower the table on it to remove and change with no lifting. Obviously they had plenty of space to store them, but a clever idea, probably safer than a crane. Looks like you did OK with that machine, look forward to seeing your progress.

I have made a ER30 collet adaptor out of ordinary FCMS with no hardening, It's not been used intensively , only home workshop use but it still works fine after ten years or so. Always careful to clean everything before use , as it is unhardened and could be damaged by trapped swarf.

Dave

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