Other Smithy Owners ?

[jdk]

To milmat1: Soon as I read you entry I ran down stairs to check mine. I have a 1220 also but not the XL [low buget- midas].
I didn't take the time to put a dial on the mill but as I could tell I have very little if any movement. Plus there has never been a time that it has jumped out of gear.
VISES' I stll use the angle vise that came with mine. But I did make 1/2 plate 5Wx8L to mount the vise centered over the mill table. This make it much nicer when you try and center something under the milling tool. Took the time to mill a couple of centering lugs on the bottom of the plate so it goes in the same location when ever I return the vise to the table its very close zero x-y each time. Saves me a lot of time and head ach.
Heres one for ya!! I'd like to mount a 4" dial caliper to the face of the mill head to get a more accurate down feed reading. A fella did this to a Jet mill/drill in Feb/March issue of Mach. Workshop. But his machine has much more room to mount the Caliper to than does the Smithy. any ideas??
Thanks Jim.

[mot]

Hey Smithy owners,
Question!!!! How can You Slow a 1220 xl down, without buying a lot of extra hardware?
Sometimes speed is nice, but some fine work and threading would benifit from a slower feed. Thanks to you all, this makes winter go a lot faster. Mot

[jdk]

The best advise I can give is to buy the pulley set up that Smithy Sells. Its about 90 dollars and I can help with the part number. I have tried to use a reostat type devise to slow down the motor [rpm] of my drill press but the draw back is that it takes all fo the tourqe away from the machine too. Good luck, Jim

[davestea]

HI guys - YIKES! I didn't know you were here - don't usually look here - only in the General section also check out this forum for 3-in-1's we need some more action there too --

http://www.chaski.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php

there are several other very good forums going there also.

I have a 1220XL -

On the kennedy stand - nice stand - pretty flimsy - I had the same thing happen to two legs when in my apartment just moving a couple inches. When I moved into the house I went to Home Depot and bought that angle iron with all the holes and slots in it. Completely reenforced the WHOLE table. Looks kinda hokey but it is strong now. I put a frame around the bottom - put new legs on - put another frame around the first shelf and then bolted it all together - the legs bolt to the top of Kenedy frame.

Changes - well I am in the process of building a tumbler reverse - want to put a thread dial on but can't find any information on the size gear needed. Any help there guys? Have you seen the Frog?

http://www.emachineshop.com/frog/index.htm

Spun the drill taper in the tail stock - new tail stock taper $20 - Smithy IS good with the parts. Hint - I made a nice knurled pin and in the OLD tailstock ram drilled a 1/4" hole down through everything. The built in drill/mill made THAT really easy! Now I lock my drill chuck into tailstock and no spin. Use the new tailstock ram for other stuff now when I need a good tight fit.

Here is a something new I just figured out last night. I check this on the 3 to 2 taper adapter but should work on the 4 to 3 adapter also. Need a chuck stop? buy the 4 to 3 sleave and cut off the tang (just the tang you'll need the rest). 3/8 works for the 3-2 so I'd guess 1/2 will work great for the 4-3 (ymmv). Anyway - drill and tap for 1/2x20 or whatever - get a nice long piece of 1/2 threaded rod. Notice that you will need to drill and tap some of the open area into the internal taper (you won't need it anyway - this just gives you a nice cheap ($5) #4 taper to put into the headstock.)

The drawbar -
You will need to make a cone for the left end of the through bore to accept the 1/2 threaded rod - you'll need a nut also.

Now put the taper sleave in the headstock and lock it down with your new draw bar. You may need (or want) to take some meat of the front edge of the sleave so the chuck will fit.

Now there are a couple ways you can go -

1 - quick and dirty - use the threaded rod itself as the stop - spin it through the taper measure and lock it down - or

2 - thread it throught - put a 1/2 coupler on it with some kind of solid stop and use the collar and jam nut to adjust the stop position.

Setting is a little tricky - you have to get the taper locked in first because it moves just a little when you tighten it down - then you can adjust from the rear to the stop position and lock down.

The taper can be inserted throught the chuck so with some setup measurements first you can adjust the stop foot in your hands and feed the taper into the headstock and lock it down. You will need to measure the distance from the front end of the taper to some point on your chuck - then measure the distance from the edge of the taper to the front of the foot to set the stop distance.

glad to see you guys here - felt like a loaner here.
d

[davestea]

had my Smithy for about 8 years - doing hobby stuff - mostly home automation.

I have been using a 6" rotary table for some time now. Yikes - can't even imagine using an 8" rotary on that little Smithy table. I also have a 4" that works well.

A hint - notice on most 6" rotarys you will have a #2 taper - you can use this to mount a lot of different tooling options - you can use it for a chuck centering fixture - I like to use it for the Harbor Freight collet chuck to hold smaller work when milling. This can also be used with an adapter for turning and then transfering to the mill for other machining operations.

[OutlawSmithy]

Damn! I was beginning to think that I was the only one with a Smithy, the only one that posts, anyway. I've had mine for about 8 months and most of what I do is for making parts for Radio Control vehicles. But, like most everyone else, space dictated the 3-n-1. I'll say this much about a Smithy, it does what I want it to, tho, changing over can be a pain.
This is what I'm working on now: http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/foru...hreadid=114234
It's an 1/8th scale monster truck. Most everything, with the exception of the engine & gears were made on the Smithy, including the frame, gearcases, 2 spd trans, deep dish alloy rims. Although, this is my first project on my machine, I'm delighted with the results. When I bought this machine, it came with a video that included small "exercise" projects, and all of them useless and rather than make those useless pieces, I decided to make something useful and incorporate those "exercises" within it....and I've learned a lot doing it this way!!

