Another enjoyable video to watch you did alright so you could have done this or that better you got it done an we love your little milling machine. We love that that you actually showed a need for the very tools stop for your toolmakers vise. Thank you for the share. Did you put a little coolant into your air brush great fix for not having a fog buster or somthing like that. Great daily use washers and setter bolt you made on your lathe. In the end your stop looks really nice and complimentary to your toolmakers vise.

Hi Alistair. I’m late to this video. I have a similar vice and definitely need to make a stop along the lines you show. Thank you for sharing. All the best 👏👏👍😀Andrew

Thanks for this... I've got an old Unimat SL and I've had some major headaches with milling and you don't get much help on KZfaq for "tiny machinists"... well, until I found you here discussing some of the very problems I've had. I love your comment about it being handy to have a vice stop whilst you're making a vice stop... Oh how I have been there so many times!!! :)

A trick we used to use to make hard end stops was to drill the end of the depth screw ~0.1mm smaller than a ball bearing & just a smidge over 1/2 dia depth then seat a ball with a gentle tap from a soft hammer or brass punch.

Hey. In regards to flood cooling. It can be done mess free. That's the exact reason why I avoided it my self. But after cutting cast iron, being forced to blow chips away with air, liquid cooling proved to be far better alternative. Your vice on the other hand could be a problem. My vice is basic and it's liquid friendly so I can contain the flow within the bed without need for a catch basin or any walls be put up. Needless to say, once I tried liquid cooling on my mill, I look back thinking why I didn't do it before. It will allow you to cut more aggressively and keep your tool sharp for much much longer. No smoke, no dust, no need for air. Just a pond pump and some feelings and hoses. Super simple and works really well. Look at my video and see what you may be getting into. Keep in mind this was like day 1 or 2 of liquid cooling for me. I plan on releasing additional information and discoveries I made soon. I think liquid cooling is the greatest thing I ever did to my mill. You should try it too.

Love watching yor videos . I'm a hobbyist that has a 6000 lb American pacemaker lathe and a 4000 lb Gorton mill. I always learn something from your videos. Thanks Ron in ohio

Hi. Just a couple of ideas. With steels such as O1 is is possible to work harden the surface you are machining if there is too much rubbing / friction. As you slow down the feed rate you are more likely to harden the surface as the tool is making smaller chips and is more likely to rub. You can normally hear a squealing sound as this process of rubbing and work hardening takes place. It can be a vicious cycle as once it starts work hardening the tool rubs more and thus the surface gets harder and hotter. One remedy to this may be to take smaller depths of cut at a higher feed rate. Also you may find you can reduce chatter and improve the rigidity of your set up by shortening the cutter sickout. In the case of HSS endmills I would use a cutting disk and cut the end of the shank off so that you can get the end of the cutter closer to the collet. Reducing the tool stick out will reduce the forces / leverage on your spindle. Cheers

This is a great "Adventures with a Very Small Mill". Very useful project and I like the tips and techniques on milling with a small mill.

This one just popped up on my feed. Definitely need one of these! I'll be making one soon. 👍

Just found your channel,enjoy it a lot! I prefer working with small machines like this even though I have one full size late as well. I use a Sherline lathe for all kinds of projects.

if I may, i have a few ideas. when you were side milling you could of rotated your part 90 degrees, that way you would of only been cutting say 1/2" instead of 3/4, it would of been easier to cut. also for chamfering or rounding corners, if you only cut along the back jaw and rotate your part you will have more consistant results because your cutter should remain in the same y & z location and only require you to adjust the z once when you flip your part on end. cheers enjoyed the video

Nice project, nice vid! I spent two years with a small (Emco FB-2 - Austrian machine) drill-mill myself. I was definitely enjoying using it and it was only when I put my hands on a Bridgeport that I realised how much more fun and creative home machining can be. If I may, I would strongly suggest you get a heavier, knee type mill, given the chance. Best of luck and keep shooting. :)

I have seen some machinists getting good results by plunge cutting the ends instead of side milling with the full length of the cutter. Plunge cutting seems far superior to side milling in these situations. :)

Love your ABOM mill. Just the right heft.

Oh and I always enjoy your vids. Keep em coming!

