Author Topic: Dremel Mill (Read 13747 times)

pomprocker · « **on:** July 29, 2008, 05:48:03 PM »

Anyone have any insight about this or anything like it?

http://www.vanda-layindustries.com/html/acra_mill_plus.html

ArcMan · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2008, 01:16:05 PM »

Pretty neat, but for twice the money you could have a mini-mill from Harbor Freight capable of so much more (machining metal parts).

Gertlex · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2008, 12:26:02 PM »

Quote from: ArcMan on August 06, 2008, 01:16:05 PM

Pretty neat, but for twice the money you could have a mini-mill from Harbor Freight capable of so much more (machining metal parts).

Aye, and they're HEAVY, need a dedicated table surface and take up more room.

For small robots with small holes, this might well be the better method to go.

Dremel also sells their own stands for this sort of thing. I suspect they're cheaper (but of course, they don't have the moving-like-a-mill functionality)

Admin · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2008, 11:25:09 AM »

what size parts you want to cut?

my table top drill press, that sometimes I use with a mill bit, ~$150

pomprocker · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2008, 11:32:55 AM »

just normal hobby robotics parts nothin huge

ArcMan · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2008, 01:51:25 PM »

I'm with ya on that one admin. If you can't afford a mini-mill, get an X-Y vise for your drill press and some end mills. You can at least machine metal parts then. It ain't pretty, but it works. I do the same thing. Harbor Freight and Enco has X-Y vises pretty cheap. I went the really cheap route. I "borrowed" it from my dad about 3 years ago.

sonictj · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2008, 01:07:06 AM »

Is there a risk of damaging a drill press by adding a side load, to preform milling, or is the force small enough to not matter.

I know this may vary from press to press. I'm just asking generally.

ArcMan · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2008, 07:40:04 AM »

IMO, you won't damage the drill press bearings with the small side loads of milling small aluminum or steel parts. The reason I know the side loads will be small is that you will not be able to impart large side loads because of chatter. On a lathe or milling operation, chatter occurs when the machine is not extremely rigid. Rigidity is the reason why lathes and mills have such heavy cast bodies and good tight slides (with gibs) and bearings. Drill presses may appear to be quite rigid, but believe me, they are not. If you try to machine too fast or take too much metal in a pass it will chatter violently (which is quite scary actually). But if you take light cuts and go slow, you can get decent results with a drill press.

Admin · « **Reply #8 on:** August 20, 2008, 05:26:36 PM »

Quote

Is there a risk of damaging a drill press by adding a side load

Yeap, there is a chance. I mill slowly, only doing small aluminum and plastic parts.

After 3 years, only the on/off button has broken . . .

paulstreats · « **Reply #9 on:** August 20, 2008, 05:34:12 PM »

Quote

Is there a risk of damaging a drill press by adding a side load

Definately, if you bend the shaft then it will drill off center as in spin in a wide arc circle (my drill is doing this at the moment, I was putting my weight behind it while screwing in a doorframe at home. It slipped and now the shaft is offset (bent slightly) from the center meaning bad. Im gonna have to get a new drill)

pomprocker · « **Reply #10 on:** August 20, 2008, 06:19:55 PM »

admin, what drill press and x,y table is that?

Admin · « **Reply #11 on:** August 20, 2008, 06:47:09 PM »

This drill press:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81631
(works pretty darn well, but the on/off switch is mostly broken)

with this X-Y table:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82389

and this vice:
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=15118
(its a really crappy vice though, I'd look around)

pomprocker · « **Reply #12 on:** August 20, 2008, 11:14:30 PM »

that looks stuff looks good, how does it compare to a craftsman or delta drill press? in other words, why did you go with that one?

javafiend · « **Reply #13 on:** August 21, 2008, 09:16:13 AM »

Found this out on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/DESKTOP-CNC-MILL-LIGHTMACHINES-LOW-PRICE_W0QQitemZ160274618462QQcmdZViewItem?

If I had the money available right now, I would probably bid on it. It doesn't look like it includes the stepper motors though.

pomprocker · « **Reply #14 on:** August 21, 2008, 09:53:04 AM »

Quote from: javafiend on August 21, 2008, 09:16:13 AM

Found this out on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/DESKTOP-CNC-MILL-LIGHTMACHINES-LOW-PRICE_W0QQitemZ160274618462QQcmdZViewItem?

If I had the money available right now, I would probably bid on it. It doesn't look like it includes the stepper motors though.

shipping costs $126.84 -_-

they tricked ya

javafiend · « **Reply #15 on:** August 21, 2008, 09:56:17 AM »

Whoa! Didn't see that

Admin · « **Reply #16 on:** August 22, 2008, 07:57:22 AM »

Quote

that looks stuff looks good, how does it compare to a craftsman or delta drill press? in other words, why did you go with that one?

Its small and cheap. I have a much larger drill press, and even a CNC, but for a '5 minute job' this was best for me.

pomprocker · « **Reply #17 on:** August 22, 2008, 09:53:57 AM »

What kind of CNC do you have/have access to?

I was looking at those too, but I dunno if I'm ready to pay up yet.

Admin · « **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2008, 11:08:14 AM »

Haas MiniMill

It's only about $100k. Not too expensive . . .

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Author Topic: Dremel Mill (Read 13747 times)

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