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  •  » I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

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    10/23/2020 8:10 PM  #1

    Greg B
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    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Ok I bought a mini mill from harbor freight.  Ok now that the laugh is out of the way, I researched before I bought it and found out they are all made by the same company (seig) in China.  I wish I researched a little more.  First thing I realized it has an adjustable column.  Thinking that is not the greatest idea, but I can see some uses for it.  Anyway, I want to make the z axis as perpendicular to the table as I can as it only has a basic alignment gauge.  I used my digital level to accomplish this as it's the best way I have.  Now to my idea.  Now that I have it as close as I can get it, I am thinking about drilling a hole in the base to install a roll pin.  Here is a picture of what the base looks like.  I want to put the roll pin right smack in the middle of the base and column.  Where the red meets the black.  Any  different suggestions before I do so?  I think if I had to do this all over again, I'd get the fixed column version little machine shop offers.

    Last edited by Greg B (10/23/2020 8:15 PM)

    If multiple things can go wrong, the one that will go wrong will be the one that causes the most damage.
     

    10/23/2020 9:28 PM  #2

    Rudi
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    From: Stuck in the 50's Welland Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    You are on the right track but a roll pin is not what you need. They are not made with any precision and almost impossible to remove.
    Check out Amazon or McMaster Carr for a taper pin and reamer, they come in many sizes.
    Once you sweep the table with a dial indicator to check perpendicularity you can then drill and ream for the taper pin.
    The taper pin locates and removes very easily if the need arises to tilt the column, repeatability is excellent when you want to return to the vertical.

    Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
     

    10/23/2020 9:47 PM  #3

    Bentworker
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=emb_rel_pause&v=a7n7jRvyDg8

    Personally I wouldn’t bother with any sort of locating pin.  Just tram it in and lock it down.  Now that you have bought a machine tool you will enter the rabbit hole of tooling!

     

    10/24/2020 6:33 AM  #4

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,502

    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    I no longer laugh at HF tools, because for the hobbyist or casual user they have proven to be just fine.  Made in China?  Yep, sure are.  Lower quality materials?  Definitely.  Last as long as you need it, or be cheap enough to replace when it fails that you won't care?  Absolutely. 

    I finally had my benchtop belt sander/disc sander from HF fail a couple weeks back.  I have used the #$%^ out of it for a decade, and it cost me $60 I think.  The only thing that ever broke before it outright failed was a belt I found for $5 online.  The new one was all of $100.

    I also just bought a sliding bed tile saw from them.  $550 out the door with stand and extended warranty, vs. a DeWalt that was $900.  It had a 4.7 star rating on Amazon, and the first job I used it on paid for the tool and then some.  Other than missing some hardware it worked perfectly, and allowed me to cut everything I needed for a bathroom that was all marble.  I can rip cut tiles up to 24" long, make 45 degree cuts, plunge cuts, etc.  I'm quite happy with it.  The amount I use it I'm sure it will last a very long time.

    So congrats on the purchase Greg, I'm sure with a little finageling it will serve you quite well for a long time. 

     

    10/24/2020 3:59 PM  #5

    Greg B
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Rudi:  the taper pin is just what I need.  You understand what I am looking for!

    Bentworker:  Truer words have never been spoken.  Started learning that lesson already!  My first round will be switching to collets.

    Tko:  over the years I have collected a lot of tools from that company.  For all the flak they take, one thing I can really attest to is I have some of their really old impact sockets.  So old they are in the metal boxes.  Those were my loaners back in the day.  The stuff I lent out.  Out of both sets, only one was ever broken.  And they replaced it.  I also bought the earthquake 1/2 impact gun.  The one that was a copy they got sued  over and had to redesign.   That... is still going strong!   I also have a few other air tools from them I prefer, and I have had great luck with.   I think a lot is how they are used.  I have a large collection of DIY level tools from many brands, not much tool truck level stuff.  Some of the best stuff that works is "no name".  And their tool boxes are the best for the everyman!  A drawer slide broke on my craftsman box yesterday and I spent nearly two hours finding those little ball bearings and putting that back together!

    Last edited by Greg B (10/24/2020 4:02 PM)

    If multiple things can go wrong, the one that will go wrong will be the one that causes the most damage.
       •Thread Starter
     

    10/24/2020 7:25 PM  #6

    Bullet Bob
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    From: Montrose, Colorado
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    YOU ARE DONE, GREG !  Finished...screwed...afflicted...never to be the same. 
    Back in 0ught 5 a friend insisted that I take a 9" Southbend lathe that his father left to him and he didn't want.  What a mistake for me.  Seems like every week I discover something that needs to be made on that thing.  Have custom parts on the Heap, the Falcon, in my tool box...even on the ditch cleaner for the irrigation water for our subdivision.  IT NEVER ENDs!!!  And it's soooo much fun.  If you can find someone to help you get started it really helps.  Have fun, Greg.
    And now I'm really in trouble as my friend Ted left his old Logan Lathe and Enco drill mill and a ton of tooling to me.  I'm too old to learn a new trade but I'll probably play around for a couple of years.  Then......

