As I mentioned earlier, this morning's job is to get some finish on the components of the bed. We're working with boiler quality plate and while it is good stuff it wasn't made to be perfectly flat and uniform. The major width is 4", too big for my usual machine vise even if I take one jaw out. I mulled over this a bit and rejected direct bolting to the bed. I have a big vise that will do the job thanks to Mick so I might as well use it! I had a chip chase, got the usual vise out of the way and popped the big vise on the table. I say popped but it was more of a stagger and a jerk, it must weigh in at about 150lbs.... A bit of a stretch for an old bloke. However, big does and little does I got it on the VM bed and squared it up.
I adjusted my biggest fly cutter to give a shade over 4" swing, touched the cutter up, popped the target end in the vise and made absolutely sure I had it tight and level.
One light pass and I have a plane surface except for the edge where the guillotine has distorted the plate a bit but that's no matter, it will vanish when it's in place. The main thing is that I have a plane surface to fit the cylinder to. I noticed a bit of chatter on the cut, not surprising really because I have the head right up on the column and a 4" wide pass is well outside what you'd expect a cheap mill like this to do. One of the things about us miniature engineers is that we are always working outside the ideal capacity of our equipment. Then I remembered that one of the big faults of the mill is that there is no way of oiling the spindle apart from squirting oil in any gap you can find and waiting for it to trickle down. I gave it a good dose in three key places and after a bit of running that cured the chatter!
I did both sides of the late, just one light pass and you'll see where the cut was a bit light but nothing to worry about.
Then I addressed the biggy, the 11" long bed plate. I tried it with a straight edge before mounting it and sure enough it was out of truth so I put it flat on the floor and knocked seven bells out of it with a heavy hammer. As you can see after the first pass there is still a slack spot in it.
A second pass took this out and by the way, I altered the mounting of the plate so I could mill as near as possible the full length. (Two little nibs were left at the end corners but I took them out with a big flat file. I didn't bother with the underside because that doesn't matter. When I fasten it down on the wooden bed I'll make allowances for it.
The finished result....
Then I mounted the smaller fly cutter and did both sides of the two gussets.
I'll admit to ten minutes overtime but at close of play we have a straight edge, all the faces that need it milled square and plane. Not a bad morning's work, especially when you think of how far out of its comfort zone I have pushed my El Cheapo Taiwanese mill!
, its a pity you were not closer as John has all the welding gear now, still I am sure you will have it polished ok yourself. 