# First milling project.



## darrin1200 (Feb 4, 2022)

Got to use my milling attachment yesterday.
When I got rid of the little Taig lathe, I kept the milling attachment that was with it. I made T-nut for the compound slide, from a chunk of steel in my bin, using my portable and files.

I know it’s only a chunk of hdpe, but I needed a new insert foot for the leg on our Murphy bed.
Not a difficult project, but fun. 
The fins were copied from the original, and were intended to act as a means of keeping the foot in the square tube. Unfortunately this fins were to stiff, and the foot ended wedging halfway in and breaking. 

I made a second one without fins. I realized the square tube had round corners. So I made the insert portion of the foot to the exact hole size (-.010”), and left the corners square. This caused the perfect, press in, friction fit. Sorry, no pictures of the second one.

It worked well, but I’m not sure how solid the setup will be when I start milling metal. More incentive for a mill, but it works. I have to make a few pen clips in the next couple of week, we’ll see how the mill attachment helps.


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## Susquatch (Feb 4, 2022)

Looks very interesting. 

Please tell us a little more about the components of that "milling" setup and how it all works. I'm very curious.


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## darrin1200 (Feb 4, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> Looks very interesting.
> 
> Please tell us a little more about the components of that "milling" setup and how it all works. I'm very curious.


The milling attachment is for the Taig micro lathe.
1220 Milling Attachment or on Amazon.ca for about $80CAD.
combined with the Taig milling vice
1225Milling Vice

The vice has two Allen screws that travel through the aluminum body, to attach to the T-slots on the Taig Cross-slide. I just shaped a block to fit my compound slide, in place of the QCTP. 
It has about 2" of vertical travel. I don't think it would be solid enough to mill large steel blocks, but for the aluminum, bronze and the small steel pieces I want to work, it should be fine. 

These came with the little lathe I just got rid of. You could could probably set this up for about $120 off amazon.
You could get one, a little more robust on Amazon, but it would be double the cost. This was the cheapest I found, from India
For me this, is just a temp fix until I save up the funds to get a small mill, possible a CX600.


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## combustable herbage (Feb 4, 2022)

darrin1200 said:


> The milling attachment is for the Taig micro lathe.
> 1220 Milling Attachment or on Amazon.ca for about $80CAD.
> combined with the Taig milling vice
> 1225Milling Vice




I had made something similar but not as rigid as yours and I was able to do aluminum quite well, I never tried any steel, but I think light cuts on small stuff you'd be ok.  I like the setup the vise is so cute and looks like its a pretty quick swap nice work!


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## Susquatch (Feb 4, 2022)

darrin1200 said:


> The milling attachment is for the Taig micro lathe.
> 1220 Milling Attachment or on Amazon.ca for about $80CAD.
> combined with the Taig milling vice
> 1225Milling Vice
> ...



Thank you! 

I won't call it cute. But "SWEET" works just fine for me! 

I like it.


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## combustable herbage (Feb 4, 2022)

Susquatch said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I won't call it cute. But "SWEET" works just fine for me!
> 
> I like it.



Come on big guy show your sensitive side


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## Susquatch (Feb 4, 2022)

combustable herbage said:


> Come on big guy show your sensitive side



NO!


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## darrin1200 (Feb 4, 2022)

If it works???
I’ll take cute or sweet.


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