Finally setting up my mill...

[D-train]

I have finally gotten to set up my mill. It's going in the work room in the basement. I've built the bench for it. It's a wood top bench.
1.)So my first question is will I regret this with chips snagging and embedding themselves into it? I would assume that if I run a brush or better-yet vacuum them up... I won't have an issue.
2.)Second question... As I definitely want to keep a clean shop and NOT track chips upstairs. Will a shopvac be a smart option? I don't want to "blow chips off of my workpiece".


Thanks for your input!

Mark

 

[BukitCase]

My mill's in a corner of my wood shop (for now) - I keep a shop vac close (for non-magnetic material) usually with a crevice tool (higher air velocity) - for magnetic material I have a couple of magnetic pickup tools I position as close as possible to the tool. Here are a couple of my solutions including a 30" wide floor sweep -

Long Reach Magnetic Pickup Tool with Quick Release

Amazing deals on this Long Reach Magnetic Pickup Tool W/ Release at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

30 In. Magnetic Sweeper with Wheels

Amazing deals on this 30In Magnetic Sweeper With Wheels at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I also use the floor sweep over gravel (welding area) to clean up after using my mag drill, works great... Steve

 

[cvairwerks]

To help keep from tracking chips into the house, keep and use a separate pair of shoes when around the milling machine. Don't wear the milling shoes anywhere but the shop. Also wear a shop apron to reduce getting any swarf onto you work clothes.

 

[ItsNemo]

To help keep from tracking chips into the house, keep and use a separate pair of shoes when around the milling machine. Don't wear the milling shoes anywhere but the shop. Also wear a shop apron to reduce getting any swarf onto you work clothes.

Apron's are not advisable, lots of risk of getting snagged...short sleeve coveralls are better.

 

[cvairwerks]

Nemo: A properly worn apron is not a problem around a milling machine or a lathe. If you are getting close enough to get snagged in one, then you need to reevaluate what you are doing. Floppy sleeves, uncontrolled long hair and inappropriate glove usage are a heck of a lot more dangerous.

 

[larry_g]

I would suggest that you get some formica or masonite to cover the top of your bench. One of our discount woodsellers used to sell damaged kitchen countertops that make good hard surface benches.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ItsNemo]

Nemo: A properly worn apron is not a problem around a milling machine or a lathe. If you are getting close enough to get snagged in one, then you need to reevaluate what you are doing. Floppy sleeves, uncontrolled long hair and inappropriate glove usage are a heck of a lot more dangerous.

They're one more thing to get snagged, most have loose ties floating around somewhere (even if in the back). The one thing to avoid at all costs around machine equipment is anything loose which I'm sure you know.

 

[cvairwerks]

They're one more thing to get snagged, most have loose ties floating around somewhere (even if in the back). The one thing to avoid at all costs around machine equipment is anything loose which I'm sure you know.

Yep ties, earbud cords and the most stupid reason of all....trying to clear swarf with the tool or chuck rotating........

 

[D-train]

I have a magnetic sweeper. I thought about dedicated shoes. I was going to get a leather apron with no pockets. I figured that cuttings would hook to a cloth apron more. ...and definitely ties it in the back.

 

[catalytic]

Consider adding guards (walls) around your mill to the degree that you can without limiting access to the table/work (or make removable ones).

Chips get everywhere. It is extremely difficult to work at a mill and not come home with them all over your shoes, as well as some on your socks (and this is what I get in a super clean shop that makes everyone clean their workstation after every job).

The suggestion to switch shoes was a good one too.

 

[Rabid Badger]

They're one more thing to get snagged, most have loose ties floating around somewhere (even if in the back). The one thing to avoid at all costs around machine equipment is anything loose which I'm sure you know.

If it's good enough for Tom Lipton....

https://www.youtube.com/@oxtoolco

 

[BTL-A4]

I'd recommend putting a metal top on the table. It's easier to wipe down and metal won't get embedded in it. On the floor I have a mat with holes in it that catches most of the chips.

 

[rbgearz]

Get a shop vac with a large hose because they will plug up in a hurry if you do a lot of milling...or use a broom and dust pan for the majority of it. My lathe swarf really plugs it up if I'm not careful.

 

[LopezBart]

Keeping the ways and quill oiled + periods of disuse often means there's some oil that escape the machine. Sealing the wood with (epoxy + ) polyurethane will help keep it looking nice over time. I find baking trays handy to keep drills I'm using on repetitive operations from going walk-about; on my Bridgeport I use a disk drive magnet to keep the tray on the narrow X table.

 

[rbgearz]

A large magnet with a ziploc bag over it does a good job too for steel shavings.

 

[Maui]

A word of warning - if you use a shop vac to remove the chips from the mill bed, the hose will eventually get clogged with these chips at some point and reduce your ability to vacuum them up. This happened to me with the small shop vac I used to remove the chips from my lathe bed. And they can be a real pain to clear because the sharp edges of the chips cause them to be lodged into the walls of the hose. But after going through this once or twice you get an idea of how frequently you will need to take off the hose and clean it out.

 

[MushCreek]

Running a mill is like frying bacon- Don't do either one naked. The face mills and fly cutters are the worst. I have a nice 3" Sandvik face mill that cuts like butter, but it flings HOT chips all over. Hot enough that they stick to bare skin. I made a couple guards out of angle iron and Lexan that sit on the table as scatter shields. Suckers still bounce all over the place.