3 in 1 mill/drill/lathe - new bench in the making.

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I decided to build a new stand for it utilizing a chunk of 2" thick maple (52.5" X 30"). So far I've got a frame made for the wood, 2" X 1/4" flat. I'm going to put 6 round 2" legs under it (with adjustable feet)....free pipe (UPDATE, I broke down and bought some 1 3/4" X 1/8" wall square). I'll update the pics as I make progress, but what I'm really looking for is storage ideas for the tooling. If any of you guys have any great ideas or pics Of handy set ups for under the table top tool storage, it would be appreciated. I had to throw in a pic of the handle upgrade I did a while ago. Continued.....If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Here's last nights progress, got most of the frame completed, notice the cornor bracing and the adjustable feet. Also got a start on a tray to catch the swarf. I have an old set of roller lifters that I'm going to chop down and use as casters on the tray. For now, it will be a shelf on the bottom, eventually I'll have drawers for the tooling under there. Here's the pics:If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:The frame I made from 1 3/4" square tube (1/8" wall thickness). I welded some 1" nuts to the bottom of the leg, the outside diameter of the nut is the same as the frame so it should provide the support needed for the 600lb machine. When you weld them on, run the bolt all the way into the nut and drop it inside the tube. It will help line it up and protect the threads while welding then on. I lubed them up with anti-sieze. I'll put a second nut on each bolt to lock it once leveled. Here's a pic:If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Another update. I got some work done on the backsplash and tray last night. Had a piece of aluminum siding that I cleaned up and mounted and then welded the handle on the tray along with some chopped up roller lifters that should work good as casters. I may use some angle iron as a track for the tray, I'll wait until it's together to see if it's needed, here's the pics:If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:SWells, That's some FINE design and work as ususal.  I take it the angled back panel is for light mounting?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Not quite Duane, I hoping that will catch the cutting fluid and keep it from spraying on the drywall. I have an 8' flouresent that should give me all the light I need.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:OK, looking back at the photos I can now see what you mean due to the elevation of the head and bed.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:You do some nice work! And you seem to really think through things and find a way to use what you have. I like the idea of using the roller lifters as casters will have to keep that one in mind.
Reply:nice job. well thought out project. how do you like your 3 in 1?  kinda of interested in one. any likes or dislikes?
Reply:Thanks Patrick, Overall it's been a good machine and saves me some precious space. My dislikes about it are that switching tasks can be time consuming with setups and that to change speeds I have to manually swap out gears / belts. In general I'm pleased with it and the world of opportunities it opened. Eventually, I'd like to buy a seperate lathe and mill but until then this will do fine. Budget for tooling if your planning to get one, you'll be surprised how much you can spend getting the add-ons.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:yeah tooling is pretty expensive. i just missed buying a lathe. day late on finding out about it. but right now i don't have the room for one anyway. 3 in 1 would be handy. your right about new opps. i could've had a job but i was high on the fact that i have to pay someone to do the machine work. would a 14 inch diameter plate fit on it. and would it have enough muscle to machine t1 steel 3/8 thick?
Reply:Originally Posted by SWellsThanks Patrick, Overall it's been a good machine and saves me some precious space. My dislikes about it are that switching tasks can be time consuming with setups and that to change speeds I have to manually swap out gears / belts. In general I'm pleased with it and the world of opportunities it opened. Eventually, I'd like to buy a seperate lathe and mill but until then this will do fine. Budget for tooling if your planning to get one, you'll be surprised how much you can spend getting the add-ons.
Reply:Backsplash outta be fine if you're using intermittant cooling/cutting fluid.  If you decide later on to use flood cooling it'll be another story.  The wood will become an issue.The arguement about flood/mist/dry cutting will rage on long after we're all on Medicare.  It's all a matter of preference, and a matter of production expected from the cutting tool.I think you're on your way to a nice setup.  Way ahead of where you were some time ago I'll bet.  Same for me.  Things get better with time.  Cool project."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:carbide tooling is nice but it's fairly expensive. right now i'm just looking down the road for future work that might require it. opening up new doors as they say. but i'll probaly get a portable boring rig with the welding attachment on it first. there's not to many around my area but there's a need for them. of course it all comes down to money.
Reply:Carbide can increase your SFPM drastically.  It's good stuff, if like you say, you can afford it.  It's a tradeoff, or a must do if you absolutely  gotta have it.I'll buy better tooling because I'm about a million miles from nowhere, and I need something that lasts at least thru the job at hand.  The cost of regrind is not too bad, but the time that it takes to get it done is a killer.  Literally days where I live."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by patrickpyeah tooling is pretty expensive. i just missed buying a lathe. day late on finding out about it. but right now i don't have the room for one anyway. 3 in 1 would be handy. your right about new opps. i could've had a job but i was high on the fact that i have to pay someone to do the machine work. would a 14 inch diameter plate fit on it. and would it have enough muscle to machine t1 steel 3/8 thick?
Reply:something to think about.  the job is taking a plate turning it down to about 13 3/4 of an inch. then boring out the middle and adding holes for lugs. basically it's a lug plate being welded into a general purpose rim. steel costs 65.00 a plate and then another 60.00 for machining, then my costs puts me over the top. if i had a way to do it myself i could get the job.
