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Safest way to mill round stock

You can use two v blocks in the vise for a four point hold. Also for the smaller stock I sometimes use collets in the collet indexer. This is my favorite as it can be rotated for milling somewhere else on the part.
Michael
 
I use jaws that resemble v-blocks. They work quite well for milling round stock that is too large to fit in a collet. If it is small enough to fit in one of my collets then I put it in the collet block, and put that in the vise.

-brian
 
Depends (as always) on what you want to do.
For a one-operation grip I usually just use one vee block against the fixed jaw of the vise for a three-point hold. Can't beat it for quick & easy. In many years I've never had any problems with that one, but I have had material spin in a collet a few times - taking too heavy a cut I guess.
 
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If the round stock is larger, about 1" and up, this works well. Also nice on big OD, heavy wall mechanical tubing.

Barry Milton
 
DryCreek,

For me, it depends on size of part and how many I have to make.

For a one-off part, I will use the one or two v-blocks method, the vertical v-slot cut into one of the jaws of the vice, homemade generic soft jaws sets with various sized radiuses on one of the jaws and ledges at varying heights on both jaws or a plain-back chuck mounted to a plate which is clamped to the table.

For multiple numbers of the same part, I go for a fixture that offers good repeatability. In the above methods, I like the 3-point contact and fixed location the generic softjaws provide or, if the size of the vertical v-slot of the vise is adequate, I’ll just use that. If a chuck is already mounted on the table, I’ll use that.

plm
 
Thanks for the ideas. The small project is milling four faces on the end of a horizontal round 3/4 bar. Making a lathe chuck key and didn't want to ruin a nice carbide end mill by having the round stock move in the process. Two points of contact in the mill vise looked iffy?
 
My 6" kurt or clone (have both) vise is on the left of my mill-drill table, and a hardinge 5c dividng head is pretty much permanently set up on the right. Just for such quick small round holding and indexing jobs. As has been mentioned by others, watch the direction of force and heaviness of cut with the part in a collet so it does not pull it or spin it.

smt
 
5-C collet in a spin-index or square collet block (mounted in the vise) will get that job done in no time. The shaft only needs to project from the collet by the length of the flat + 1/8" or so. You could put support under the free end, but probably won't need it.

A few light passes (.050 - .100) won't disturb the collet's grip. There is almost 100% contact between the shaft & the gripping area of the collet, which is huge compared to a vise or vee blocks.

Barry Milton
 
i would say in the vice,smacked down onto a parallel,unless you are thinking of round stock vertical in a vice,then use a vee block
 
What about clamping directly onto the mill table, into a T slot? I seen people set up their round stocks this way and it works, no deflection and don't have to worry if your vise is going to cause inaccuracies. The only problem is, I do need to index them accurately...
 
What about clamping directly onto the mill table, into a T slot? I seen people set up their round stocks this way and it works, no deflection and don't have to worry if your vise is going to cause inaccuracies. The only problem is, I do need to index them accurately...
For stuff up to the capacity of a 5C, they make square blocks with a collet that clamps from the back end. Put the part in, mill, flip to the next side, mill, etc etc. I think they make hex ones, too. They aren't too expensive.
 
1 direct to table located in T slot
2 in Kurt vise with V jaws
3 in a collet block in the vise
4 in a Kalamazoo indexer either in the vise or on the table
5 in the spin indexer in the vise or on the table
6 in the chuck on my rotary table
7 in the chuck or between centers using the dividing head
8 in a small plate mounted chuck in the vise.
9 clamped in one or 2 vises without v jaws
10 in 1 0r 2 vblocks clamped to the table
11 clamped to a v block held in the vise.

I have used all of these methods at least once plus a few more I can't remember. OP could get a more specific answer if he stated what he was doing.
 
Hello Davida,
A vast majority of work is round. Nearly all round work needs milling or drilling. For as much round work there is, why not use a 3 or 4jaw chuck?
We made an hardened alloy steel adapter block that is attached to the base of a 3-jaw chuck, it's bottom side is keyed and sloted for 1/2-13 shcs. This fixture stays put on our mill table, ready for immediate use.

This fixture works so well, we are making plans for at least a couple more.
otrlt
 
For a chuck key that will not be needing much material removed to form a square stick it in the dividing head most keys will want a slight radius filed on the corner.Alt stick it on a "v" block on the table and index with a square.How you grip larger diameters is common sense depending what your doing and what tool your using slots with a wheel cutter taking deeper cuts will need more attention than a slot drill taking more shallow depths the bigger the cut on a job standing up the more chance it can move-common sense and it wont.Make your self a plate same size as your vise jaw with a horizontal"v" and a vertical "v" cut into it handy for squaring and gripping material.Just sit the plate on a couple "v" blocks put a bit round bar on top and clamp it down(make sure your blocks are keyed) then cut your "v"s with an e/mill.Better still if you have a bar vise thats what they were designed to do and they hold more than bars a usefull object
 








 
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