vertical milling machine in the woodshop?

[Nick Crivello]

I recently added an 8x30" vertical knee mill to the workshop. While primarily a metalworking machine, it's a great deal more useful than a standard floor standing drill press in a footprint that's not all that much bigger.

I've used it for a few projects thus far; primarily to cut slots in the metal tubing for the table bases to allow for table top expansion. The DRO is really handy to have for precision and repeatability. I threw together a crude tabletop with fence that clamps in the mill's vise, allowing for easy transition between metal and wood projects. Plan to make a nicer one with t-track, stops, and clamps.

I'm envisioning it's use for mortising, perhaps tenons. Who else has one and what are you using it for? Any suggestions on endmills for use in woods? The mill has variable speed ability, goes from ~10 to 2000rpm and an R-8 spindle.

[Lisa Starr]

Nick, Enjoy your new mill. Although mine lives in a different building than my woodshop, I find it very useful as a compliment to my drill press. I've found most good 4-flute endmills work fairly well in hardwoods. Nothing cuts softwood/plywood particularly well because there just isn't enough RPM.

[Bruce Page]

I've had one in my shop since the mid 90's. It cuts wood just fine. I wouldn't want to be without it.

[Nick Crivello]

I've had one in my shop since the mid 90's. It cuts wood just fine. I wouldn't want to be without it.

Great looking machine Bruce. What operations do you find yourself using it for?

[Bill Dufour]

Grizzly used to sell one with a highish speed spindle for wood. I use two flute spiral endmills. I see no need for LH endmills in wood unless you get some cheaper then RH.
The fewer flutes give more room for chips. A boring head can be nice for boring, internal or external, or as a fly cutter. Get an arbor shank and use small circular saw blades for slotting etc. A right angle head can also be useful, but expensive. A mortiser would be nice but will need a custom quill mount. Consider a rotary broach instead.
Bill D

[Wes Grass]

Mill, and machining center. RPM limits just relate to feed. HSS probably just fine at lower speed, but don't think carbide won't work unless its singing.

Old guy ... 'the material doesn't care' ... don't remember the rest ;-)

[Richard Coers]

We used them in the model shop of my old day job. You really must protect the slide gibs and feed screws from fine dust. It absorbs the way oil and the next thing you see is wear from the dry metal surfaces. Have a custom cover made so you can cover it when not in use. I think you'll find the spindle speed a pain for fast cutting. They are made for metal removal, not wood, so chip load will require really slow feed speeds.

[Warren Lake]

Used to get stuff done by an old school tool and die maker. On one prototype job I mentioned what I was doing and he said bring it over so we machined solid surface on his bridgeport. Im going to guess it was called Avonite. Machined great and an eye opener to see how different he worked. Mititoyou digital read out .0005, nice. have seen them at auctions.

He had a few Deckel Pantographs and the large one was amazing, human CNC machine.

[John Ziebron]

I agree with Bill on the use of 2 flute end mills as most are designed to bore a hole without a pilot hole. Most 4 flute end mills cannot do that and chip extraction is better with a 2 flute.
I have used my mill mostly for making slots in small wood pieces that would be difficult on a router table or with a handheld router. And if you work with small pieces of wood that need their thickness cut a fly cutter on a mill can safely do that whereas planers and thickness sanders have a minimum length requirement. Just remember to use a collet and not a drill chuck when using any end mill cutter.

[Bruce Page]

Great looking machine Bruce. What operations do you find yourself using it for?

Nick, between the mill and my 14x40 engine lathe, whatever I want and have material for. Here’s an old link to a trim router base I made years ago: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?29281-Shop-made-micro-adjustable-plunge-base

There are also times when I need to cut something small that also needs to be accurately sized. If don’t feel comfortable cutting it on the table saw, I’ll cut it on the mill.

[Nick Crivello]

Nick, between the mill and my 14x40 engine lathe, whatever I want and have material for. Here’s an old link to a trim router base I made years ago: https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?29281-Shop-made-micro-adjustable-plunge-base

There are also times when I need to cut something small that also needs to be accurately sized. If don’t feel comfortable cutting it on the table saw, I’ll cut it on the mill.

There are a number of jigs and such for the slider and other machines where it'll definitely get put to use. Those projects will be a good opportunity to get comfortable with milling.

That router base is simply amazing work btw.

[Derek Kessler]

I've seen folks use similar machines for a range of woodworking tasks. For mortising and tenons, you're on the right track. To optimize for wood, consider using high-speed steel endmills or carbide endmills designed for woodcutting. Remember to adjust your feed rates and speeds according to the wood species and the type of cut you're making.

