Spindle Square

[Dusty]

Finally got around to making my DIY Spindle Square for my small mill/drill although with my lame leg the doing wasn't easy like a half hour here and there.

Material used was a 4 & 1/2" of (oversized .0005") by 1/2" drill rod and a piece of 1"x1"x 6" of aluminum. Two 5/8" long by 1/4" 20NC cap screws and one 1/4" 10-24 grub screw. Cap screws with 3/8" heads are inset 1/4" into the aluminum. You will also notice the cap screw head are apposed to each other for good reason. Plus a couple of drops of weeping lock tight on the main shaft and two low cost dial indicators with your basic 3/8* standard stems and spindle.

Photo one shows my mill purposely moved out of tram with indicators not quite touching the vise. You can easily see by the horizontal aluminum bar the mill is way out of tram. Due to the fact I wasn't pleased with the pressure fit of 1/2" shaft I put some lock tight on it and a grub screw in the back.

Pimped it out some by rounding the ends with a 1/2" shaft 3/8" router bit and 1/8" ball mill then colored the ball mill grove with permanent red marker for contrast. Also made a temporary foam like case. Here's where I got the idea.

Rather than holding the tool in the drill chuck I held it with my MT3 - 1'2" collet and my mill is now in tram to .0005".

 

[DavidR8]

I think you bought that... I mean seriously, looks darn fine Dusty! Really nice work!

 

[Dusty]

I think you bought that... I mean seriously, looks darn fine Dusty! Really nice work!

Thank you for your kind remarks David, and NO I didn't buy it not at the price they want for an Edge product plus tax and shipping. Lame knee sure didn't appreciate my doing it and I've paid the price every night since finishing it. Too soon old to late smart. LOL

Best part is I had fun doing it and saved coin.

 

[Brent H]

Nice Job Bill!! I will have to go back to mine at home and pimp it up a bit, mine does not look that nice at all......

Some people think one of these is a bit of a "cheat" with tramming the head but they are awesome and fast!

 

[Hruul]

That looks Awesome Bill! Hopefully, you can get the knee fixed soon.

 

[6.5 Fan]

Looks great. I may have to make one of those. Hope you get that knee fixed up soon.

 

[Dusty]

Nice Job Bill!! I will have to go back to mine at home and pimp it up a bit, mine does not look that nice at all......

Some people think one of these is a bit of a "cheat" with tramming the head but they are awesome and fast!

Concur with your comments they sure are easy to use and a quick double check when in doubt before messing up an expensive project. Must check the table on my drill press to see where it's at. Can hardly wait to have my knee done again hopefully that will be the last of my playing silly bugger. Got things to make, places to go, people to see, money (kids inheritance) to spend.

 

[YYCHM]

I was under the impression that you trammed across the full span of the table, not just the width of the vise? Tramming the full span is a bit of a PITA.

 

[Dusty]

I was under the impression that you trammed across the full span of the table, not just the width of the vise? Tramming the full span is a bit of a PITA.

Hi Craig, nothing stopping you from running tram on a mill table however, the moment you add a vise, rotary table, spindex, etc., tram again because tram is bound to change. Murphy's law!!!!!

As an add on I keep a book of (roll your own) cigarette papers in my mobile tool cabinet, that way should I need to raise a corner a blonde hair I can without spending hours resetting a project. Cost is negligible, they're a hand dandy item to keep on hand.

 

[Tom O]

My dad use to say any Machinists worth their salt have cigarette papers in their box apparently now people have stopped smoking they say to use the phone book pages.

 

[YYCHM]

My dad use to say any Machinists worth their salt have cigarette papers in their box apparently now people have stopped smoking they say to use the phone book pages.

Phone books are a thing of the past now too

 

[DPittman]

My dad use to say any Machinists worth their salt have cigarette papers in their box apparently now people have stopped smoking they say to use the phone book pages.

Ya I think cigarette papers are popular again....pot smoking.

 

[Dusty]

Phone books are a thing of the past now too

Hi Craig, just for the halibut I measured the thickness with my (Mitutoyo Digimatic Caliper) of a Zig-Zag cigarette paper at 0.0010" x2 .0020" x2 .0040 x2 .0080 x2 0.0160" and so on! Now Christmas tissue paper we kids use to received our gifts wrapped in although not as strong as cigarette paper same thing .0010". One really can use almost anything thinking outside of the box. LOL

 

[Dusty]

Ya I think cigarette papers are popular again....pot smoking.

Works for me, cough, cough, medication don't you know! LOL