For Marc's viewers who may be interested, Stefan has a good video showing how he aligned his mill column using a steel-filled epoxy between the column flange and the base. Sort of a cast-in-place shim. Posted Aug 2016. Nice video, Marc. I like the poor man's DRO, although I'd definitely have to grind off those measuring blades (or keep a couple of spare units of blood on hand)!
Nice mod Marc. Some years ago I integrated a dial indicator with a 1" range to the head of my machine. The indicator is clamped to a vertical bar with a long slot so I can move the indicator up and down where I need it and them lock it in place with a wing nut.
Mark, you are the go to guy on the mighty RF 30! it's helped me a bunch. My shop machines. Atlas 10-54 lathe, Atlas 7" shaper, LOBO brand RF 30. Champion blower and forge 21" Floor drill, and a Central (Taiwanese) 1/2" bench drill. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
I meant to add that I did not buy that type of mill because of the round co,umn. At vertical movement of the head it'll be out of position. What is the correction for that??? Downwards feeding is theoritically not good, there is too much backlash on the rack and the end I'll could pull itself into the work. Again I loved this great video and waiting for the next Thanks. Old Bob
Great timing! My new to me wrong foo RF30 mill was missing the quill lock, and you have shown me exactly what is missing, along with a cool mod to go with! Very awesome thank you. I can see a DRO in my future as well now too thanks for sharing!
Hello Marc, that was a terrific vidèo, very helpful and close to me. I have a Harbour freight mini mill on which I did many modification. one of the serious problem is that after many tests I came to yhe conclusion that the spindle is not parallel with the column. This has an effect, which is not mended by shimming, is that when I start a hole with a short center drill and I raise the head and put a regular length of drill bit in the same chuck the drill bit will land up away from the center bit's done position in three X direction. This would be the case affiliated to any mill at the mentioned problem. I bought a Rockwell of the 60s and did huge amount of work on it, it will take several videos to show those interesting problems. The small spring was a great idea I will use it. The Harbor freight will get a new fixed column. Looking forward to the continuations, thanks for this enjoyable and very useful posting. Old Bob
Thanks very much. I have a small knee mill and will adapt your poor man's DRO idea to it. As always, keep up the great videos! Best regards from the other side of Canada (Victoria).
I've seen the digital calipers on sale for as little as $10 USD. For that price I'd cut the I.D. measuring ears off with a dremel tool... My luck is that usually if there is something sticking out it will get me eventually. If you pick the calipers up at Harbor Freight or similar, be sure to remove them from the box and make sure the measuring blades close completely by holding the caliper up to the light before purchase. When you get home, take a stone and deburr all the sharp edges. Glad to see you again too.
On the protrusions from your calipers ripping your arm. I used a dremel cutoff wheel to blunt them. My cheap caliper stays on my mill. I'm rich, I have two of the cheap ones !! I like your cut washer to aid in getting back to zero, pretty simple and clever.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK! THANK YOU!, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Marc. You can not imagine how much I needed this video! I have been trying to work out a "poor mans DRO" for my Drill Mill ever since I got the thing. I have seen other youtube videos on this subject. That said, I give THIS VIDEO 10 out of 5 STARS **********. One question, if I may: Roughly how long are the brass spacers? Knowing how good i am at colliding with inanimate objects, I plan on cutting off those inside caliper points all together. They look PAINFUL! I took your advice over a year ago on shimming the coulomb. I somehow managed to get it with in a few tenths of square with the table. (That was an all weekend en-devour). The modification to the quill lock is just the ticket! That is ON the to-do list STAT! That thing is madding. Thank you so much for posting this!
Not a "reply" but an addition: The greatest accomplishment with your "Poor mans D.R.O." vs the other that I've seen is: Your design retains the use of the depth stop. These can be very handy devices witch I'm not willing to give up. Now after viewing this video a 2nd time. I have decided to cut off all 4 points of the calipers, as both sides appear to be blood test appliances. OUCH!
The fixed jaw on my HF calipers work hardened nearly instantly even though, I was using a sharp cobalt drill. I tried the diamond grinder to no avail. So then I decided to cut it out as a slot using a dremel cutoff wheel. It works perfectly! and, It made removing the points a simple task.
Good to see you back ! I have the same model mill & the z axis control has been a challenge. I like your solution to mount a digital scale & will incorporate it ASAP. I made use of your previous idea to attach a laser for head alignment, and it has been very handy. Thank you !
