Spindle Lock
After quiet a few distractions it is finished....
G0759 Mill with the new Spindle Lock
Ok... there is a back story. When the boys (Jacob, Ben, Joe) and I use the mill it feels like it takes 3 hands to change the R8 collet and accessories sometimes. There is no "spindle brake" or "spindle lock" on this mill. After a bit of searching it appears that Grizzly and LittleMachineShop.com both sell after market spindle locks.
Screen capture from the LittleMachineShop.Com webpage
As much as I love to buy parts from Carl at LittleMachineShop.com I do get tired of sending out the money. I figured that since I am man that owns tools (Mill, Lathe, etc) I should be able to make one of these.
I am the proud owner of a 6lbs chunk of 6016 aluminum
I purchased a scrap piece of 6061 aluminum from a metal retailer in the Minneapolis area. It is 2.5"x5"x5" weighing in at 6 pounds.
My first project on the new lathe involves a 6 pound block in a four jaw chuck
Since I don't like to start small my first project in the new lathe is pretty complex. I have not even made chips on this lathe until now. --As they say "Go Big or Go Home!"
Boring bar making chips
There was 5 gallon bucket full of chips once we the lathe work was complete
Two different ID sizes... pretty good for the first project
Mounted in the 3" vise on the mill
Added the 5" vise temporarily for this project
Using an indexable 1.25" face mill to remove some meat from the part
Ben (14) doing some of the milling
The finished part over being sanded down
That 6 pound block now ways about 1 pound. The total cost of parts for this project was about $18. There is probably 8 hours of labor in this project between setting up new machines and tools in addition to taking pictures and showing Ben how to setup the various operations.
It was a pretty cool project and I am very happy especially given the complexity and the number of operations. It works VERY well.
This mill is a G0759 which is the same as the G0704+DRO or a BF20 or a Super X3.