Quote:
Originally Posted by TD78
We have a 1995 Wells Index 520...pretty good condition considering it was free. Seems to be fairly rigid...didn't do any heavy machining (only <=1/4" aluminum plate or square tubing).
Last year for any tubing I flipped over the part and used a hard stop or indicated rather than milling straight through. I am intrigued though by milling the top and bottom of a, say, a 1x2 inch tube (through the 1 inch direction) rather than flipping. Sounds like a carbide endmill might be better (more rigid) for that sort of operation.
I have a few ideas about workholding. I have a vise and hard stop and it worked very well. Thought about getting a second vise to hold long pieces.
Another thought was taking a 1" thick aluminum plate that is wider/longer than my table and drilling/tapping a hole pattern for the clamps. The plate would be bolted to the table. This is response to a bit of trouble I had in making a part that is wider than my table, and supporting the ends that hang off the front and back (y-direction). The plate would also be sacrificial, so I could clamp the material right to it.
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All of our mills have a massive piece of aluminum with 2 rows 1/2-13 for bolting vices and other clamps too without dialing them in. It's really convenient, but it looks expensive to buy a piece of aluminum that big and ground flat.