Hi Marc, I appreciate all your hard work and all the information you have presented. I really like the way that you did the DRO. I am trying to figure out how to do the same thing accurately for a small lathe (a G0768). Nice job.
Good to see you in action Marc, thanks for the content for us "mill drill" types, a couple of good points that I hadn't considered regarding my Craftex , cheers!
Excellent! Thanks for the idea of the poor mans DRO, that dropping backlash problem is so so annoying and seems to be no way to correct it. Your workaround is great.
Hi Derek, it is something that I do for fun as a retirement project (pass time). I am glad that the videos are helping and thanks for taking the time to write. You may want to check out my webpage, it's free and you will find all my TH-cam videos (over 100) a lot easier that searching here and there. Marc L'Ecuyer THATLAZYMACHINIST.COM
thank you for your response. I have continued to watch many of videos now. I have a question though. I am a cnc machinist apprentice. Your videos have already helped me alot. but will some or all the information have carryover me? Things like blue print reading and bench work certainly do. will learning about the hand operated machines help me though? Anyway thank you very much!
Hi Derek, when I was teaching machining (including cnc) I was convinced that learning manual machining helped produce better programmers because it développes a "feeling" for the material and the cutting action. I may be a little old school, but I still believe that someone who knows manual machining will produce better parts on a numerical control machine. (Sorry for the tardy answer)
thanks for jimmyscanal! enjoyed the vids. It really motivates me to leave alone the machines one in a while and trust the good old hand craftmanship. Loved your video as always cheers Teun
Jimmy is quite talented and a really nice guy. I have run across a few trolls in the last few years but the vast majority of people on the net are very nice. Thanks for writing and be safe, it's always great to hear from you, Marc
Hi there from Canada, love your video, I know its a few years old but I just stumbled across it after watching some winkys workshop vids. This video is exactly what I was looking for, I am considering purchasing one of these as they seem a lot beefier to their price point equivalent square column mills, but with a few easy mods are very worth the price? In Canada I am looking at King Canada PDM-30 mill/drill. for $2699. or in a square column model Busy Bee Craftex model CX601, but for $3599. thanks for posting and love the humor, cheers.
I bought one of those calipers with the exact same intention. I think I will go to the igagin dro in the end though because it will work better with the x and y dro's I want to do at a later date. Thanks for helping me understand why I always have a problem when trying to adjust z and I over shoot .
Hi Marc, hope you are starting to feel better! glad to see a new video from you. by the way, do you put grease or Greece on the rack of your column?😇 Peter
I have a Pro-Cut 30 mill almost exactly like yours. I recently had to move it to a different location in the shop. I will use your "traming" method and install the "Cheap" DRO ! I thank you very much !!
As an alternate to rounding off the ends of the sharp jaws, maybe use some small platic 'caps' to cover the tips. i.e. so that the calipers can still be used if necessary to measure ID's. Thanks for doing these videos. I recently bought a used mill very much like this one and definitely need to make some changes because I am not just lazy but also cheap.:)
great fixes, it's the little problems like these that aggravate and cause me to loose train of thought in the middle of an action, I will put a handle on the Y axes stop so I don't have to go find a wrench, well done vid THANX!
"We can see... well a lot of crap at the back of the shop" LOL There's a guy in the facebook group that has one of those mills, but his is made by Myford. (At least that is what he told me).
Great tips Marc. All mods would equally apply to the dovetail column version of these mills too. :-) A question, do you experience "quill drop" when feeding down using the "calibrated" Z axis handwheel? I believe this is due to the rack and pinion on the quill, the feeding is pushing the lower edge of therack, but every so often it frees up and drops to engage the top of the rack tooth. Mine does it and would like to devise a solution, wondering if you any ideas? As for crap in the background, you'd totally lose the machine in the foreground in my shed! Thanks, Ray
Hi robert, I plan on producing more videos but for the moment I am concentrating on getting back into shape? That implies that I was in shape before the treatments, and well I wasn't. I have lost 20 pounds (Still 30 to go to get to my proper weight of 230 lbs). I am cycling a lot (with my e-bike) and gardening a lot as well. I feel great and am very thankful for all the well wishes and the excellent care that I have received. I will be travelling in August so I am guessing that the next video will be in September. Marc
marc lecuyer I have been concerned about your health. My mother was diagnosed with stage three cancer last October and while I have been sympathetic towards people who had been diagnosed with cancer, it has really become something that concerns me a great deal now. Best wishes with your weight loss and recovery.
