Just picked up a Diamond Horizontal Mill

Zef_66 · Mar 19, 2019

So I just picked up an older Diamond 22M Horizontal Milling Machine from a local school district. I sit on the advisory committee for the precision machining program. The instructor was trying to make some room selling off some old equipment that doesn't get used, so I put in a low bid, but ended up winning. The mill has been sitting for at least the past 10 years that the current instructor has been there. Apparently, it works, but it was just never hooked up after rearranging the shop at one point. So running status is unknown at this point. Also, didn't come with any tooling. So what is in the pics is what I got and that's it.

So my question is, where can I pick up some tooling? Arbors, cutters, etc? I'm not even sure what size that shaft is or anything. But I figured this would be the best place to ask.

Thanks guys!

john.k · Mar 19, 2019

You got an arbor,you got enough spacers,the machine is ready to go........the arbor is very likely 1" dia..............which is very common,but not to cheap Chinese gear cutters...............my advice is give the big helical cutters a miss,and restrict and restrict your self to narrow straight tooth cutters...........and find out what climb milling is and dont get into a situation where a cutter climb mills.....(this is assuming the machine doesnt have a backlash eliminator.)......If you climb,you will smash cutters and likely bend the arbor......be careful...........if a big helical cutter climbs ,you will surely smash the arbor,and more besides.

Rudd · Mar 19, 2019

John, is that advice on slabbing cutters diamond specific? Because that mill bears a resemblance to my Sheldon, which was busy taking .120 a pass off a 4" block of cast iron using a 4" helical slabber a couple days ago.... felt like it could have handled more. I made the arbor out of stressproof.

Zef_66 · Mar 20, 2019

john.k said:
You got an arbor,you got enough spacers,the machine is ready to go........the arbor is very likely 1" dia..............which is very common,but not to cheap Chinese gear cutters...............my advice is give the big helical cutters a miss,and restrict and restrict your self to narrow straight tooth cutters...........and find out what climb milling is and dont get into a situation where a cutter climb mills.....(this is assuming the machine doesnt have a backlash eliminator.)......If you climb,you will smash cutters and likely bend the arbor......be careful...........if a big helical cutter climbs ,you will surely smash the arbor,and more besides.

Thanks for the advice. I took it apart and started cleaning last night. The arbor is 1" as you suspected. I don't plan on using big helical cutters like is on there now. That was just what I got with my machine. I was trying to get the arbor out last night, but I can't get the arbor to pop out. I can take the drawbar out completely, so no problem there. But when I loosen the drawbar just slightly and tap with a brass hammer, it won't pop out. Any advice?

I understand I have one arbor, but that is only one size. I'd like other sizes. Or maybe even a set of endmill holders. I just didn't know if anyone had a good source for anything.

Overall, the machine is really tight and doens't look like it was used hard at all. The worst part is the keyway on the arbor isn't the best, but should work for the light duty work I plan to use it for.

Thanks again!

Riderusty · Mar 20, 2019

Zef, don't hit the drawbar too hard since it may damage the threads on the arbor end. I made a round steel bar with an inserted brass end. I remove the drawbar, insert this bar and hit the protruding end. Any damage or deformation will occur to the brass plug, not the arbor threads. Others here may have better approaches for a stuck arbor.

Tom B.

Jim Christie · Mar 20, 2019

If you search the forum for Stuck Arbor there are a number of posts about doing this .
If you check out post # 46 of this thread something like this may work for you .
B&S Horizontal mill - Tyngsborough, MA
You will have to be sure nothing but the taper is holding it in and that you are not forcing on the bearings to get it out .
Spraying in inside the spindle and around the outside of the taper with some penetrating oil and letting it soak a while before you try may help also .
Regards ,
Jim

Zef_66 · Mar 20, 2019

Riderusty said:
Zef, don't hit the drawbar too hard since it may damage the threads on the arbor end. I made a round steel bar with an inserted brass end. I remove the drawbar, insert this bar and hit the protruding end. Any damage or deformation will occur to the brass plug, not the arbor threads. Others here may have better approaches for a stuck arbor.

