milling attachment for a lathe

[chiliuno]

i've got a clausing colchester 13" swing lathe. where can i get a good milling attachment for it?

[chip hayden]

my feelings are unless you have a serious space problem it's not worth going that route.
years ago a company called versamill made a product that was okay but, costly. even the add-ons that the original manufacturer of the lathe made were severly limited.
i suggest you would be better off finding an old bridgeport, index, or cinncinati with as many attachments as you can find and buy it. even the cheapest chinese-prison camp mill-drills would be better than the milling attachmens for lathes.

[chiliuno]

i'm going to get a mill as soon as i move, but i could use something for the few bits of tubing that i can notch with my notcher. something simple, like maybe a vice that mounts into the t slot of my cross slide would be nice.

[IRON TO ART]

How strange I'm currently in the middle of making my own milling attachment for my 10" Atlas. Its been great fun so far. I have been watching the internet for a year trying to get a deal on one but they always go for more than I was willing to spend. The company I work for sells Palmgern but I still thought they were too pricey. I'm nearing the end of my project ans so far have made it with materials in the shop left over from other jobs so cost will end up being ZERO NADDA NIL. I'll post some photos when I'm done.

[usmcpop]

See if you can find a used Palmgren or similar milling attachment. http://www.palmgren.com/palmgren/p-m...ttachment.html
New, a Plamgren is around $200-$275. http://www.campbelltools.com/palmgren.htm

A very small Chinese version for $110 - $129.
http://www.lathemaster.com/MILLING%20ATTACHMENT.htm
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=1681

Some make their own http://www.gizmology.net/millattach.htm

[enlpck]

The first attachment you want is a good angle plate. It is amazing what you can do with just this and a vise, and you will need it when you get a mill. Expect to pay about $50 for a good solid used in about an 8"X12" (based on what my shop paid about 2 years ago)

I have never used the Palmgren, but the chinese jobs I have used don't impress me. If I had too, I would go for a traveling drill press vise and angle plate.

Sunday, there wasn't a free mill at work (both had setups on them) and someone needed to do a keyway in a stub shaft. Took 10 minutes on the 11" Logan- dogged and shimmed to the cross slide, endmill in the three jaw, feed with the cross slide screw and carrige. No attachments used at all.

[MXtras]

Some make their own http://www.gizmology.net/millattach.htm

Neat stuff on that link. I found it funny how matter-of-factly he uses electrical tape for repairs. Everyone knows that's what duct tape is for!

Thanks for the link.

Scott

[RcRacer]

I agree with enlpck. I have an attachment for my mini lathe that got used once. From that experience, I bought a mini mill. The attachement is very limited in use. If you are going to use you lathe to notch tube and stuff, just get a small vice and angle plate. That will do everything an attachment will do with a little creativity. Next get a milling machine