Milling attachment

jeffers · Oct 4, 2007

Hi all,
Can anyone offer any advice on how to attach an Atlas model 500/500A(?) milling attachment to a SB 10K? Is it best to attach it to the saddle for stiffness and to increase the useable height or does it go on the cross slide?

It looks as if it should tighten on to some kind of boss on the cross slide/saddle.

Has anyone got dimentions/pictures of what is required?
Cheers

huntinguy · Oct 4, 2007

Might want to look here: http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/page14.html

Rod Williams · Oct 4, 2007

it mounts on the cross slide. as for an adaptor, look at the bottom of you compound, you will need to make a dobble sided adaptor, that looks like what sticks out of the bottom of your compund. note: when you mill with a milling attatchment don't get in a hurry, you do not want to snag a cutter and rip the attatchment off of you lathe, light cuts and slow going but is very handy.

jeffers · Oct 4, 2007

Hi Huntingguy,
I did find that site and it is good as a general reference but does not detail how to mount the attachment. I did find a two page leaflet on an excellent site I have only just started exploring. this link took me to the longest catalogue I have seen for South Bend products. The catalogue is a 1952 version and runs to 90 pages. It includes their shapers and drill presses. The downloads are free, they ask for a donation on the honor system if you found the information interesting:

http://www.owwm.com/MfgIndex/Detail.asp?Tab=Publications&ID=1617

Rod, I recently bought a 10K off craigs list and have not actually set eyes on it yet, I only have a set of pictures that my wife sent me, do you have any pictures of what you describe?
I have read that milling attachments are no competition for a dedicated machine. My 10k is to satisfy a need to "make things" so time is not an issue.
I hope to do a full strip down and rebuild before I get serious!

FTF Engineering · Oct 4, 2007

Jeffers, You need to make one of these:

When I made mine, I put a threaded hole through the middle for a jack screw which makes it easy to remove from the milling attachment without buggering anything up.

And you don't even need a milling attachment to make it!

garyphansen · Oct 4, 2007

I made mine just like FTF Engineering's except I pur the circlar dove tail on both ends. You can find photos of mine in action if you look for the thread, Thread Dial Kits, any interest. I bought an extra cross slide to mount mine on. Switching cross slides is faster than taking off the compound and replacing it with the milling attachment. Gary P. Hansen

jeffers · Oct 5, 2007

Thanks FTF that's exactly what I was looking for. Did you put a reverse taper on the boss that inserts into the milling attachment like it sounds Gary did? I think that's what the Atlas lathe has.
Gary I need to read that thread slowly! too many good ideas to take in at once. Do you have any pictures of yours?
How useful do you find the milling attachment, the South bend version does not seem to be popular for using, just for collecting?
Can't wait to get my hands on my lathe.....

atwatterkent · Oct 5, 2007

This was my simple solution. It's a good novice project. The tapers in the collar are cut with the compound set at 30 degrees.

FTF Engineering · Oct 5, 2007

Jeffers, WYSIWYG. I didn't put any taper on the end that goes into the milling attachment. Seems everyone else did though!

To me, it seems the taper is only really needed at the end that's used for attachment and adjustment. By that, I mean, once I stuffed that adapter up the butt of the milling attachment, I tightened the bolts down and from that point forward just treat it like it's an integral part of the unit. Rotational adjustment is done using the bolts and swivel on the saddle and compound end, not the bolts on the Atlas end.

I've found my milling attachment to be useful for small light work. It's not particularly accurate or robust, but it's convenient in some applications.

AeroncaChamp · Oct 5, 2007

On an Atlas, it replaces the compound (goes on the cross slide.)

For the sake of stiffness/rigidity/? (edit: reduced compliance of the stackup?) of setup I would recommend the double taper for the adapter you need to fit the SB cross slide. The wedge pin system on the Atlas is designed to lock on the taper - the pins in the MA should have a mating angle polished onto their ends. Something like more surface area and the taper positively holding the attachment down to the cross slide.

Or you could just put an Atlas lathe under it!!! (Sorry - a proud Atlas owner)

jeffers · Oct 6, 2007

I see a plan coming together! I like FTF's addition of an extractor screw to remove the mount, Gary's idea of an additional cross slide to mount it on, but I agree with Gary and AeroncaChamp the double taper seems as if it would be more secure and I believe that this was the way that Atlas intended it to be mounted.
What mateirial did everyone use for the mount?
Does it need to be hardened after machining?

FTF Engineering · Oct 6, 2007

Mine's made out of whatever steel I found in my scrap box and I did not harden it since this isn't a very rigorous application. There's no moving parts and at that diameter, you're nowhere near the limits of any grade of steel. The rest of the parts in the equation are only cast iron anyway.

Have fun with the project!

atwatterkent · Oct 6, 2007

If you machine the outside diameters to within a thou or two of the holes in the compound and milling attachment there won't be enough play when the screws are tightened to cause any nicks or gouging in the adapter, so hardening isn't necessary.

jeffers · Oct 9, 2007

Thanks guys for all your help! i can't wait to get started

GuyO · Jan 31, 2013

Taper on the Adapter?

What taper did you use on the SB end of the adapter? I have a SB adapter without the dovetail - there's a hole in the center for mounting one in addition to the curved slot for the additional bolts..

MNeafus · Jul 15, 2020

I know this is an old post but does anybody have a drawing of this adapter?

johnoder · Jul 15, 2020

MNeafus said:
I know this is an old post but does anybody have a drawing of this adapter?

Here is a "drawing" in words

The top of the adaptor needs to fit in the MA

The middle and bottom of the adapter needs to fit in the cross slide

The 30 degree angles are not critical - make them look like the photo posted above

They are only for the set screws to push on

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