"Michael Koblic" wrote in message
...

"Gerald Miller" wrote in message
...
My first end mill was a highly modified, very short 3/8" drill bit
used in my unimat 3 milling setup to balance a die cast disk sander
disk.

Mine was (today!) a stubby little 4-flute 1/4" I picked in the same
auction as all the other bits and pieces. One of the flutes is chipped at
the tip so forget face milling, but it worked a treat as a side mill -
after I cut a little slot which would normally take me 4 times as long to
do otherwise and looking at the quality of the finish I was sold...

I did learn more lessons though, such as that good clamping in a vise is
necessary - I was trying to side mill one of the faces of the piece
(itself tiny - 5/16" square and 1" long) and the mill just lifted the
piece out of the vise.

When you're working on short pieces, having to machine an end, it's always a
good idea to have a second piece on the opposite end. If you're working off
parallels, the piece can even sit on the bottom of the vise, just as long as
it's there to absorb the clamping effort. That way the jaws will clamp
parallel and have much greater holding power. The pieces should be
identical in thickness , so the jaws old parallel. Keep them separated as
much as is possible for effective holding power. If you have them both on
the same side of center, it won't work worth a damn.


Also do not ignore your wife if she tells you that you are climb-milling
instead of conventional - she has been watching the same DVDs and paying
attention!

You have a keeper! Many women do not support their husbands in these
endeavors. Like you, I'm fortunate to have one that does.

Harold