Tom B.

I didn't hit it too hard. Just some firm taps with a brass hammer. But I know when to stop, usually. I considered using a piece of brass, or maybe aluminum in place of the drawbar so I wasn't hurting the threads, and also wouldn't deform the arbor by using a softer metal.

If you check out post # 46 of this thread something like this may work for you .

I might combine the two methods, put a little tension on the arbor from the front, then a few taps with a brass rod from the back and see if I can get it loose. I'm not sure I can get any penetrating oil back into the drawbar hole that far. But this gives me some ideas to work with. Thanks!

Froneck · Mar 20, 2019

I use quite a few Helical cutters on my Horz. mil. I like them and have them up to 6" wide. Only drawback is the spiral chip made are like sharp pins! Turns the machine into a porcupine! But they do cut good! At one time ebay was a good source of cheap cutters but as dealers realized they can sell them there and the supply diminished the prices are going up. However from time to time there are good deals there. Local machine shop Auctions are good too. Imports are not bad depending where they are from. Most from the industrial countries are good, I avoid the Chinese made cutters.

Rudd · Mar 20, 2019

The idea shown on the link about pulling the arbor out using the arbor nut is the way to go. I've had to put about all the tension I thought she'd take on it a couple times. B&S taper is super sticky. I'm guessing that mill is B&S also. I've had to give mine some "supplemental taps" a couple times, but it sure is better than beating it out. You want to use a biggish heavy hammer slow, not a light hammer fast.
I didn't worry about deforming the threads on the end of the drawbar, and now I've made it impossible to loose the nut.

Screw the nut out, it stops on the swollen threads, and backs the drawbar out of the arbor. Perfect.
If you need a new drawbar, turn one up out of drill rod. You DO NOT want "stretchy" crap like all thread. DAMHIKT.

I get more milage out of collets than EM holders - it doesn't eat up so much Z axis. Dust the EM shank w/ chalk before you put it in if you have probs with it slipping.

alexwiremesh · Mar 20, 2019

Congratulations

Zef_66 · Mar 21, 2019

Rudd said:
The idea shown on the link about pulling the arbor out using the arbor nut is the way to go. I've had to put about all the tension I thought she'd take on it a couple times. B&S taper is super sticky. I'm guessing that mill is B&S also. I've had to give mine some "supplemental taps" a couple times, but it sure is better than beating it out. You want to use a biggish heavy hammer slow, not a light hammer fast.
I didn't worry about deforming the threads on the end of the drawbar, and now I've made it impossible to loose the nut. Screw the nut out, it stops on the swollen threads, and backs the drawbar out of the arbor. Perfect.
If you need a new drawbar, turn one up out of drill rod. You DO NOT want "stretchy" crap like all thread. DAMHIKT.

I get more milage out of collets than EM holders - it doesn't eat up so much Z axis. Dust the EM shank w/ chalk before you put it in if you have probs with it slipping.

Thanks for the good ideas. The drawbar looks almost new. I'm guessing it was a student project.

But the above worked for me. I setup and use a little tension from the front side. Then a couple light taps in the back, a little more tension, some light taps, and it finally came out. Thanks for the suggestions!

Billygoat · Mar 21, 2019

Just like my M22. Great little machine. I found an additional arbor with a B&S 9 that was 7/8” dia. I just had to make a bushing so it fit into the overarm. I was given a bunch of gear cutters with a 7/8” bore or I would have just used the original 1” arbor. You will like your new mill.

JohnMartin · Mar 22, 2019

Speaking of overarms, that’s the strangest looking one I’ve ever seen. What’s the idea behind that huge oval at the bottom?

Forestgnome · Mar 25, 2019

JohnMartin said:
Speaking of overarms, that’s the strangest looking one I’ve ever seen. What’s the idea behind that huge oval at the bottom?

The oval would normally have bolt holes. It would bolt to an outboard arbor support that clamps on the Y axis bed dovetails. I have the outboard support, but had to make my own overarm support. That BS9 taper is nearly self holding. Don't want to tighten it too much once you get that loose.

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