Hi Enrique, you have a keen eye but it isn't a crack. When I turn the lock handle it blocs the light and that is why it goes from dark to light. thanks for watching and be safe, Marc
I did not know that digital calipers have a vernier in them. I did not count the times you said "vernier", but it was a lot... 8^) I know, picky, picky, but this is an educational channel.
Enjoyed! Good modifications to an affordable mill :)
For Marc's viewers who may be interested, Stefan has a good video showing how he aligned his mill column using a steel-filled epoxy between the column flange and the base. Sort of a cast-in-place shim. Posted Aug 2016.
Nice video, Marc. I like the poor man's DRO, although I'd definitely have to grind off those measuring blades (or keep a couple of spare units of blood on hand)!
We've missed you sir, good to see you back.
Good video Mark, I hope you are on the mend and feeling better. God know we need you around.
First
Great video as always. Thank you so much!
Be safe and strong, my friend!
Dimitris
Nice mod Marc. Some years ago I integrated a dial indicator with a 1" range to the head of my machine.
The indicator is clamped to a vertical bar with a long slot so I can move the indicator up and down where I need it and them lock it in place with a wing nut.
Mark, you are the go to guy on the mighty RF 30! it's helped me a bunch. My shop machines. Atlas 10-54 lathe, Atlas 7" shaper, LOBO brand RF 30. Champion blower and forge 21" Floor drill, and a Central (Taiwanese) 1/2" bench drill. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Wonderful to see you back Marc.
The bonus is seeing you work on the same mill as mine, thanks.
I meant to add that I did not buy that type of mill because of the round co,umn. At vertical movement of the head it'll be out of position. What is the correction for that??? Downwards feeding is theoritically not good, there is too much backlash on the rack and the end I'll could pull itself into the work. Again I loved this great video and waiting for the next Thanks. Old Bob
Great video Marc! Glad to see you looking well :)
Great timing! My new to me wrong foo RF30 mill was missing the quill lock, and you have shown me exactly what is missing, along with a cool mod to go with! Very awesome thank you. I can see a DRO in my future as well now too thanks for sharing!
JBFromOZ lol! wrong foo...
Spelling like that tells me you have been watching Cuppa Joe.
Hello Marc, that was a terrific vidèo, very helpful and close to me. I have a Harbour freight mini mill on which I did many modification. one of the serious problem is that after many tests I came to yhe conclusion that the spindle is not parallel with the column. This has an effect, which is not mended by shimming, is that when I start a hole with a short center drill and I raise the head and put a regular length of drill bit in the same chuck the drill bit will land up away from the center bit's done position in three X direction. This would be the case affiliated to any mill at the mentioned problem. I bought a Rockwell of the 60s and did huge amount of work on it, it will take several videos to show those interesting problems.
The small spring was a great idea I will use it. The Harbor freight will get a new fixed column. Looking forward to the continuations, thanks for this enjoyable and very useful posting. Old Bob
Welcome back Marc, all the best to you and thanks for taking the time to educate some fools... have fun and take care! YOU ARE AWESOME!
Welcome back Marc... great to see you again. As always, good content... not too overboard, just right.
Thanks very much. I have a small knee mill and will adapt your poor man's DRO idea to it. As always, keep up the great videos! Best regards from the other side of Canada (Victoria).
great video Mr. Marc. Good to see you back at it. (class of 98 Cité)
I've seen the digital calipers on sale for as little as $10 USD. For that price I'd cut the I.D. measuring ears off with a dremel tool... My luck is that usually if there is something sticking out it will get me eventually.
If you pick the calipers up at Harbor Freight or similar, be sure to remove them from the box and make sure the measuring blades close completely by holding the caliper up to the light before purchase. When you get home, take a stone and deburr all the sharp edges.
Glad to see you again too.
Glad you're back, good video. Lots of good tips.
On the protrusions from your calipers ripping your arm. I used a dremel cutoff wheel to blunt them. My cheap caliper stays on my mill. I'm rich, I have two of the cheap ones !! I like your cut washer to aid in getting back to zero, pretty simple and clever.
IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK!
THANK YOU!, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Marc. You can not imagine how much I needed this video! I have been trying to work out a "poor mans DRO" for my Drill Mill ever since I got the thing. I have seen other youtube videos on this subject. That said, I give THIS VIDEO 10 out of 5 STARS **********. One question, if I may: Roughly how long are the brass spacers?
Knowing how good i am at colliding with inanimate objects, I plan on cutting off those inside caliper points all together. They look PAINFUL! I took your advice over a year ago on shimming the coulomb. I somehow managed to get it with in a few tenths of square with the table. (That was an all weekend en-devour).
