Need End-mill Notcher Vice Ideas.....

[VintageIronFab]

Hello All,
I really want to build a tubing notcher similar to the Mitler Bros units but $5k is a bit steep in my eyes. The thing that MB puts on some of their end mill units is a vice that allows the tubing to go up and down. It would be nice I think to use say a pair of fairly less expensive vices and one be mounted perpendicular to the other to accomplish this. You can do it a zillion ways I'm sure but I thought to just ask the group for any good alternative ideas. Just not sure there is a vice that goes up and down like I'm wanting.

Thx,
Matt

[BDKW1]

Have a lathe? Make a V-block vice for the tool post that you can shim up for off center cuts. 2 tools in one.........

[ChaseTruck754]

here's some pics I saved of a guy who set his lathe up to work as a notcher. He made a setup for each tube size. Doesn't look that hard, but I've never gotten around to doing it since I saved these pics years ago. I even have all the roughing mills sitting here from 3/4" up to 2" in 1/4" increments.

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custom lathe notcher.jpg (242.57 KiB) Viewed 1412 times

[ChaseTruck754]

looks like Brian snuck a post in there while I was uploading pics. So yeah, my pics show something similar to what Brian mentioned.

[Rmc]

I've looked into making my own mittler style notcher, it will still cost you 1000$ in parts so I don't know if it's something you'd want to persue.

Another option that's possibly cheaper is a fien brand belt notcher copy kinda thing. eBay sells x/y drill tables cheap, that mount a vise with v block jaws and fab a bracket. You would probably want to start with a 6" Chinese belt sander, make an axel to replace the roller on the end and make tubes in bar diameters. Picture a solid bar lets say 1" in diameter, graduating sleeves for tubing diameters and 2 pinch collars like used with pillow block bearings. Then run a 4" belt between the collars with the collars acting as a bent guide and axel centering device.

[Rmc]

...
What it looks like isn't important, if it does the job it's all that matters.

[Wrightracing.net]

Here are a couple pictures of my setup I have used for a few year's now. I have it setup to do 1.75" and 2.0" tubing. On big pieces of tubing over 6 ft long with any multi plane bends, it is easier to notch with the plasma cutter and clean it up with a grinder.

[Wrightracing.net]

ChaseTruck754 - yes that is your old mill - lathe

[ChaseTruck754]

I was just going to ask if it was an HF one as it's semi hard to tell from the pics. But now that you say that I remember someone on here had it. Very cool it got put to a good use.

[VintageIronFab]

I like the converting the lathe to a notcher honestly. The kicker for me is I need a good idea on making the vice be able to go up and down if possible for offset notches. I also want this to me a full time notcher and not part time mill/lathe/notcher. Is there such thing as a vice that goes x, y and z axis?

[Rmc]

Not to my knowledge, only x/y drill tables with slotted v jaws for height changes.

[ChaseTruck754]

Personally I think the slotter v jaws would work - right? I can't say I'm fabbing a ton anymore, but even when I was full bore I can't say I really did off center notching too often. Sure it comes up from time to time, so it's nice to be able to do it, but it wasn't a common occurrence for me.

[Wrightracing.net]

I used 1/8 steel plates I could add and remove to adjust the height of the tubing to the bit.

[Rmc]

I was thinking set the jaws to centerline and all diameters would be on center. If offset notches were needed use shim plates below the x/y table.

The only issue I ran into when trying to make my own machine was the spindle. I was thinking of machining my own end mill holder that would pass through a haas mill 40mm thrust bearing, with a second reduced diameter for a lovejoy coupling, then just machining a housing to hold it. Not sure if you guys could picture it but it would be something like this:
Base plate with motor mount holes and spindle block mount holes.
120vac in to 230 vac out variable frequency drive
Bison or similar 230vac gear reduction motor
1 40mm haas thrust bearing pack
1 love joy coupling to couple motor shaft and spindle shaft
I would need to make the following parts:
Base plate
Thrust bearing housing
Spindle shaft with one diameter to hold the spindle through the thrust bearing and a second reduced diameter to mate to the coupling. Picture an r8 solid holder modified. Thrust bearing standard configuration is DB but the bearings could be reversed to DF for better axial load resistance

But like I said it's still 1000$ for all these parts.

[Rmc]

Pic of the parts

[Wrightracing.net]

You are too smart for me. I just got a R8 1.25" end mill bit holder for cheap on ebay. Then 2" × 6" cobalt 8 flute roughing end mill for $60. The used mill - lathe from ChaseTruck754 for $400 with a great roller stand he made. I got the vise semi cheap, I can't remember how much. I did turn down the R8 shank to a straight shank to slide in to 3 jaw chuck.

It can be done cheaper if you are good a tracking down deals.

Now the first thing people scoff at is the Harbor Freight Mill - lathe but I have had it for 6 + years and have done 2 cages and a bunch of little projects on it and I am going to be using it to machine my own AR15 lower. Not a bad investment on the cheap.

[BDKW1]

1 40mm haas thrust bearing pack.

Those things are not sealed on both sides. There are plenty of used housings around, I would get a used one and put sealed bearings in it.

[Rmc]

Brian that's one of the reasons I thought of using a thrust bearing pack, I've got about 15 30mm packs here awaiting rebuild and 2 40mm packs. It's trash to shop owners as there is no core, but it's a perfect low speed spindle cartridge. It would be easy as you know to make a slinger ring on the back of the spindle tool shank covering the bearing access for chips. About a .020 gap and a 10psi air purge in the housing body would keep that sucker alive as long as the motor would last if no crashes. It was just a thought I had when I saw the price tag of the mittler units.

Btw (for the ones who speak bearings) the outer race preload is set by a spanner on the thrust packs outer diameter, the inner race preload would be set by the spindle nuts tension, in the DB or DF config you could really lay into that thing.

But the more I thought about it the more I leaned toward a jandy or fien belt grinder cause there only about 2300$. I say only like it's cheap but for me it's not, I just think the vfd would add cost but make a decent concept that much better and unfortunately adds 3-600$ right off the top. A set rpm machine could be built for 500$ or so I think pretty easily.

[Rmc]

Check this one out, it's a pillow block bearing for the spindle housing and it looks like a modified r8 holder directly coupled to the motor via a love joy coupling. I'm guessing it's a love joy because it's the only brightly colored motor coupling brand I know of and you can clearly see a bright color in the coupling safety guard

I have that left over 3/4 horse motor from my belt sander.... Tempting.

[Rmc]

I think it could be built for 2-300$ in parts.
3/4 horse motor
1" pillow block bearing
X/y drill table
Vise with swivel base
R8 modified holder or custom holder
End mill
On/off switch
14-3 so cord
110 20 amp plug
Scrap steel plate and square tubing
Assorted shim stock.