I wondered where I saw the video of rounding the bolt. Then I remembered I saw it on Facebook! I gotta get around to making a stop for my tool makers vise, dont worry about using the scotch-brite like you did. Everyone does it and its fine.

Shorten your cutter stick out. Reduce your spindle speed 50%. reduce radial engagement of the cutter 50%. Side milling is fine on your mill, you are simply running an extended cutter way too fast and trying to take too much at once.

Very nice - I noted that the little Lego guys made you do all the hard work! Certainly a tool I'll be looking at when I get that far!

Very much better results than your earlier videos about slotting that face plate. Well done. :-) Even with my now 1100 lb 3/4 sized Bridgeport clone if not a whole lot of material needs to be removed to bring a part to size or just clean up a band sawed edge I'll almost always use a fly cutter over an end mill. Done right with a mill that's trammed properly you can get very flat surfaces with much better surface finishes. However, despite what you see on far too many YT channels and especially the cnc specific ones they are only designed as a VERY LIGHT finishing tool. Tormach's and Suburban Tools flycutter is shown in there videos as being capable of taking large depths of cut. Yes the tool itself is capable of doing so, but most mills including full size Bridgeport mills aren't. In a lot of videos you can clearly hear the spindle splines hammering as the backlash is taken up when the single cutting tooth enters the cut each time. They can also be hard on spindle bearings so they do need to be used for what they were designed to do. There classed as a finishing tool and not something for bulk metal removal. On my little Emco mill I limited the depth of cut to .002" - .003" on steel and maybe up to .005" on aluminum with a fly cutter. If the tool is sharp there's a lot less vibration on these little mills compared to using an end mill, plus there dirt cheap since a HSS tool bit can be resharpened 100's of times. Profiled edges can also be done with a bit of work on a bench grinder and a Dremel tool if a reverse pattern is used as a gauge as the cutting tool is shaped for the profile wanted. But the larger the profile the less depth of cut a tool like this is capable of. A minor but important detail about your hold down bolts in this video. The accepted industry rule is the vertical hold down bolt or stud should be positioned as close to the object you want clamped down as physically possible. Doing it that way transmits most of the clamping force into the work to hold it positioned. As you move that stud or bolt away from the work more of that force starts being added to the step block where it's not needed and less on the part. Having work move on you during a cut is unpleasant at best, and if things go really wrong it can lead to permanent reminders in the mill or it's tooling. It's very easy to get repeatable positioning on parts before you had your work stop built. Either preset a DI or DTI zeroed on the end of the work before you loosen the vice then flip the part and slide it towards the indicator until the needle is again at zero, then re-tighten the vise. Or do the same with the indicator base off the table, then flip the part and use the X axis slide to move the table and already clamped in place part and it's edge up to that zero point. If the work does need to be extremely accurate for position I'll use that method instead of a work stop. The indicator does need to be rigidly positioned and zeroed each time of course, but it's as accurate as your datum surface and indicators are. It's obviously slower, but much more repeatable if that level of accuracy is needed.

When working tool steel, the feed rate as pointed out by another viewer, is only one issue and not usually the most important. I don't know what you have your spindle speed set to, but it appears that it is much too fast. High speeds create much more heat from friction than any other reason and actually a higher feed rate is recommended to reduce that friction. Lower your rpm's and always use some sort of coolant/lubricant when cutting. Don't baby the feed - always try to keep the tool moving through the work and it will cut better and reduce work-hardening. Also see if you can get some carbide tooling for working in steel. It will cut better and last longer. Also try to get better rigidity in your setups. Keep your tools short, reduce part and machine overhang conditions, keep your machine slides adjusted to reduce play and backlash. (a heavier, more rigid machine would help here). The three important factors are feed rate, surface speed and depth of cut. Do some research on this topic to better understand how they work together. Get yourself a copy of Machinery's Handbook - It's even available on line as a PDF. Good luck!

Ohhh beautiful, THX... btw, I got the cheep rubber/ plastic hammers, too, update them with one side in Cooper, it'll give You a soft and very powerful side...