The modification to the quill lock is just the ticket! That is ON the to-do list STAT! That thing is madding.
Thank you so much for posting this!
Not a "reply" but an addition: The greatest accomplishment with your "Poor mans D.R.O." vs the other that I've seen is: Your design retains the use of the depth stop. These can be very handy devices witch I'm not willing to give up. Now after viewing this video a 2nd time. I have decided to cut off all 4 points of the calipers, as both sides appear to be blood test appliances. OUCH!
Scott Thornton Same here. I will install it permanently and cut the tips off. I do not foresee taking it off the mill to use as a caliper.
The fixed jaw on my HF calipers work hardened nearly instantly even though, I was using a sharp cobalt drill. I tried the diamond grinder to no avail. So then I decided to cut it out as a slot using a dremel cutoff wheel. It works perfectly! and, It made removing the points a simple task.
Thanks for a good video. Always interested in modifications to these round column mills. Take care. Doug
Good to see you back ! I have the same model mill & the z axis control has been a challenge. I like your solution to mount a digital scale & will incorporate it ASAP. I made use of your previous idea to attach a laser for head alignment, and it has been very handy. Thank you !
Useful video and glad to see you're back! Hope you're doing well.
Great use of those Mastercraft Calipers! I was thinking of doing the same thing with mine but on a drill press
Nice to see you back!!
Hi Marc, I appreciate all your hard work and all the information you have presented. I really like the way that you did the DRO. I am trying to figure out how to do the same thing accurately for a small lathe (a G0768). Nice job.
Much enjoyed this video Marc! Thanks for sharing. :)
Good to see you in action Marc, thanks for the content for us "mill drill" types, a couple of good points that I hadn't considered regarding my Craftex , cheers!
Hi Mark Good to see you again
Excellent! Thanks for the idea of the poor mans DRO, that dropping backlash problem is so so annoying and seems to be no way to correct it. Your workaround is great.
Thank you for your video on the round mill I have the same mill and it good to know about setting it up keep up the good work
I'm really glad to see looking so well. thanks for all you do.
I have just discovered you channel and you have helped me so much with my blue print reading thank you so much! please keep doing this!
Hi Derek, it is something that I do for fun as a retirement project (pass time). I am glad that the videos are helping and thanks for taking the time to write. You may want to check out my webpage, it's free and you will find all my TH-cam videos (over 100) a lot easier that searching here and there. Marc L'Ecuyer THATLAZYMACHINIST.COM
thank you for your response. I have continued to watch many of videos now. I have a question though. I am a cnc machinist apprentice. Your videos have already helped me alot. but will some or all the information have carryover me? Things like blue print reading and bench work certainly do. will learning about the hand operated machines help me though? Anyway thank you very much!
Hi Derek, when I was teaching machining (including cnc) I was convinced that learning manual machining helped produce better programmers because it développes a "feeling" for the material and the cutting action. I may be a little old school, but I still believe that someone who knows manual machining will produce better parts on a numerical control machine. (Sorry for the tardy answer)
thank you for the reply. I have went ahead and proceeded with learning the manual machining as well! Keep up the good work!
thanks for jimmyscanal! enjoyed the vids. It really motivates me to leave alone the machines one in a while and trust the good old hand craftmanship.
Loved your video as always
cheers
Teun
Jimmy is quite talented and a really nice guy. I have run across a few trolls in the last few years but the vast majority of people on the net are very nice. Thanks for writing and be safe, it's always great to hear from you, Marc
Marc good to see you back I start radiation treatment tomorrow, it's a treat to see you back!
Thank you! I was totally frustrated with poor facing quality due to a poorly aligned head. I’ll get to shimming tomorrow. Pete
thanks for the great video. glad to see ya back.
I just discovered your channel and i subbed. Great stuff and very informative.
LOL, just noticed all the Quebec license plates, cheers to a fellow Canadian!!
Very informative. Thank you.
Amazing, thanks Marc !!!
Hi there from Canada, love your video, I know its a few years old but I just stumbled across it after watching some winkys workshop vids. This video is exactly what I was looking for, I am considering purchasing one of these as they seem a lot beefier to their price point equivalent square column mills, but with a few easy mods are very worth the price? In Canada I am looking at King Canada PDM-30 mill/drill. for $2699. or in a square column model Busy Bee Craftex model CX601, but for $3599. thanks for posting and love the humor, cheers.