    BB1

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    10/24/2020 10:50 PM  #7

    Bentworker
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    The sickness is real.  Why buy a $5 plastic breather adapter when you can spend 3 hours making one out of aluminum?

    Last edited by Bentworker (10/24/2020 10:50 PM)

     

    10/25/2020 7:43 AM  #8

    TKOPerformance
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Bullet Bob wrote:

    YOU ARE DONE, GREG !  Finished...screwed...afflicted...never to be the same. 
    Back in 0ught 5 a friend insisted that I take a 9" Southbend lathe that his father left to him and he didn't want.  What a mistake for me.  Seems like every week I discover something that needs to be made on that thing.  Have custom parts on the Heap, the Falcon, in my tool box...even on the ditch cleaner for the irrigation water for our subdivision.  IT NEVER ENDs!!!  And it's soooo much fun.  If you can find someone to help you get started it really helps.  Have fun, Greg.
    And now I'm really in trouble as my friend Ted left his old Logan Lathe and Enco drill mill and a ton of tooling to me.  I'm too old to learn a new trade but I'll probably play around for a couple of years.  Then......

    BB1

    Then ... I travel to CO and you teach me all you know so I can have what you don't want?  Its something I know I'll get into eventually anyway.  I've already used a drill press for a lot of fabrication work, light milling, etc.  Its just the next logical progression. 

     

    10/25/2020 8:32 AM  #9

    Bullet Bob
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    From: Montrose, Colorado
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    When that day comes, Tom, this forum will be the first to know, and I mean that.  Ted just wanted the stuff to go to someone that will use it.  In his words he hoped that "an aspiring modeler who has yet to go all computerized" would be great.  We talked about donating the stuff to the local Vo-Tech but the tools are just too old school.  He was teaching me how to run the mill...and all it's little quirks. 
    For sure I will finish the steam engine I was building as a learning tool.  The I have a couple of Mustang front-end improvement parts I want to make.  Then we'll see.
    One thing is for sure.  Once you start making "chips" most guys are hooked.

    BB1
     

    "you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
     

    10/25/2020 2:58 PM  #10

    Rufus68
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    From: Knoxville, TN
    Registered: 4/26/2017
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    I've enjoyed many hours watching machinist Keith Fenner work in his shop on his YouTube channel.  Have you ever watched any of his projects?
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDmxnPem-pPfJQATIkfgY2Q

    1968 T-code Coupe with a 302.  Nice car, no show stopper for sure, but I like it.
     

    10/25/2020 8:20 PM  #11

    rpm
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    From: Bakersfield, Ca
    Registered: 9/17/2013
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Two machinist you tube channels I like to watch are mrpete222 aka Tubal Cane, who reminds me of Ted, and Joe Pieczynski. Both are easy to watch and listen to.

    Bob. 69 Mach 1, 393W, SMOD Toploader, Armstrong  steering, factory AC.
     

    10/25/2020 9:14 PM  #12

    Bentworker
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    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Two YouTube channels I watch from time to time are Clicksping and This Old Tony.

    Sometimes you catch a gem from watching someone else do a task in a new way. 

    I got hooked on the hobby when I took a some machining classes over 20 years ago at a junior college.  What started out as a used Rong-Fu bench top mill turned into a pile of tools that makes my wife’s eye twitch!

     

    10/26/2020 5:23 AM  #13

    TKOPerformance
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    From: Newark, DE
    Registered: 12/15/2014
    Posts: 7,502

    Re: I bought a mini mill thinking doing this to it.

    Bullet Bob wrote:

    When that day comes, Tom, this forum will be the first to know, and I mean that.  Ted just wanted the stuff to go to someone that will use it.  In his words he hoped that "an aspiring modeler who has yet to go all computerized" would be great.  We talked about donating the stuff to the local Vo-Tech but the tools are just too old school.  He was teaching me how to run the mill...and all it's little quirks. 
    For sure I will finish the steam engine I was building as a learning tool.  The I have a couple of Mustang front-end improvement parts I want to make.  Then we'll see.
    One thing is for sure.  Once you start making "chips" most guys are hooked.

    BB1
     

    Yeah, the newer tools all have DROs on them, and everything is getting closer and closer to being at least partially automated.  Like with most things it seems the kids today have it easy.  I always like learning the old school way first, then at least you understand the theory and all the variables before you eliminate a bunch of those variables and make your life easy.  Like welding, I learned to stick weld first.  I think that's what anyone who wants to learn how to weld should do.  If you can lay down a beautiful, solid bead with a stick most everything else is easy in comparison.  MIG welding is so easy a robot can do it.  I tend to MIG most stuff now, but when I have to weld thick stuff I still have my inverter set up for stick welding.  I humbles you again when you go back.  You forget how intolerant it is of sloppy technique. 

     

     

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