[Michael Schuch]

Grizzley tools used to sell a Metal/Wood mill. I think the main difference between it and a standard knee mill is the top spindle speed on the Grizzley was much higher than a typical knee mill.

I haven't tried milling any wood on my Enco (Bridgeport clone) knee mill. I have always kind of worried about gumming it up with saw dust.

[Jim Becker]

Lots of folks use mills for woodworking in addition to their metal capabilities. A project I worked on with Brian Holcomb a few years ago had some angled grooves cut using his Bridgeport mill because it was efficient and the angle was critical. If one showed up in my shop I wouldn't throw it away for sure!

[Lee Schierer]

Where I used to work, I was taught how to operate a Bridgeport milling machine. I used it on several wood working projects. There are times I wish I still had access to one, but I can't justify the cost of owning one for the few times I need it. I used my regular carbide tipped router bits in the one I used.

[andy bessette]

Mills generally don't spin fast enough for woodworking.

[Bruce Page]

Mills generally don't spin fast enough for woodworking.

If you are running production, I agree. Otherwise, no. Hardwood cuts fine at 1500 rpm. I’ve been cutting it for 30 years.

[Bill Dufour]

A two axis DRO will really help layout work. Or go full CNC.
Do wood routers with CNC do the calculations for bolt circles, hexes etc?
BilLD

[Bruce Page]

Do wood routers with CNC do the calculations for bolt circles, hexes etc?
BilLD

It depends on the software but generally, yes. I will draw up draw up bolt circles and the like in AutoCAD and import it into the cnc software for toolpathing. I use AutoCAD simply because I’ve been using it since the 80’s.

[Mike Cutler]

Mills generally don't spin fast enough for woodworking.

Andy

That hasn't been my experience.
Mine has been that drill presses don't spin slow enough for wood working. (I'm confining it to drill press operations.)
I have kicked myself in the behind for years for not buying a milling machine.

[Carroll Courtney]

For years I have had hots for PM stomp mortise machine. But what are chances coming across a good used one at price I can afford. Odds winning lotto is lot better, but so is coming across knee mill. Buying a good end mill I believe will last person for ever using it for woodworking. One day I will get caught up, retire and have time to act like I’m woodworker, instead of hacker.

[Keith Outten]

I purchased a Grizzly Mill/Drill many years ago. I would not want to be without the machining capabilities of small mill after owning one for such a long time. I did have to add the motor for the table, its a very nice upgrade to the standard mill/drill.

[Bill Dufour]

For years I have had hots for PM stomp mortise machine. But what are chances coming across a good used one at price I can afford.
Check out HGR in Texas. They will have some cheap worn out junky mills more then good enough for wood.
Bill D.
https://hgrinc.com/productDetail/Machine-Tools/Used-Gorton-Tracer-Mill/12230010020/

https://hgrinc.com/productDetail/Machine-Tools/Used-Bridgeport-Vertical-Mill-W-Dro/12230500010/

[Joel Gelman]

As an alternative to the standard drill press for woodworking, I prefer the radial drill press. I think it would be easier to use for woodworking than a mill with a nice ability to drill far from the edge. I have a Delta radial drill press modified with a VFD and power lift. Nice that the head raises and lowers with a flip switch without any movement side to side. Having the table not raise or lower facilitates the use of extension tables. Of course, the mill offers the option of use with metal and the very precise way of moving the wood. Just an option.


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[Ron Selzer]

Nice, very nice


As an alternative to the standard drill press for woodworking, I prefer the radial drill press. I think it would be easier to use for woodworking than a mill with a nice ability to drill far from the edge. I have a Delta radial drill press modified with a VFD and power lift. Nice that the head raises and lowers with a flip switch without any movement side to side. Having the table not raise or lower facilitates the use of extension tables. Of course, the mill offers the option of use with metal and the very precise way of moving the wood. Just an option.


514046

[Wes Grass]

4 flute non center cut endmills ... ramp them in ... pressure on the quill and crank the table back and forth until you're at depth.

No different than what you'd do with a slot mortiser.

Does just fine in metal ... done it for decades.

I'd certainly prefer a 2 flute if given the choice.

[Bill Dufour]

Joel, a drill press chuck is not an endmill holder. The endmill may pull out and the bearing are not designed for side loading. A carbide endmill is even more likely to slip out of a chuck then HSS.
Bill D.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I mill very slowly and carefully with my drill press as well. Mine can spin fast enough to use router bits on wood (on a very limited scale). There is a good thread with videos back in the archive. I nee to upgrade my X Y table.


https://youtu.be/gJYWUX0g6A8?si=huG6k7cSahgsXy_J

[Bill Dufour]

Note that a horizontal milling machine would offer very very few advantages over a table saw.
Bill D