I just added a Clausing 8540 horizonal mill to my shop. It seems to
be in good condition. The lead screws have about 15 thou backlash
and everything seems to run ok. The table has lots of dings and
some coolent stains but nothing serious.

I also have a Rockwell combo horizontal/vertical mill that I have
been using for awhile. I have used the horizonal a small amount.
I have mostly used it with an endmill to machine from the back instead
of the top. It is also great for cutting keyways; The #30 spindle
is very rigid and runs woodruff cutters well. I have used it with
the arbor and a thin milling cutter like a saw to cut some 3/16 brass
plate. (yea, I need a bigger bandsaw).

Its interesting to compare the rockwell and clausing horizontal mills.

I really like the power feed on the clausing. Its quiet, runs off the
main motor so it stops when the machine stops. The limit buttons are
simple and there are no cables hanging around. My rockwell does not have
any power feed but they did offer an electric one that seemed to be "ok".
I have used electic power feeds and they do the job but keep going
when the machine is shut off. Also the stock rockwell power feed
removes the right handwheel. That would annoy me!

The rockwell has 6.75 inchs of Y travel and the clausing only has 5.
MAJOR difference. I think the rockwell has a bit more knee travel as well
but I don't know yet if that will be significant.

The clausing runs smoothly and the variable speed is nice. No belt
changing like the rockwell. The clausing back gears are also very
quiet while the rockwell back gears are pretty loud. (I checked them
and they are in good shape). The downside is that the clausing
variable speed system is somewhat problematic and can be VERY expensive
to repair if problems are not promptly discovered and repaired.

The clausing arbor is about 2 inchs shorter than a standard arbor
and finding a used one is tough. Too bad, because Bison sells standard
#30 arbors for about 100 bucks via (penntool).

Optional vertical head for the rockwell is great! My only complaint
is the lack of a quill spring. It works well but changing from
horizontal mode to vertical is a royal PIA. You have to remove
the horizontal overarm (3 diameter rod) and install the vertical
head which is even heavier than the horizontal ram.

I have seen bridgeport heads added to machines and that seems like
an interesting project for the clausing. They I could use the power feed
in vertical mode too. Only downside is the correct size bridgeport
head would have MT2 taper and all my tooling is R8.

Both machines are too short and I think they need to be lifted up a
about 4-6 inchs to get a comfortable working position (I'm tall).

Rockwell has 200 thou/rev leadscrews where the clausing has 100 thou
per reveloution leadscrews. If you are use to bridgeports you will
like the rockwell, but I think 100 thou/rev is better.

Any other opinions?
chuck

Whadja pay?
----------------------------
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"Charles A. Sherwood" wrote in message
...

I just added a Clausing 8540 horizonal mill to my shop. It seems to
be in good condition. The lead screws have about 15 thou backlash
and everything seems to run ok. The table has lots of dings and
some coolent stains but nothing serious.

I also have a Rockwell combo horizontal/vertical mill that I have
been using for awhile. I have used the horizonal a small amount.
I have mostly used it with an endmill to machine from the back instead
of the top. It is also great for cutting keyways; The #30 spindle
is very rigid and runs woodruff cutters well. I have used it with
the arbor and a thin milling cutter like a saw to cut some 3/16 brass
plate. (yea, I need a bigger bandsaw).

Its interesting to compare the rockwell and clausing horizontal mills.

I really like the power feed on the clausing. Its quiet, runs off the
main motor so it stops when the machine stops. The limit buttons are
simple and there are no cables hanging around. My rockwell does not have
any power feed but they did offer an electric one that seemed to be "ok".
I have used electic power feeds and they do the job but keep going
when the machine is shut off. Also the stock rockwell power feed
removes the right handwheel. That would annoy me!

The rockwell has 6.75 inchs of Y travel and the clausing only has 5.
MAJOR difference. I think the rockwell has a bit more knee travel as well
but I don't know yet if that will be significant.

