State of milling table

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

I've just got round to reading the article starting on page 38 of the latest MEW and was amused at the state of the milling table shown on page 42. That poor machine must have had some terrible history. Perhaps I am too fussy but I feel like shedding a tear if I get a small scratch on my table.

Here is my challenge; can anybody match that picture in MEW or provide one even worse.

Doug

[David HaythornthwaiteParticipant @davidhaythornthwaite90386]

Looking at ME or MEW illustrates that some model engineers like to keep their machines in pristine condition and others do not care as long as they do the job. I am with you, I spend ages cleaning my machines down and lovingly care for them. However it takes me ages to make models compared to others who simply "get on with it". I will not use suds on my machines as it gets into slideways etc. causing rust on a machine used intermittently. I always use neat cutting oil. I am also lucky that I have the domestic boiler in my workshop to keep it dry.

Yes – the milling table would offend my workshop and I would spend ages de-rusting it, but then I like tools for tool's sake and I wouldn't be building models, would I? Vive la difference!!

David

Edited By David Haythornthwaite on 21/08/2013 09:25:58

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

I have seen a lot of good work produced on various machine that have suffered abuse in their past. However like David and Douglas I do not like to see any machine abused or left dirty. I look after my lathes and mill as I will never be able to afford replacements and I believe I do better work in a clean environment with machines in the best possible condition. I do not think this slows me down as I can always (nearly anyway) find what I want without having to waste time looking for items in the midst of clutter.

Steve Orchard is at least making good use of this old mill that has seen better days and he deserves our praise for putting it to good use when other may have scrapped it.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Just needs a couple of quick rubs with a bit of Scotchbrite.

Probably worse tables on Facebook

[IanTParticipant @iant]

The table on my Mk1 HO Victoria Mill is not exactly pristine but then it had done a lifetimes work by the time it came to me (and it probably is older than I am) and she has a few scars to show for it. However, she is still capable of useful work, they made these machines to last and it will probably still be useful after I'm long gone.

It might be nice to have one of those nice new (larger) Chinese machines with an unmarked table (or better still one of those classy Swiss ones!) but then I would have had to pay a good deal more for it, at least to get something anywhere near as solid. Nor is my 'Shed' exactly the ideal place to store new machinery and rust is always a problem.

So Victoria (and my other elderly machines) get regularly wiped down with the proverbial oily rag and I don't worry too much about the bruises and gouges that reveal a long and useful career.

Regards,

IanT

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

It's not the rust, but the holes in it that would offend me- looks like it has been used as a drilling machine, and Steve's article is about setting out holes……… more power to him for getting good use out of something that worn.

Phil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Supposedly true story about a small company that had a new mill delivered.

Mill was installed and all the machinist were stood round looking at it and wondering who was going to get to use it.

Boos walks up, asks what's the matter and when he saw how undecided they all were, grabbed a cutter. Put in the the collet and made a nice dimple on the bed.

"Now you won't have to worry about who marks it first – get back to work "

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

(or better still one of those classy Swiss ones!)

Full of holes?

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Cheesy Joke, Neil

MichaelG.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Much as I cry inside if I mark a machine (or even a tool)
It matters more the state of the finished part than the machine its done on.

Too many voids in table are a affront and will always be in just the wrong place..but its not every ones obsession. .it is part of my hobby..and yeah I talk to my machines…can’t touch yer for it ( can they?)

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Can't remember which web site it was on, but there was a thread about regrinding a mill table insitu, using a cup wheel mounted in the milling chuck. Ian S C

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