Nice job I need to get a toolmakers vice again, I loved my old one, but sold it with my old mill Also I'd recommend at least a 3rd hold down on your vice (if one slips it can't rotate) But It might be ok with small cutting forces

I don't know if you'll read this now but when faced with a similar slot on a small mill, I have drilled and reamed the two end holes to final size first. This then meant that I wasn't having to plunge down with the mill, I was simply starting a new layer of horizontal milling.

When you wanted to machine the ends of the work piece and you didn't want it to extend too far from the vise jaws, you could turn the vise on its side and clamp it to the mill table. Then you would be able to hold the work piece in the vise the same way you did machining the top and bottom surfaces. Thank you for an excellent video and a great project idea. The only down side was the music!

Cool project! I Will make this for me!!

Very nice job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tailstock alignment is an awkward pain in the whatsit to do, That is why I have not done mine. Nice job.

Another great video & project, Well done!! I'd previously made a poor version of something like what Stefan uses on his mill vice. Having seen your version, I'm thinking maybe I should revisit my project. regards Colin

great find this channel! :)

Nice project, and great video

awesome Alistair! nice job

I would recommend using cutting fluid as well. It will help your tools last longer. I recommend it when using carbide as well

low rpm is the key for h.s.s. tools. Will your mill run at 100 rpm? always machine the c'sink before tapping.......it's easier for the tap. snug up the table clamps and climb cut for your finish passes. Have No Fear.......It's all part of learning and enjoy the experience : )

When you were face milling the first side you were conventional milling. When you did the opposite side you were climb milling. Then when you attempted to mill with the side of the end mill you were climb milling. With your machine I would recommend conventional milling especially when using the side of the end mill.

Very nice. I am not entirely convinced that tool steel is the material of choice. I made mine out of Alumin(i)um but I will now remake it to include a slot, as in your design. I do not relish cutting slots on the MF70 Proxxon, but it can be done. Oh yes, as somebody mentioned you were climb cutting part of the time. Not advisable with tool steel.

Lower knee and do ends like sides? Or add a precision grind ind rod in your chuck and grind the ends?

I always drill and saw away unnecessary material. Drilling spares you milling ;-) Keep up your fine work!!

What I do is lift the rotor an bit up out of my work, move or advance my cut 10 to what ever thousands I need, mill down or drilling procedure an when I'm through to the other end, I back mill an it cleans up fairly good Try that instead of trying to cut one big chunk off. I also noticed a lot of squealing when you were drilling an milling horizontally with your end mill. I would have done exactly the same with my end mill to drill down completely to the bottom, moved a few thou, an drilled down again, an once the slot was established, I would have cleaned it up, But I also would have tried to slow down my bits to stop the squeal.

Sounds like the rpm is too slow for cutter, hence the rattling thumping we hear where the cutter is bouncing off the surface. Anytime I’ve had an endmill doing this I’ve cranked the rpm up until it started making more of a buzzing sound and I found it then started cutting clean versus vertical fractures caused by vibratory deflection from too slow of rotation. Very common on hobby mills with 0-2000rpm limitations. In those cases choosing different cutters with more flutes will often resolve the issue but not in all cases where rigidity is the cause versus speed. Nice video

put the part in the vice so the widest end is facing up. same technique but presenting less surface to the cutter at once. a good thing to keep in mind in general, is making every set up as short and stiff as possible. a comment of threads in general, the minor diameter of a female the has little to nothing to do with sloppy theads so long as it is within spec. the PD is what dictates clearance. if you want a close fitting tapped hole you need a tap designed to give a particular fit. that said, a regular hardware store bolt wont work in that application either as theyre of a lower tolerance.

Though you never show your face, I can't help mentally picturing you as Dave Gilmour. Voice is eerily similar. Lol. Another good video. Keep them coming.

I've got an assortment of O1 and have never had a problem milling it. Perhaps yours was hardened some? Yes, it is tougher than mild steel but it still will machine OK. I do have a heavier machine, 9 x 49 Jet. I've struggled with some stainless steels work hardening when I used dull tools or didn't cut aggressively enough.

I just had a thought about side milling, what if you had the part rotated 90 degrees so the wider surface was on top? The contact area would be reduced and it might just cut it.

