Hi Nigel. You are too modest. You say “pretty good”, I say “flipping marvellous”. An enthralling video from beginning to end. A masterclass in fixturing and engineering. 👏👏👍😀
Gday Nigel, you said at end “pretty good”, well I’d say bloody perfect, that was a brilliant solution to the issue and it’ll never give trouble, brilliant job as always mate, cheers
@@GoCreatehms I keep coming back to this project for use on my combo mill. I wonder If I may ask for some advice? I would like to do this to my mill because it seems the better solution for such a column mill, but I don't have access to a horizontal mill. As a matter of fact, my 3-in-1 mill/lathe is the only [big] mill I have. I considered machining the portion in the video by using my machine's lathe as a horizontal mill via a fly cutter. Though I don't have a way to move up and down on the "Z" position, I've considered using blocks under the back side of the mill frame area, as in your video, while it was angled for straight, though it seems precarious, too. I've also been binge watching your channel this past weekend, as I am on vacation this week, I thought I'd get to work on my mill head improvements. Besides a bad day off is better than a good day at work.😂 Thanks.
Hi. Wow! thanks for binge watching my videos. Very ambitious to try and do this mod of the clamping arrangement on a combo lathe, I'm not sure I would like to attempt it. The boring of the holes for the split cotter clamps can be done on a vertical mill such as a Bridgeport, maybe you have a Makers' Space or something near by that can help for a small contribution, here in the UK we have a similar organisation called Mens' Shed. Machining a flat surface for a backing plate remains a problem for a vertical mill though I think it's possible on a bridge port with the head turned through 90 deg. effectively providing a horizontal milling mode. I'm not 100% sure about this as I've never used a Bridgeport. The flat surface for the backing plate could be provided by grinding and filing to get a flate surface, quite a lengthy job but possible. Absolute precision isnt esential and the plate could be epoxied in place with J B Weld for example. The backing plate could be pre drilled and used as a template to hand drill the actual head. The head is cast iron and very easy to drill and tap. I guess that's not allot of help, I think it's necessary to have acces to a larger mill or help from someone who has one. I hope you find away to get the job done and I'd be interested in how you get on with it. I think this really is the besty solution, very effective and safe, it's probably what the manufacturer should have done in the first place though some improved precision between the mating parts would help. Good luck, I hope you succeed adding this modification. Cheers Nigel
Nice work as always. Most non-machinist wouldn't realize just how little machining is involved in the actual part and how much is in the tooling and fixturing.
Thanks. Yeah, very true, often the tooling and fixturing that's made to do a job is not seen so not appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, it's much appreciated.
Very nice solution to a bad manufacturing design. I bought a similar machine many years ago and the previous owners broke part of the casting where the lock was due to over tightening the clamping bolt.
Thanks for watching the video. There's so much clearance between the column and bore to take up when tightening, it's not surprising that the cast iron might break. Cheers
Beautiful work! I was thinking how is he going to cut those 1" pins in that bore? Boring head? Rotary table? With the fixture and the CNC mill, they came out great! That kind of clamping arrangement is called a "split cotter" in the US. They have so much surface area and work great.
Damn.... seems you took a clunky, and heavy paper weight and worked Magic on it to create a viable machine. I hope whoever this is for sees this video and what you did to make at least this part of the machine work as it should.
Clarke machines are still good value for money but you get what you pay for and if you can spend the time to address the issues of, for example bad fit, poor design, lack of de-burring, faults in the castings filled with soft solder, dubious electrical safety and grit blasting media in bearings, to name but a few, then you can live with it. Personally I'd rather chew my right arm off than own another one and I respect anyone who has one and is persevering with it.
That's for taking the time to view and comment. Interesting to hear your experience. This was for a freind of a freind, it wouldn't be my choice of a machine tool, I guess it's adequte for the odd job here and there. Cheers
Lovely work Nigel, your videos are truely instructional for an amateur like myself. Thank you.
I wasn't going to watch this as it's of no iterest to me. However, I did watch it of course and found it fascinating to watch! Thank you once again.
Fantastic! Thanks for watching.
Hi Nigel. You are too modest. You say “pretty good”, I say “flipping marvellous”. An enthralling video from beginning to end. A masterclass in fixturing and engineering. 👏👏👍😀
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Gday Nigel, you said at end “pretty good”, well I’d say bloody perfect, that was a brilliant solution to the issue and it’ll never give trouble, brilliant job as always mate, cheers
Thanks Matty. That mod probably doubled the value of that machine LOL!
A great solution Nigel.
Hi Nigel
Very effective modification.
the manufacturer should have to look at this video.
Have a nice sunday
Olivier.
Thanks, it's an old school method that you'll find on many vintage machine tools.
Beautiful job Nigel! that should be a boon to the owner. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks. I'm sure this mod adds value in for ways than one.
Very nice work sir. Clever fix for the mill
I have one of the by Smithy the 1220XL, which I fondly call my SUX 2000 POS. This process, alone was worth more than my whole machine. Awesome idea
Thanks, yeah, that mod is now the most precise part of the machine! Value added!
I have one too and was thinking exactly the same thing. Excellent work though!