I bought one of those calipers with the exact same intention. I think I will go to the igagin dro in the end though because it will work better with the x and y dro's I want to do at a later date.
Thanks for helping me understand why I always have a problem when trying to adjust z and I over shoot .
Hi Marc,
hope you are starting to feel better! glad to see a new video from you.
by the way, do you put grease or Greece on the rack of your column?😇
Peter
Dear Marc, thank you very much
Lesson: 71
Hi I will be glad then a´m look at your video and I learn a lot thank you.
From a weuer in Sweden
I have a Pro-Cut 30 mill almost exactly like yours. I recently had to move it to a different location in the shop. I will use your "traming" method and install the "Cheap" DRO ! I thank you very much !!
Thanks Ironhorse! I am glad to know that the vidéo is helping. Let me know how things turn out, Marc
Very good video, thanks
Great Video Marc! I know its been out a while.
As an alternate to rounding off the ends of the sharp jaws, maybe use some small platic 'caps' to cover the tips. i.e. so that the calipers can still be used if necessary to measure ID's.
Thanks for doing these videos. I recently bought a used mill very much like this one and definitely need to make some changes because I am not just lazy but also cheap.:)
great fixes, it's the little problems like these that aggravate and cause me to loose train of thought in the middle of an action, I will put a handle on the Y axes stop so I don't have to go find a wrench, well done vid THANX!
Thank you for sharing.
Good advice, keep up the great work :)
"We can see... well a lot of crap at the back of the shop" LOL
There's a guy in the facebook group that has one of those mills, but his is made by Myford.
(At least that is what he told me).
Thank you! It is very helpfull
Great tips Marc.
All mods would equally apply to the dovetail column version of these mills too. :-)
A question, do you experience "quill drop" when feeding down using the "calibrated" Z axis handwheel?
I believe this is due to the rack and pinion on the quill, the feeding is pushing the lower edge of therack, but every so often it frees up and drops to engage the top of the rack tooth. Mine does it and would like to devise a solution, wondering if you any ideas?
As for crap in the background, you'd totally lose the machine in the foreground in my shed!
Thanks, Ray
great stuff. thank you
I have thought about a mod to stiffen up the round column do you have any suggestions? Thanks for your you tube efforts!
always great see you teach. do you have a LQ on sweeping a mill table its a job I have to do I would be interested in your insites
tks Will
“Like Viagra for your handle, it helps to keep it up.” What a visual. Lol.
great mods..wished there was a way to do a variable speed motor...
Amazing DRO thank you!
Thank you
fyi when drilling hardened steel..use a carbide drill and lowest speed possiable steady pressure will take awhile
Thanks
Better image. Nice.
Hi Mark. I haven't seen any new videos in a while and am hoping that you are taking some time off and not unable to film new episodes.
Hi robert, I plan on producing more videos but for the moment I am concentrating on getting back into shape? That implies that I was in shape before the treatments, and well I wasn't. I have lost 20 pounds (Still 30 to go to get to my proper weight of 230 lbs). I am cycling a lot (with my e-bike) and gardening a lot as well. I feel great and am very thankful for all the well wishes and the excellent care that I have received. I will be travelling in August so I am guessing that the next video will be in September. Marc
marc lecuyer I have been concerned about your health. My mother was diagnosed with stage three cancer last October and while I have been sympathetic towards people who had been diagnosed with cancer, it has really become something that concerns me a great deal now.
Best wishes with your weight loss and recovery.
thanks very interesting
about the caliper id points how about taking a cut off wheel and de horn them its not like they cost more then $25
can you add Dimitri's channel to your video description
Anybody know a link to put a Z axis DRO on a Gear head round column mill drill. I've seen it, but can.t fine it right now.
I thought Vernier were non-electronic, dial type calipers?
At 3:44, did you notice what seems to be a crack on the right side?
Hi Enrique, you have a keen eye but it isn't a crack. When I turn the lock handle it blocs the light and that is why it goes from dark to light. thanks for watching and be safe, Marc
I did not know that digital calipers have a vernier in them. I did not count the times you said "vernier", but it was a lot... 8^)
I know, picky, picky, but this is an educational channel.
Bob Korves
Wait until someone starts calling them digital verniers !
Guess-O-Meter ;)
Stefan Gotteswinter
Blacksmiths micrometer 😄
Je vous souhaite de nouveau mon ami.
For the other lazy bums out there here is a link to the mentioned chan
th-cam.com/users/JimmysCanal
I have a grizzly round column mill. Best thing to do is not buy a round column mill.