Author Topic: Derbyshire vertical Micromill  (Read 1540 times)

Offline Dan Rowe

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Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« on: October 04, 2019, 02:01:23 PM »
My summer vacation was much longer than planned due to the fact that the transmission of my camper van died.
It took way longer than expected for a replacement then we got underway and 150 miles later the alternator went and we were dead on the road again so we had to get the second rental car to get home.

That saga is not the point of this thread with the first rental car we stopped in downtown Boston to pick up a new and I really mean new Derbyshire vertical Micromill. The gent I bought it from bought it in 1984 and stored in his basement and never used it.

This was the best machine tool score of my lifetime. Here are some photos before I made the modifications.



It is equipped with a very nice small vice with a swivel plate and an index head with a tailstock.




The headstock and the index head take 10mm collets which have a throughput of 8mm. This is the same collet that the tailstock of my Levin lathe takes so I had a nice selection already. The heavy cast iron base is a sump for coolant but the mounting holes for the pump were never tapped the base was only a counter ballast for the motor support and motor. The base and the motor and mount weighed in at 50 pounds and then add the controller and this machine was a tiny beast.

I removed the motor and mount and base and used an aluminum plate for the base. The replacement motor is a Sherline motor and controller. Here is the new engine room.



The z-axis has a screw feed and a cam operated lever feed so it can be used as a drill press. The cam slide is spring-loaded but the weight of the motor and mount were way too much for the spring.

The Micromill is the newest addition to my house/traveling shop.

Cheers Dan

ShaylocoDan

Offline Jo

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2019, 02:16:58 PM »
That is rather nice  8)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2019, 02:26:09 PM »
Thanks Jo.
I forgot to mention that it has metric lead screws.

Cheers Dan
ShaylocoDan

Offline Jo

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2019, 03:34:02 PM »
It's no good to you then Dan  :facepalm:

I always work in metric    :mischief:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2019, 04:53:05 PM »
Beautiful little mill Dan. Great score and addition to your shop!!

Bill

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2019, 01:07:13 PM »
Jo, I have used metric and imperial lathes on the ship so I do not think I will have any problems with a metric mill. I use metric measure in the shop very often not as much as you do I would never say a piece of stock was 12.7mm.

Thanks for the comments this is a rare machine. I just sent the photos to Tony Griffiths because he did not have a photo of the vertical version of a Micromill.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/derbyshiremicromill/

Cheers Dan
ShaylocoDan

Offline steamer

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Re: Derbyshire vertical Micromill
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2019, 04:52:03 PM »
SAAAWEEEEEEET!
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

 

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