@@GoCreatehms I keep coming back to this project for use on my combo mill. I wonder If I may ask for some advice? I would like to do this to my mill because it seems the better solution for such a column mill, but I don't have access to a horizontal mill. As a matter of fact, my 3-in-1 mill/lathe is the only [big] mill I have. I considered machining the portion in the video by using my machine's lathe as a horizontal mill via a fly cutter. Though I don't have a way to move up and down on the "Z" position, I've considered using blocks under the back side of the mill frame area, as in your video, while it was angled for straight, though it seems precarious, too. I've also been binge watching your channel this past weekend, as I am on vacation this week, I thought I'd get to work on my mill head improvements. Besides a bad day off is better than a good day at work.😂
Thanks.
Hi.
Wow! thanks for binge watching my videos. Very ambitious to try and do this mod of the clamping arrangement on a combo lathe, I'm not sure I would like to attempt it.
The boring of the holes for the split cotter clamps can be done on a vertical mill such as a Bridgeport, maybe you have a Makers' Space or something near by that can help for a small contribution, here in the UK we have a similar organisation called Mens' Shed.
Machining a flat surface for a backing plate remains a problem for a vertical mill though I think it's possible on a bridge port with the head turned through 90 deg. effectively providing a horizontal milling mode. I'm not 100% sure about this as I've never used a Bridgeport.
The flat surface for the backing plate could be provided by grinding and filing to get a flate surface, quite a lengthy job but possible. Absolute precision isnt esential and the plate could be epoxied in place with J B Weld for example. The backing plate could be pre drilled and used as a template to hand drill the actual head. The head is cast iron and very easy to drill and tap.
I guess that's not allot of help, I think it's necessary to have acces to a larger mill or help from someone who has one.
I hope you find away to get the job done and I'd be interested in how you get on with it. I think this really is the besty solution, very effective and safe, it's probably what the manufacturer should have done in the first place though some improved precision between the mating parts would help.
Good luck, I hope you succeed adding this modification.
Cheers
Nigel
This will work much better than the original clamp. For sure.
Yeah, and much safer! Thanks again for following along.
Nice work as always. Most non-machinist wouldn't realize just how little machining is involved in the actual part and how much is in the tooling and fixturing.
Thanks. Yeah, very true, often the tooling and fixturing that's made to do a job is not seen so not appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, it's much appreciated.
Great Mod and solutions Nigel
Much more work and involvement than the short video reflects
see you next time👍👍👍👍👍👍
regards
Kev
Thanks Kev. Believe it or not 10 hrs work, even I can't believe it, I must be getting slow in my later years.
Cheers
Best part of the machine now to improve the rest of it .
Also the most precise part of the machine! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Very nice solution to a bad manufacturing design. I bought a similar machine many years ago and the previous owners broke part of the casting where the lock was due to over tightening the clamping bolt.
Thanks for watching the video. There's so much clearance between the column and bore to take up when tightening, it's not surprising that the cast iron might break.
Cheers
now that was clever!!! well done! I doft my hat..
FYI. the High low gear you made for my myford wm12 is still working perfectly...
Fantastic! Good to hear the WM12 gear is proving to be durable. Thanks for watching and coomenting.
Beautiful work as always Nigel. I think they’re the strongest component of that milling head judging by the bevelled drive gear. 👍🇳🇱
Thanks, yeah the mind boggles, plastic gears! Cheap, not necessarily effective.
Very nice !
Nice job.. I hope Clarke machines are taking notes😉
Thanks. I'm not sure clarke can achieve the precision needed for this clamp arrangement LOL.
great job
genius!
Thanks. It's old school that you'll often find on quality vintage machines. Thanks for your interest.
Brilliant!
Thanks, and thanks for taking the time to watch and comment.
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great, no uneven clamping force across the housing anymore.
Thanks, definatly an improvement making it much safer to use.
Beautiful work! I was thinking how is he going to cut those 1" pins in that bore? Boring head? Rotary table? With the fixture and the CNC mill, they came out great! That kind of clamping arrangement is called a "split cotter" in the US. They have so much surface area and work great.
Thanks for your interest and feedback. I had no idea what to call the clamps, split cotter sound spot on.
Cheers
@@GoCreatehmsIn the Hemingway (GB) manuals they call them double cotters - pretty much the same idea.
@yagwaw thanks, I didn't know the correct name for the clamps when making the video. Another viewer says that in the USA they call them split cotters.
Made a useless bit of machinery into a usable machine brilliant engineering
Thanks Alister, it will be allot safer to use now.
Damn.... seems you took a clunky, and heavy paper weight and worked Magic on it to create a viable machine. I hope whoever this is for sees this video and what you did to make at least this part of the machine work as it should.
Nigel it is not a sin to use all the machine options available to you.
Clarke machines are still good value for money but you get what you pay for and if you can spend the time to address the issues of, for example bad fit, poor design, lack of de-burring, faults in the castings filled with soft solder, dubious electrical safety and grit blasting media in bearings, to name but a few, then you can live with it. Personally I'd rather chew my right arm off than own another one and I respect anyone who has one and is persevering with it.
That's for taking the time to view and comment. Interesting to hear your experience. This was for a freind of a freind, it wouldn't be my choice of a machine tool, I guess it's adequte for the odd job here and there.
Cheers
Brilliant!
Thanks, definatly a worthwhile improvement if not essential.