By the way, davestea, I have an 8" Phase II rotary table that I use on my 1220XL and I gotta tell ya, it works out real nice!! The only real downside is lifting this 90+lb "anchor" from the bench to the table! I'm very happy with it!!

[jdk]

For "OUTLAWSMITHY'....ON YOUR 8" ROTARY TABLE your had to use some sort of mounting plate. What did you use? Something like a 1/2" plate mounted to the cross slide table. When I ordered mine I had no idea that the monster would be so heavy. Long story there so I'll head out for now. See Ya.

[OutlawSmithy]

jdk, I mount it to the cross-slide table directly, and yer right, IT IS HEAVY!! As far as securing it to the table, I use the big T-bolts & clamps that held the Smithy to the crate it came in.Tho, I did have to grind the heads of the T-bolts to fit the table slots, they work real well. As for the rotary table I find myself using it most of the time, if for nothing else, but, to elevate the work up to the quill. Plus, while making parts for radio control vehicles, largely requires turning the piece to whatever angle. Sure beats the hell out of clamping, repositioning and re-clamping. I think the only reason I didn't go for the 10" rotary table was the weight!!! 90+# is plenty thank you.

[This message has been edited by OutlawSmithy (edited 05-06-2003).]

[jdk]

"outlawsmithy"
I never even considered the material that came with my machine. I still have it too.
I'll bet with that 8" table on your cross slide you don't have to worry about clamping down the cross slide during machining. Yuk-Yuk. By the way; I checked out the r/c web site. Very nice work. see-ya, Jim

[milmat1]

"WoW" What a thread! I started this because it seemed like there was no place for us 3-1 owners, And most of the experienced machinist dismiss them pretty fast.
However as we see now there are a large number of people who have these machines and are happy with them. Great tips as well, man you guy's have come up with some great mods and ideas. Thanks for all the help !
And keep them coming ! I havn't had time here lately to play out here in the shop, And hoping to get some hobbie time in this weekend. ( if the grandson will allow it ! ha ha). Thanks again guys and keep em coming !!! MATT

[OutlawSmithy]

Well, then, I guess my timing is "dead-on-balls accurate", (it's an industry term).

Today, I went to tighten the gibs on the re ar of the table and guess what? One of 'em broke off. $#@^*& I did manage to get part of it out, but, had to take the table off the machine for the other pieces. Rather than to replace those CHEESY internal allen adjustment screws, I replaced them with 2 1/2" 8mm bolts! Much easier too adjust...and these won't break!!

Just looking at these cheesy allen screws, Smithy could have disassembled one of their machines and replaced these screws & bolts with ones of decent quality, US made! I also replaced the locking gib with a 10mm bolt, rather than to risk the same thing happening again.

I've never had a problem with JT chuck, but, I've always tightened all 3 sides on most chucks, they seem to grip better. Plus, if I use the drill, it's usually for precision drilling, anything else, I'll use my drill press. When it can no longer tighten or when it's more of a hassle to use than it's worth, I'll replace it with a Jacobs.

One other thing.....the angle vise that's included.......as far as I'm concerned, it makes a fairly good drill press vise and not much more. Tho, sometimes, it comes in handy as an "extra" pair of hands at the bench. My main vise is a 4" lockdown vise and a 4" milling vise and both come in handy, and seem to be very accurate.

[This message has been edited by OutlawSmithy (edited 05-24-2003).]

[rmatel]

Hi,
I have a 1220 LTD. In order to improve the quill depth indicating I mounted a 4" dial caliper from Grizzly to the mill head. Works great; dial is just below the height adjust knob, facing the operator. To attach it to the quill, I used a system suggested by another Smithy owner-- a finger attached to the plastic "chip guard" on the quill.
Here's the catch! Since the quill is keep from rotating by a single screw in a slot instead of a rib with gibs, there is a slight rotation to the quill under load. This enough to twist the caliper enough to cause binding, etc. Still trying to come up with a solution to allow enough play yet hold the caliper firmly to the "finger".
Until then, I am using a high tech solution, a rubber band. Ain't this game fun??

[OutlawSmithy]

milmat, how 'bout these vises from Enco: 425-7240 4" JAW WIDTH 4" LOCKDOWN VISE & JAWS $69.99? Or a 5" for $74, a 6" for $79? I bought the 4" vise and I think got a good bang for the buck! Yea, I know they're made in China, but, I can't justify $400-$600 for a Kurt.

[OutlawSmithy]

Anyone know where I can get a steady rest for my Smithy? The one that Smithy has is $189, sounds a bit high(!)....and I've given them enough money already.

[Dick Payne]

Outlaw Smithy:
I made my own steady rest and modified a follower rest I bought from Harbor Freight for $16. It was origionally for their 9x20.
If I knew how to post a picture of it I would. Send me youe e-mail address and I will send you a picture of both of them. They are for a Smithy 1220 machine.

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Dick