Newbie

[mfslater]

Restoring a Benchmaster vertical mill, got a Chinese lathe and mill and all the usual stuff in FL, USA and a couple of Myfords and a DW mill in Lucerne, Switzerland. Interested in gauges 1 and 3 live steam locomotive construction.

[Jon]

Hi mfslater - welcome to HomemadeTools.net

What's next up on your projects list?

[mfslater]

Hi mfslater - welcome to HomemadeTools.net

What's next up on your projects list?

As I mentioned, restoring my Benchmaster MV-1 mill. There are only the official exploded drawings from the manufacturer's original brochures on the Yahoo usergroup site and these lack any info on small parts that can be remade (collars, spindles, etc.). I.e. all the parts that wear out and are NLA new.

regards

mfs

[kbalch]

Hi mfslater,

Welcome!

The Benchmaster project sounds interesting - how about some pics?

Ken

[DIYer]

Welcome to the forums, mfslater. That mill restoration projects is interesting. Do post photos of what you're doing to it.

[mfslater]

Hi Listmates

OK, I'll take some pics today (also to see if I can do it based on the instructions given here). I'll start with the cabinet as the rest is a tidy pile of individual bits. I'm in Punta Gorda, by the way.

mfs

[DIYer]

Looking forward to those pics, mfs!

[mfslater]

Hi Listmates

In response to overwhelming demand (2), here are three pics of the Benchmaster stand restoration. Color is RAL 6011, "Reseda green", oil-based and supplied OTC by S-W, inside is painted "almond" also supplied by S-W.

The casters are 5" diameter from HF, bolted to a couple of layers of scrap builder's ply. For reasons of stability, I should probably have made the larger pieces out of one solid sheet covering the entire undersurface of the shelf, but I didn't have any to hand and it isn't really necessary. The thinking behind this is that the mill will only be on its casters when I move it from A to B in the garage/shop. When the mill (on its stand) is where I want it, I will raise it 3/4" using a small, wheeled jack and slip a couple of 4"-wide strips of 1/2"-thick ply under both sides and then lower it and roll out the jack. The mill will never stand or be stored on the casters for any length of time.
The casters protrude about 1/4" below the lower edge of the stand, which seems to handle any minor floor imperfections.
I intend to line the top surface of the inner shelf with a sheet of mdf glued onto thin battens to raise it above the bolt hex. heads.

.

mfs

[DIYer]

Thanks mfslater! We've added your Mill Stand to our Dollies and Stands category, as well as to your builder page: mfslater's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Mill Stand by mfslater

tags: portable, stand, mill, caster(s)