GREAT LAMPOON of precision machinists who quibble over the smallest details, but pass over the most important features! It was GENIUS when you took it out of the vise to drill the slot-starting holes. Who could've thought that those holes could've been drilled in the vise on the same centerline as the stop-screw hole without a lot of indicating, repositioning and extra clamps? The slot didn't even NEED to be parallel or colinear, but "That's what the print says" urges the PM to incontestable certainty that those are the goals that he's shooting for. Blended radii on the ends was less-well spoofed. You should have included some 'Rule of thumb' or 'Accepted industry standard' when you chose the radius. Explain to the general public that smaller radii are acceptable for small-dimension items, but larger ones often demand larger radii. WHY you didn't include a link to your manufacture of a variable-radius end-mill which automatically adjusts between 2 different radii is excusable. I'd have loved to see a 3/8" rounder making as-if it's a 1/4' rounder on the next edge. Just time the video to the high z-axis.

Is the heat from the milling tempering the steel and making it harder?

If your going to heat treat the steel, you need an over size tap GH5 will do.

SUGGESTION .... Don't worry about the ends. They don't need to be flat nor square. They don't need radii. They extend PAST the hole and slot.

What kind of vice is this ? Looks like it would eliminate jaw lift.

why do you started with a hss hard steel ? you can start with a softer one and then heat treat it

Hi there, perhaps try turning the vice onto its side so you can choke down on the part a bit tighter? Dz

14:04 what width is it, height is 10mm, width i guess is like 16mm? slot hole width is 6mm?

👍

The airbrush could maybe also spray some oil for cooling. I don't have an airbrush so can't test it.

So I give you kudos for showing many of your errors. All to often videos on youtube do not show how many times it takes someone to make a part or show the common mistakes made while making something. I believe that showing your mishaps teach many valuable lessons. thanks for the video's :-)

Flycutter in the Lathe maybe easier. it the work would fit in the holder that is, and if the lathe is more powerfull

Put your tool bits further in the collet will help some chadder

When making a vise stop why not make it out of aluminum and not steel since it is not a part that needs to hold a lot of force or be super durable?

With O1 slow down the speed you are way to fast as the video shows the cutter wearing an rubbing which is why you will see the O1 start to become magnetic. Low speed up on the feed you wont go wrong.

Well ur bit could be inserted deeper into the chuck Revs are too high Bit is bouncing rather than cutting (can hear it) Bolts holding vice look like 8.8 I would use 10.9

Use cutting oil.

I love your videos. However, I was surprised that you did not use a slot drill rather than an end mill to make the slot. You did point out the problem using the end mill. The slot drill does not give that problem. I suppose its name gives it away.

1) I would not have used tool steel for the block. All the pain you had machining it was entirely unnecessary as mild steel would be fine for the application. 2) having dug yourself that hole when machining the ends of the block and struggling, i would suggest a) turn block to reduce depth of cut add others suggested, b) lower revs (Google the recommended sfpm rates for different materials) b) multiple passes not a single full depth pass, and c) lubrication in that order of priority

Seems standard cold rolled steel would be more than sufficient for a vise stop, and you would not have ruined all your nice tooling.

Choke up on that endmill, an endmill should not stick out farther than needed. The less it hangs out the more ridgid the setup

Cutting the slot in the vise should have worked fine. Even if it flexed a few thousands the mill would just cut the material coming at it...

From an old machines your tools bits are way to fast read up on cutting speeds, ( Harder steel go slower than aluminium speed ) get some decent cutting coumpound trefolex or rocol machine oil is by far the worst thing you can use for the life of the cutting tool (unless you working on Aluminium then use oderless parifin /kerosine ) tapping and drilling you will see in seconds a big difference do you understand Climb milling ver Conventional milling may be something to look into other than the few basics your missing a very good video and entertaining ( when tools smoke think about stopping )

I learned from Tom's Techniques that corner rounding end mills only work using climb milling. Also you set both faces to cut simultaneously. Here's his video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m-B1eMl2r8ytlYE.html&pp=gAQBiAQB

такие цанговые блоки удобно и легко упирать гайкой в губки тисков

As a toolmaker myself it seems youre running your cutters too fast on the steel. I don’t run them at anything above 500rpm, any cutter bigger than 10mm about 450 max. Maybe it seems faster on the video

A million rpms dont help

Made it to 11:31 and had to stop sorry.

Vise*. Vice is a bad habit