Shopsmith Forums

Chris, I might be somewhat crazy. Now I've done research into angular bearings and that may be the next mod. Do them with preload. With that the machine will be suited to milling bearing-wise but a more efficient quill lock would be in order. All this being said, it's probably going to be a drill press mod to achieve this. I don't want to make some of these changes to the SS. I've got a store in mind locally where I can pick up a drill press to machine away on.

This reminds me of the following series.... it appears the issue releases slowed down, maybe with not enough people buying them (?):

http://www.shopmachineadventures.com/in ... &Itemid=54

I had got those articles; a beefed-up quill with adjustably-preloaded bearings (ball-bearings in his case) was described. But further articles on how he accomplished metal-milling haven't come out yet.

P.S. I lost my articles with a computer-crash earlier this year

I read his series in home shop machinist as well. Still have Them if you need them. The mods are endless and I'm not sure I want to go all the way with it. The quill mod is easy to understand now that I've got some time machining. But then the machine is still to fast for steel, fine for alum and brass but not steel. I think I might just hack up a drill press for the rest. Who knows, maybe I'll preload the spindle bearings. Just having fun playing until my next woodworking project. I was supposed to build a 4 post bed for my brother and he has slept on it for months and no other furniture dreams lately so I've had time to play.
I was really going to go all out on the 4 post bed. Designed some cool stuff, long tapered posts, inlays..basically the works. But he just can't commit to the walnut I'm specifying. Too much money.

I only machine aluminum and brass at the slowest speed on my converted Shopsmith metal lathe. Never tried steel. With the added bearings in the quill, you may want to think about getting an X/Y table with 360 degree rotating head on top of the X/Y vise. I use a 1/2" router chuck and grind a flat on my milling bits. I am slowly able do metal milling on my modified drilling/tapping/milling Shopsmith which is in the drill press position. Small depths each time to keep the vibrations down. I use a aluminum sanding disk to turn the arbor for both the internal tap and external die tapping. It keeps the tap or die straight. Much easlier than handles or wrenches.