Engine Doctor Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 Hi does anyone have a benchtop milling machine they no longer use ? Something like the Clarkes Metal worker would be ideal . Will travel to collect in south eas area . WHY ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 (edited) Push, if he can’t pay, I will. Edited August 10, 2021 by Don Fry Spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted October 23, 2021 Author Share Posted October 23, 2021 No longer required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 Hi Ed, did you get a small milling machine in the end and if so which one did you get ? I would love a milling machine but it would have to be a smallish one due to limited space in the shed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted November 22, 2021 Author Share Posted November 22, 2021 No couldn't find anything at reasonable price. I fitted a vertical slide on my lathe and bought a small vice for that so can now mill parts on the lathe . More faffing about but a considerable saving. Ps . I did find a table top Mill on line for around £ 600 after I had sorted the vertical slide . Looks OK with good reviews and half the price of the Sealy machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 (edited) If you’re looking for a small milling machine the Proxxon MF70 is an excellent tool @ circa £300. Their FF230 is double that. Edited November 22, 2021 by Ron Gray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Rich/Don if you are still interested there is stuff here on a full size aircraft sale forum: https://afors.com/aircraftView/51703/Workshop-clear-out-including-NewClarke-300-lathe-£600 I have no personal knowledge or interest in the sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 Thanks for the heads up on the milling machine, that particular jam jar is filling up very slowly. A milling machine would be extremely handy at this very moment, very tricky job to do on a bike carb, 3mm sheared off screw ( not by me ! ) in 5mm alloy "tower" with no room for any "inaccuracy" else carb becomes scrap. I got the other 3 out successfully via mig method thankfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Rich, If the screw is steel and the carb body is aluminium, have you tried alum to dissolve out the screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Wwwwww, please explain.... The carb looks more like aluminium rather than monkey muck mazack... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 Rich, Using alum to dissolve steel from aluminium is a technique I haven't used myself but there are plenty of instructional vids on youtube. It seems a very effective method of solving what is a difficult problem. It's just a case of making a solution of alum in water and submerging the component in it till the steel has all gone. There are various chemicals referred to as alum but I believe the one you would use for this process is aluminium sulphate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 potassium aluminum sulphate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted November 23, 2021 Share Posted November 23, 2021 (edited) Thanks Andy and Don. I have not heard of this technique before so have learnt something new today ! I recon I will not be alone in that respect. A friend of a friend has a high degree in chemistry. I have been badgering him for some years about a possible chemical for just this purposes, in powder form so easily sent via post etc., cheap and non toxic, just mix with water. Maybe he just didn't see the "marketing opportunity" or just didn't " join the dots", anyway It sounds perfect for the application. Will do more research. Maybe I knew about this stuff but just didn't realise it ? Bring back ou programs on the TV Bazzil, edutainment rather than the absolute rubbish shown these days. Beer and bingo is not for everyone. Thanks again both, much appreciated Will report back when I get and use the product. Edited November 23, 2021 by Rich Griff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 On 22/11/2021 at 15:31, Ron Gray said: If you’re looking for a small milling machine the Proxxon MF70 is an excellent tool @ circa £300. Their FF230 is double that. Hi Ron . I did look at those but too small. I was hoping to find a decent used Clarke or Machine mart bench top that would also double and replace my Clarke drill press. Too expensive to buy new for the small ammount of milling I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 I did wonder if it would be and as soon as you go to their larger ones they get very pricey although they are good bits of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 Did wonder if one could convert a small pedestal drill into a milling machine. Seen it done on youtube but suspect the side loads on the drill bearing will be the killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 I tried this with reasonably hefty pillar drill and a small XY table vice before the days of the internet to tell me the pitfalls - the worst of them being that there’s no provision for a draw bar resulting in the chuck dropping out far too regularly. The small Clarke CMD300 mill that I bought some years ago has been invaluable for lightweight work such as model undercarriages and I use it constantly as a precision drill, reserving the pillar drill for heavier drilling. You do need to go carefully as the gears are plastic and rigidity suffers if you try to give it too much work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 There is no option. You need; a drill press, a lathe, a mill, persuade SWMBO that it beats handbags and diamonds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted December 24, 2021 Author Share Posted December 24, 2021 (edited) I bit the bullet and bought myself a Christmas present . I chose the Draper bench top Mill. Loads for sale on the net but nearly all are the same machines with different labels but price varies by about £ 200 ! Now need to source a belt drive upgrade kit to cure the plastic gear issue. Should be fine for a while .?. Edited December 24, 2021 by Engine Doctor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted December 24, 2021 Author Share Posted December 24, 2021 On 27/11/2021 at 19:00, Don Fry said: There is no option. You need; a drill press, a lathe, a mill, persuade SWMBO that it beats handbags and diamonds. I can manage the handbags but nobody can convince SWMBO that its more important than diamonds! ?& Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted December 24, 2021 Share Posted December 24, 2021 5 hours ago, Engine Doctor said: I can manage the handbags but nobody can convince SWMBO that its more important than diamonds! ?& Ditto. She has been a bit guilty about a red handbag I lately signed for. Very nice workmanship, and a calf leather I think. Italian. Handbags get consumed by a Goblin. They don’t increase. She also does the banking and accounts. She has a hypothesis that the glitter will be assumed to be glass, and not subject to robbery. Anyway, a bigger lathe would be nice, but mine does, and I have no room for bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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