Milling Machine

[markfitz]

Milling machine: Made using a trim router with a 1/4" chuck. Uses router bits for working with wood. Milling tools with 1/4" shanks can be used for metals. Horizontal range of motion is 200mm in X and Y. Vertical range motion is 80mm. Vertical range can be re-centered up to six inches higher in 2-inch increments to accommodate larger work pieces. There is a work light built into the cross arm. Tool speed is made variable by use of a homemade speed controller made out of a dimmer switch.

[DIYer]

Thanks markfitz! We've added your Tabletop Milling Machine to our Milling category,
as well as to your builder page: markfitz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Tabletop Milling Machine by markfitz

tags: mill, router, switch

[fjl340]

Nice idea. what did you use for your table. Thanks fjl340

[markfitz]

I used a cross-slide vise for the mechanism. I was half-way through making this piece when I saw the vise at Harbor Freight. I made the table out of melamine coated 3/4" particle board with another 3/4" piece of birch plywood to give it added rigidity and a block to clamp it in the vise. The table is 11" square with four 1/4" holes along each side with T-nuts to allow me to mount clamps, rails, pivots, etc. I like that I can quickly remove the table. I am about to start on a rotary/tilt table. I have found that I can already route near-perfect circles and arcs with the existing table by using any of the twelve 1/4" holes as a pivot for the workpiece. My first test was a 5.0" wheel 3/4" thick. It turned out .005" oversize with less than .001" out-of-round.

[everall]

I really love this site. Can't wait to build this milling machine.

[Make Everything]

wow，Only need a little upgrade，Can become CNC

[markfitz]

This machine would not be suitable for CNC upgrade. The cross-slide vice I used for the X-Y movement has a lot of play and very course threads, making it more difficult to do precision work. This one is good for making small parts that would be tough to make using other methods. If you are looking for something for CNC, there are many better designs on this site. - Mark

[JohnMTO]

Nice work

Search: Upgrade of Harbor Freight milling vise

I'd seen something like this way back - - - give these a try out of the resulting list.

Need a good cross slide vise. Help.

read down to where X-Y tables begin

https://benchtopmachineshop.blogspot...ill-vises.html

many more to choose from
JohnMTO

[Workshopshed]

I found the same issue with the cross vice I bought. I'll see if I can do the same mods. On top of that it needs a way of clamping to the table.

[Toolmaker51]

Hack warning! After all, it's not my first...But intentions are good!
The back-lash corrections offered work on bench vises too. It's all in properly sizing thickness of thrust washer to the vise slide and screw. Loading with a compression spring works too.
The reason may not be clear until you appreciate a vise that clamps initially one handed.