Reply:Run a jam nut on your bolt feet to keep the leg adjustment locked in.  Vibration and a 600 pound machine wobbling around would not be good.Your custom roll-out chip tray is sized to slide under the machine between said machine's feet?  I think you are being a bit optimistic about the cutting fluid and swarf staying in between the machine's feet.Also, although I like wooden workbenches and a maple butcherblock top is nice, I wouldn't place a 600 lb machine on that wooden top without having support legs right underneath the machine's feet.  Wood bends and flexes and vibrates, and none of those things are all that good for precision machining.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Good pointers MoonRise, I planned to put a second nut on the legs. Your right about the swarf too, at best it will help with clean up (I had the tray in my scrap pile and it fit so close I had to use it). I'll keep an eye on the wood top, but it is very solid (I have another 12' of the square tube if more legs are needed). I may lag screw the bench to the wall to help minimize the vibration.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:You have two choices.  Either totally eliminate vibration by using a ridgid mount. (hard to do).  Or try to dampen the vibration by using rubber isolation grommets etc., or the very thing you have right now..... wood.  It soaks up a lot of vibration.Fully operational machine shops exist on a lot of Navy vessels under less than ideal conditions.  Vibrating floor plates, and constant motion.  They still manage to turn out precision parts.Any variances will turn up after the first part you make.  You can work around the variances by tuning in to the machine, and the mount.Buddy of mine is a machinist.  He clued me in from the get go.  Compensate for the machine,  where it's mounted, and how it's mounted.  And accept that you don't have a 100,000 CNC setup."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Here's a thought, I have some 1/8" (6" wide) flat that I could run the full width of the table (catching all the individual boards) and mount on top of that. It should spread the machine weight out better. Come to think of it I have some 1/4" that would work too...........good Idea or overkill?????If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:You could put a 6x6 pad under each leg and accomplish the same thing.  Just spread the load."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Looking good, a few things to consider, epoxy coat the that maple to seal it or else the wood will soak up the fluids and the glue joints will separate. double nut the mounts of the 3 in 1 to the table top and use silicone RTV around the bolts and under the pads when you mount it to seal the holes. Also don't forget to flame the backsplash so it matches the rest of your work areas.
Reply:Originally Posted by MrRodeoCCAlso don't forget to flame the backsplash so it matches the rest of your work areas.
Reply:Good tips, I was going to silicone the backsplash, never thought of the base. My understanding with the maple is that it is dense enough that it doesn't soak up much. That's why they can use it for cutting boards and still be able to sanitize it. There are 3 long bolts that hold all the boards together so it shouldn't seperate. I was hesitant to put a coating on it cause once I do it once....I have to keep doing it. The flamed backsplash....stay tuned! Unfortunately my compressor still isn't hooked up yet.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.Maple is used for cutting boards because it is hard and resist the cutting edges of knives, it will soak up fluids as any wood will, we had a lot of those maple work benches at work and half of them seperated after a while of having penetrating fluids, oils, greases, and hydraulic fluids, spilt on them. Just don't want to see that happen to you, especially after you have that 3 in 1 mounted on it.
Reply:I learned something thanks! It will get a good coat of epoxy first.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Hmmm, maybe 'skin' the wooden top with a 'box-top' of steel?  That would keep the cutting fluids off of and out of the wood.  Make a raised lip on the perimeter and put a drain hole/spigot/tap somewhere along the edge and you have controlled and contained the dutting fluids.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Here's last weekends update, didn't do much other than watch paint dry. Painted the frame with a black rust paint, backslpash is flat black. The top got 4 coats of clear and 2 sandings. The backsplash unbolts for when I decide to flame it up.....I miss my compressor. I have the 3 in 1 apart, may as well give it a good cleaning/grease/oil change before leveling the table and setting it up. I have 2 cheapie digital calipers that I plan to mount to the X Y movement someday. Moonrise, I just use a squirt here and there. If I ever step up to a flood system, I'll keep that in mind. The backsplash is really just to keep it off the drywall.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:I likes it!!!!! Benches like that make a pleasant work area. Now get that compressor hooked up so the flaming can begin. Good work my friend.
Reply:Originally Posted by SWellsHere's last weekends update, didn't do much other than watch paint dry. Painted the frame with a black rust paint, backslpash is flat black. The top got 4 coats of clear and 2 sandings. The backsplash unbolts for when I decide to flame it up.....I miss my compressor. I have the 3 in 1 apart, may as well give it a good cleaning/grease/oil change before leveling the table and setting it up. I have 2 cheapie digital calipers that I plan to mount to the X Y movement someday. Moonrise, I just use a squirt here and there. If I ever step up to a flood system, I'll keep that in mind. The backsplash is really just to keep it off the drywall.
Reply:Nice project Man.Have quesiton re: your 3-in-1 machine.  Are you satisfied with it's performance, tolerances, etc?  I have browsed thru Grizzly Industrial, Smithy and Shopmaster for their 3-in-1 machines.In a nutshell what are your thoughts on your machine?Thanks, Pete
Reply:Hi Pete, overall I like the 3 in 1 and the world of possibilities it opened up for me. I'm a home hobbist (not a trained machinist) working from a 2 car garage so the space savings was good too. My dislikes would be the combo machine does require more teardown and set up time when switching tasks. Also the speeds are adjusted by manually changing belts for the mill/drill and manualy swaping out gears for the lathe. I do not regret buying it, but would like to upgrade to a seperate mill and lathe someday. If you are thinking of purchasing one, budget for tooling....you can spend as much on that as the machine itself. Here's a link to my machine specs if your interested. I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have more questionshttp://www.houseoftools.com/product.htm?pid=169870If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:It's turned out really nice.  Good looks, and utility combined.Bet you'll always keep it clean! "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Another project almost completed (except the flames), got the lathe mounted (I want to get some stainless steel nuts/bolts to hold it down), oil changed and everything lubed up. Made a couple of tool racks to hold me over till I make the drawers. Here's the pics:If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:very nice work bench.  nice to keep every thing handy and close.