straight shank vs. dedicated shank milling tools

[tyrone shewlaces]

Since budget is such a significant concern for the O.P., then I'd say go for a straight-shank cutter simply because if you get a different mill later with a different spindle taper, you can still use it.

[Paul Alciatore]

I'd like to see that. Can you post a photo?

My power draw bar is a butterfly impact afixed atop the drawbar with a spring to lift it when not in use.
I have never had to tap the drawbar since I installed the impact!!!

THANX RICH

[dalee100]

Having drill chucks on a 5/8" straight shank is just fine.
I might use a 3/4" shank for slit saw arbors and shell
mills. A straight shank in a collet is a better fuse than
binding up and ruining a R-8 adapter. OK to have a
boring head on a straight shank too. It is OCD tendencies
that make one transfixed on having a taper arbor.
Get over it and see how fine straight shank tooling works.
It is not a 50 flange taper for all sakes.

--Doozer

Hi,

Yep +1. Not to mention that a Bridgeport sized machine doesn't have enough where-with-all to even get that hard on straight shanked tools. The machine itself will start hopping around long before you will get enough deflection from the tool to be worried about.

Save some money, buy cheaper straight shanks.

dalee

[bandsawguy]

I use a ratcheting box end wrench on mine. Seems to work well and 90% of the time I can just tap the end of the drawbar with the side of the wrench and it pops free.

[Doozer]

Having drill chucks on a 5/8" straight shank is just fine.
I might use a 3/4" shank for slit saw arbors and shell
mills. A straight shank in a collet is a better fuse than
binding up and ruining a R-8 adapter. OK to have a
boring head on a straight shank too. It is OCD tendencies
that make one transfixed on having a taper arbor.
Get over it and see how fine straight shank tooling works.
It is not a 50 flange taper for all sakes.

--Doozer

[Toolguy]

The way to get the tooling to pop out is have a captive drawbar. By having a means of keeping the top from going up, the tooling must go down. With manual or powered drawbar, this pushes the tool out of the taper when the drawbar is unscrewed. No hammering required.

[v860rich]

I found that you can't "torque" the draw bar down, once I figured out how tight I needed to make it, and not have ant tooling loosen up, I have not had a problem.
It really tales a lot less tightening than one might think.
Also I have removed the pin from my quill so there is no assist from it, just the torque fron the p/drawbar.

THANX RICH

[MichaelP]

I had the same problem with the DIY butterfly impact wrench based power draw bar.

But whatever power unit you're going to install, keep in mind that you'll need to uninstall it every time you use a right angle or some other BP attachment.

[Randy]

I have never had to tap the drawbar since I installed the impact!!!

Interesting. I just recently built a power drawbar unit, and a few tools still get stuck in the spindle. A real pain since there's no room to tap! Maybe I'll try polishing the spindle taper and the offending tools. Any other ideas?

[v860rich]

My power draw bar is a butterfly impact afixed atop the drawbar with a spring to lift it when not in use.
I have never had to tap the drawbar since I installed the impact!!!

THANX RICH

[Tony]

yes I always need to smack my tooling out.
loosen with hammer-wrench, flip to brass side, one tap and its out.

Though I think its time for a new drawbar, I've shortened a few times, I think I only have 3/8" engagement so those
little taps add up, deforming the first few threads over time.

I'd be interested to hear how the air/electric impact driver guys get the bar out -- is the just action of using
an impact driver enough to simply get the works loose? No tap required?

[davidh]

I am using a dewalt 1/4" hexchuck battery impact driver. . . an adapters and a socket, works great altho I still have to smack it most of the time with a soft hammer. maybe a 1/4" plate affixed to the bottom of the battery would work instead of the hammer.. .. anyone else try that ?

[gcude]

I used a ratchet/socket for quite a while. Then I got an air ratchet. It was a bit unhandy with the air hose. Finally went to an air drawbar. Such a big difference! Have one on both mills now.
I also have the Tormach tool system on the mill with SWI retro fit CNC. So far it has been a good set-up for that mill. But for manual milling the Tormach tooling can pull out of the collet with too heavy a feed/cut.
R-8 shank tooling is much more ridged. And for some operations is preferred. You have to judge which is better for each job. That's why I keep both on hand.

The cheap little butterfly-impact at HF, $14.99-$29.99 depending on sales and coupons, is one of the best bang-for-the-buck things you can buy for yourself. Drawbar is no longer drudgery, just a quick second to engage or disengage a collet. Try it, you will not only like it, I guarantee that you will love it. The butterfly-impact is well suited to holding in the palm of your hand while working. The one I got at HF also had a builtin swivel for the air hose connection, making it even easier to deal with.

[krutch]

I used a ratchet/socket for quite a while. Then I got an air ratchet. It was a bit unhandy with the air hose. Finally went to an air drawbar. Such a big difference! Have one on both mills now.
I also have the Tormach tool system on the mill with SWI retro fit CNC. So far it has been a good set-up for that mill. But for manual milling the Tormach tooling can pull out of the collet with too heavy a feed/cut.
R-8 shank tooling is much more ridged. And for some operations is preferred. You have to judge which is better for each job. That's why I keep both on hand.

[Tony]

wow, that mechanical quick change system is something else. I watched the youtube "installation" video -- now I see why
its so expensive.

Arthur -- ratchet.. thats an interesting idea, I'll have to try it. Right now I've got a double ended hammer, socket on one
face, brass on the other.