Mill Steering wheel

[Ironman]

I was buggering around on Utube recently on the HW Machine site, and saw that they sell a Momo racing steering wheel for a mill.
I have found the one armed bandit lever to be a pain in the ass when drilling or spotting holes, and this seemed like a good idea.
So I ordered one from amazon, and then I had to delete some trinkets from it. I did not need the horn button or wheel spinner, so I carefully zip cut the stuff off and trashed it.
Next was a supposedly simple machining job, to make a shaft extension and wheel shaft. Then I found out that the centre hole on the wheel was a taper. Not much, nor visible to the eye, but the caliper doesn't lie. I was able to get a half decent taper by eyeball and file, maybe enough that I won't need to cut a key into it.
If I had to do this again I would just punch out the hole to a 3/4" size. I am having second thought about the spinner knob, I might leave this on for a bit, but that's hindsight. I looked at this one for $53 and liked it on the US site, but on the canadian Ebay site it was $115.
I don't have any good pictures of the machining, but basically you remove the one lever and make a sleeve that fits the shaft sticking out of the machine, it usually has holes around a flange on it for indexing the spindle lever. On the collar I made I inserted 3 roll pins to engage with the flange. As the clockspring is behind this flange, if you have to adjust it, that's the time to do it.

One metric bolt holds it all together, and you can remove the bolt and install the original lever very easily. I have not used it much yet, so the jury is still out.

 

[Xyphota]

Nice! I’m considering swapping out the quill lever for a wheel. I like the clean look of what you did there. Do you mind sharing the amazon link of what you purchased?

 

[Ironman]

Nice! I’m considering swapping out the quill lever for a wheel. I like the clean look of what you did there. Do you mind sharing the amazon link of what you purchased?

Click on the words in my post "one from amazon" and it will take you there.
'

 

[Larry_C9]

I have a 3 handled quill control on my mill and find that I often have to unscrew one because the mill vise or what ever I have in it is going to strike the handle as the mill table comes across. If I had a wheel it would get hit quit often. I suppose you could run with the quill further extened but I like to keep it up as far as possible to keep things more ridgid.

 

[curmudgeon]

I have a 3 handled quill control on my mill and find that I often have to unscrew one because the mill vise or what ever I have in it is going to strike the handle

I have the same issue and resolution with my Shopsmith 10ER. More often than not, you'll find my quill handle lying on the bench.

 

[combustable herbage]

I always have one or two out at any given time, always smacking my head on them "getting a better look"

I have the same issue and resolution with my Shopsmith 10ER. More often than not, you'll find my quill handle lying on the bench.

 

[Ironman]

I have a 3 handled quill control on my mill and find that I often have to unscrew one because the mill vise or what ever I have in it is going to strike the handle as the mill table comes across. If I had a wheel it would get hit quit often. I suppose you could run with the quill further extened but I like to keep it up as far as possible to keep things more ridgid.

I think it will be very dependent on the size of the mill. This mill I have to have a stepstool just to loosen the drawbar, as it is 7 ft tall. The Craftex knee mill I used to have could not have this wheel on it, it would have to be a smaller wheel.
My handle was 8.5" and this one is 13.5" diameter so slightly shorter leverage at 6.75". I just checked it, and with the Cat 40 adapter removed the edge of the wheel is is almost the same level as the quill when retracted. This wheel is not as 'dished' as the single lever was, but I kicked it out 1.5" with the adapter I made so it runs in the same line as the original. If needed, a change-out takes 30 seconds.

 

[Larry_C9]

I think it will be very dependent on the size of the mill.

I thought from the picture that might be the case. So with your mill the wheel is probably a good idea. I know that sometimes the handles can be in the wrong place to comfortably do the job you are working on. I thought I would point that out because I have few times started down a path with a project or modification and found, whoops that's not going to work.