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View Full Version : Metal Lathes Question about milling on the lathe



Matt Ranum
02-19-2012, 8:15 AM
I'm looking to come up with a cheap, easy, effective milling attachment for my Logan. I know buying a mill is really the answer but that aint gonna happen, and I don't think turning one of my old cast iron drill press' into a mill is the answer either.

But what about this?

If I were to get a cast iron angle plate and mount that to my cross feed, then mount my compound feed to the vertical side of the angle plate, then put a small vise or tool holder on the compound feed. Would that work? Just thinking that using the compound would give me the vertical adjustment along with the protractor adjustment.

It is only gonna be used for light machining small parts, and not that often at that.

:confused::confused::confused:

ray hampton
02-19-2012, 10:51 AM
I think that you found a good idea and could use it instead of buying the vertical mill attachment, but I do have a question what is a cast iron angle ? the only angle iron that I work with were steel

David G Baker
02-19-2012, 12:52 PM
Matt, if you can mount the angle plate so it is solid along with the material you want to mill it will be fine. I have a milling vice for my Southbend lathe that is adjustable but is probably not as rigid as a heavy angle mount. I have an angle mount as well but I have not used the vice or the angle because I have a tool room mill that is much easier to set up. I have tried to use my Craftsman Commercial drill press to do some light milling but it ended up warping my chuck shaft and I had to spend an hour or so getting the chuck so it wouldn't wobble as it turned. Learned that lesson the hard way.

Matt Ranum
02-19-2012, 1:31 PM
I think that you found a good idea and could use it instead of buying the vertical mill attachment, but I do have a question what is a cast iron angle ? the only angle iron that I work with were steel

It would be something like this.

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3432&category=