Hello,
I registered last year but have not posted yet. I looked through the stickies to check for rules for the forum. I didn't see a FAMCO subforum so I'm hoping it's okay to post here in General.
I'm looking for advice on initial tooling purchases and initial maintenance checks for my new to me mill. For background, I took two machine shop classes in college and have used a couple different Bridgeport mills for simple aluminum and steel prototyping projects over the years at different workplaces. In one sentence, I am an engineer who likes to make parts. In terms of what cutting/support tools I have used on a vertical mill spindle before, I have used ends mills, drill bits, reamers (reamers were used on a drill press) and edge finders before - not including tool hodling or work holding. I have not used any indexable tooling on a mill though I would like to get there in the future so I can cut a flat top surface on wide footprint parts. Most of my work right now is general shop fabrication work with A36 plate, A500 square tube, MIG and TIG welding.
I also have an R8 spindle CNC mill but I'm not there yet (machine is fine, operator [me] needs work) but I figure it might be important to mention for context when I ask about tooling.
The FAMCO 100 came with an old vise the previous owner (helpful guy) told me was rough and not too good, but I thought it would be a good fit to help me get started with general rough steel fabrication support work (drill holes in plate, slotting holes in plate, drilling holes in square tube, facing square tubes end to length (dry cut saw sometimes leaves a wavy cut edge on the square tube)). It also came with one NMTB 30 collet holder. Marking says 30mm Universal Engineering on the holder.
............
Before I get too far, is this the right forum and sub section for a new guy to write his background and situation, and ask for advice? If not, could someone kindly point me in the right direction?
Thanks for reading.
I registered last year but have not posted yet. I looked through the stickies to check for rules for the forum. I didn't see a FAMCO subforum so I'm hoping it's okay to post here in General.
I'm looking for advice on initial tooling purchases and initial maintenance checks for my new to me mill. For background, I took two machine shop classes in college and have used a couple different Bridgeport mills for simple aluminum and steel prototyping projects over the years at different workplaces. In one sentence, I am an engineer who likes to make parts. In terms of what cutting/support tools I have used on a vertical mill spindle before, I have used ends mills, drill bits, reamers (reamers were used on a drill press) and edge finders before - not including tool hodling or work holding. I have not used any indexable tooling on a mill though I would like to get there in the future so I can cut a flat top surface on wide footprint parts. Most of my work right now is general shop fabrication work with A36 plate, A500 square tube, MIG and TIG welding.
I also have an R8 spindle CNC mill but I'm not there yet (machine is fine, operator [me] needs work) but I figure it might be important to mention for context when I ask about tooling.
The FAMCO 100 came with an old vise the previous owner (helpful guy) told me was rough and not too good, but I thought it would be a good fit to help me get started with general rough steel fabrication support work (drill holes in plate, slotting holes in plate, drilling holes in square tube, facing square tubes end to length (dry cut saw sometimes leaves a wavy cut edge on the square tube)). It also came with one NMTB 30 collet holder. Marking says 30mm Universal Engineering on the holder.
............
Before I get too far, is this the right forum and sub section for a new guy to write his background and situation, and ask for advice? If not, could someone kindly point me in the right direction?
Thanks for reading.