Mill slide for Rockwell 10" x 36" Table top

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gregrudd
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:03 am

Mill slide for Rockwell 10" x 36" Table top

Post by gregrudd »

Does anyone have a recommended mill slide for a Rockwell 10" x 36" in terms of sizes how many t-slots etc


Thanks heaps
pete
Posts: 2518
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:04 am

Re: Mill slide for Rockwell 10" x 36" Table top

Post by pete »

I'll try to give you some general pointers, but it's an almost impossible question to answer without someone owning that exact lathe. Unless it was designed and made for that lathe anything you use is going to have to be adapted to what you already have. There's already a general lack of rigidity using a lathe milling attachment, so you'd want to remove the top slide and adapt whatever attachment you find directly to the cross slide. It depends on what you want any milling attachment for as far as tee slots or it having a vise. If I were you I'd first start out by buying this book https://www.teepublishing.co.uk/books/w ... the-lathe/ Without fully understanding what might be available and how it's done your chasing your tail in trying to decide on anything that you can find that will work for your specific requirements. I already own that book so I can recommend it, just be aware that most of the books published like that were meant for and are about using the Myford lathes that are a bit smaller than yours with a 7" swing. It doesn't matter since other than the milling attachments shown in that book, the rest of the information will still apply to any size of lathe.

Most people with home shops will say just buy a small mill because it will work far better than any attachment so there useless. There correct about an actual mill working much better, but there far from useless. I've seen numerous examples of very fine work done using only a milling attachment because few at that time period could afford a real milling machine. It does take time, experience and a lot of patience to learn to properly use one though. I even bought one after buying my Bridgeport clone because for some types of work and part set up they can sometimes be easier and better to use than a real mill.
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