Harbor Freight 44991 mill is mine... so what do I need?

[anvilring]

to go with it that is?? It "looks" like the same one on Terry Primo's site for his mortised tang demo. So where'd Terry get the cool little vise he's got that piece of wood clamped in for the fly cutter? Is'nt he useing a 44991 in hte demo? Where or what should I get for a vise??
On the page ( http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44991 ) where the mill is shown are some accessories I think J. Higgins said I'd need: the collet set top right of the page yes?? is this a fairly good set? fair price?? And what of the clamp attachment for $24.00? I thought shipping was going to be horendous but it's just $7.50 shipping for the 150lb. machine!!! I'm getting a dust collector too; same shipping cost.

any thoughts appreciated... regards,
mitch

 

[rlinger]

Good for you. It will become one of your most essential tools in knife making. The bad news is restart saving money up for tooling. Mills are very expensive to tool. The list of tooling for milling machines is endless, however for knife making there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have the Grizzley version of your mill. I love it and would not do without her unless I could someday graduate to a Bridgeport.

You will be wanting a good precision chuck, collets in sizes from 1/4 to 1/2 inch (you can use 3/4 tooling with that mill even though they recommend 1/2 inch as the largest to use), good drill bits (I buy cobalt), and end mills, at least one decent swivel vise, and I can't off hand remember what else. I usually by my tooling from ENCO (www.use-enco.com ). Oh yes, be sure to get a set of parallels and a clamping set. You'll need a brass hammer too for loosening the draw bar. I could go on but will leave the rest to the real machinists to better advise you.

RL

 

[Fox]

Mitch, I believe Terry once said his mill was a Taig from Uncle Al at Riverside Machine. I think he said he got his vice, fly cutter and other tooling from Uncle Al as well.

 

[Mike Hull]

MSC is another place for tooling. I've dealt with them for years, and it's always been a pleasure.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm

Call the toll free number and order their catalog(it's free), but make sure to tell them you're a knifemaker. Then hire a forklift to help you get the catalog off the truck when it arrives.

On end mills, the most useful are the centercutting end mills. You can cut downwards, as well as laterally.

You won't have much room on the table of that mill, but get a "good" machinists vise if you can find one to fit.
Be careful ordering them, they look small in the photo's, but even some of the 4" MV's can be bigger than the table. Look at the measurements carefully.

 

[jhiggins]

Mitch,

MSC gets my vote. They will offer you a variety of good components. Be sure to have a look at Littlemachineshop.com. They have everything specifically-designed for your machine... even a power feed! I wholeheartedly recommend taking the whole thing apart and reassemble if you are mechanically-inclined. Just smoothing off the rough burrs on the ways and other components will save you some grief (and blood loss) in the long run. The sharp edges on some of the import machines can lay you to the bone real quick.