Who uses the fine feed handwheel on the quill?

[rfrink]

I own 2 BP knee mills...both where purchased used...both missing the fine feed hand wheel on the quill.

Now, 10 years later..I'm standing in front of them wondering if this is something that I need? OK..obviously I don't need them because I've been doing OK without, but they look kinda cool and I've never used one. So I'm thinking about buying them as part of my Holiday shut-down machine maintainance program while they get some TLC.

Whattaya think? Who uses them...and what for?

-Rob

 

[Mike Henry]

I use the fine downfeed on a small Clausing 8520 mill for boring operations as it's a lot easier to raise/lower the spindle than the knee. I'd guess the knee on a BP would be even harder on the arm, though better for muscle tone.

Mike

 

[DaveE907]

Nearly always have them off the mills, only on when using one. They're distracting and can be hazardous during boring operations using power quill feed. They're generally in the way. Very rarely use one for delicate controlled downfeed operation when control is paramount. I'd save my dough for something else.

 

[JRIowa]

Been doing this for about 40 years now and never used the hand wheel. When my new mill came in, I put mine in the bottom drawer of a cabinet and it's still there 17 years later.

Just like Dave said, they're in the way most of the time.

 

[Dave K2]

I got my BP last year, bought a new handwheel via ebay which was quite expensive. I used it once!

I find it just as easy to to use the feed lever.

It lives in the tool cabinet now, i could have bought some endmills with the £££ but we live and learn.

Dave

 

[Red Sparky]

I use mine when boring to a shoulder.

 

[dsergison]

all the time... untill i stripped the mechanism.

to creep up on my z depth when pocketing. i have a DRO. i always overshoot with the handle.


i typicllly set the quill lock to drag a bit, then overpower it with the fine feed. this keeps my endmills from sucking down.....
also why i stripped the mechanism. it stripped before the clutch disengaged. but mines an old abused knock-off.

 

[AdamMichael]

If your patient, you can find them on ebay for about $20. I used mine a few times but if I didnt have it, I would have been just fine using the down feed lever.

Michael
www.adammichaelknives.com

 

[gbent]

Fine feed? Thats why there is a long handle on the knee.

 

[Rich Carlstedt]

Handy when drilling out a hole that was pre-drilled with a smaller drill.
The hand wheel keeps the drill bit from grabbing !
Really helpful with Brass, especially.

handy to use when milling with clampoff..its a clamp, not a drag brake

Also when you rotate the head to a non-plum angle, the knee is useless, and the handwheel
is your only control when milling/drilling with hand feed

One more hint, when using it on a old bridgeport with lots of quill play, use it as a stop while feeding down with the lever..in other words, keep pressure on the lever and spin the wheel to control depth

Rich

 

[colin1544]

Handwheel on a bridgeport

Hello I use my handwheel all of the time when I'm doing repetative components as I have a Quill Digital readout scale on the front and you can get very accurate depth with this. Using the knee for depth you can be a couple of thou difference plus with the readout you can work to a zero and swap between imperial and metric, put a unit on and try it you will amazed how much quicker it can be and more accurate. Cheers Colin

 

[clutch]

I use mine when boring to a shoulder.

Curious. All my boring has been through. How repeatable is the kickout on a bp?

Wes

 

[adama]

clutch the kick outs not bad, the manual says something like ten thou. normaly i just let it kick out then a gental - slow push down on the quill. flatness of holes all dependand on the bar lead angle but taking 30 thou cuts it makes a flatter anough bottom for most of the things i have needed yet. mainly thats just not braking through or a step to seat a ballrace against.

hope that helps

 

[Old Bill]

I use the handwheel rarely. When you are drilling a hole on an angeled surface or a radius, it helps to establish a flat with an end mill. I find the quill kick-out nor the hard
stop none too accurate. A readout on the Z is the best.
Old Bill

 

[Sasquatch316]

I actually would like to put one on my mill. Since I installed the quill DRO and have yet to get my table DRO installed I think it would prove quite useful. When I worked in the trade I never operated a mill that had one. When I was in vocational school I never saw one so I am.at a loss as to how to install or use one. LOL