The clausing runs smoothly and the variable speed is nice. No belt
changing like the rockwell. The clausing back gears are also very
quiet while the rockwell back gears are pretty loud. (I checked them
and they are in good shape). The downside is that the clausing
variable speed system is somewhat problematic and can be VERY expensive
to repair if problems are not promptly discovered and repaired.

The clausing arbor is about 2 inchs shorter than a standard arbor
and finding a used one is tough. Too bad, because Bison sells standard
#30 arbors for about 100 bucks via (penntool).

Optional vertical head for the rockwell is great! My only complaint
is the lack of a quill spring. It works well but changing from
horizontal mode to vertical is a royal PIA. You have to remove
the horizontal overarm (3 diameter rod) and install the vertical
head which is even heavier than the horizontal ram.

I have seen bridgeport heads added to machines and that seems like
an interesting project for the clausing. They I could use the power feed
in vertical mode too. Only downside is the correct size bridgeport
head would have MT2 taper and all my tooling is R8.

Both machines are too short and I think they need to be lifted up a
about 4-6 inchs to get a comfortable working position (I'm tall).

Rockwell has 200 thou/rev leadscrews where the clausing has 100 thou
per reveloution leadscrews. If you are use to bridgeports you will
like the rockwell, but I think 100 thou/rev is better.

Any other opinions?
chuck

On 29 Mar 2005 19:40:06 GMT, (Charles A.
Sherwood) wrote:

Both machines are too short and I think they need to be lifted up a
about 4-6 inchs to get a comfortable working position (I'm tall).

I put my 8540 on 6x6 timbers. Works great.

Gunner


Lathe Dementia. Recognized as one of the major sub-strains of the
all-consuming virus, Packratitis. Usual symptoms easily recognized
and normally is contracted for life. Can be very contagious.
michael

I cut some metal with the clausing 8540 last night.

It didn't take long to realize the merits of the double overarm
bars vs the single larger overarm bar of the rockwell. With the
double bar, you can put the outboard bearing away from the arbor
to change cutters. When you are done, you just slide it back in
and you don't have to align anything. With the single bar, you
usually have to rotate the bar a bit to line up the outboard
bearing. Rotating a tiny bit can be a challenge because once
it starts turning it over shoots.

The clausing seems like a well designed little machine.
Horizontal mills really rock when it comes to making chips.

chuck

On 30 Mar 2005 15:49:27 GMT, (Charles A.
Sherwood) wrote:

I cut some metal with the clausing 8540 last night.

It didn't take long to realize the merits of the double overarm
bars vs the single larger overarm bar of the rockwell. With the
double bar, you can put the outboard bearing away from the arbor
to change cutters. When you are done, you just slide it back in
and you don't have to align anything. With the single bar, you
usually have to rotate the bar a bit to line up the outboard
bearing. Rotating a tiny bit can be a challenge because once
it starts turning it over shoots.

The clausing seems like a well designed little machine.
Horizontal mills really rock when it comes to making chips.

chuck

It is. Now find a nice sharp 3" helical slab mill and a nice chunk of
cold rolled. Instant chip shower. Even more fun with Aluminum.

Btw...chips from a horizontal miller are nasty and tend to be sharp as
hell, particularly from a slab mill. Think of some ways to control
your chips before you track razor sharp long thin scalpels around the
house. I cut a chunk of 1/4" lexan so it fits the "chip end" of the
table and hold it on with the T slots. It really helps keep the
chips from winding up on the far side of the shop.

Now if I could only figure out a good way to do the same on the
shaper....sigh

Been there done that.

Gunner

Lathe Dementia. Recognized as one of the major sub-strains of the
all-consuming virus, Packratitis. Usual symptoms easily recognized
and normally is contracted for life. Can be very contagious.
michael

Gunner wrote:

snip

Now if I could only figure out a good way to do the same on the
shaper....sigh

Been there done that.

Gunner

I've used a 5 gallon bucket suitably positioned in front, on its side.
I was thinking about pairing it up with defunct Sears shopvac canister
that had casters and making a telescoping sheet metal duct connection,
but the shopvac got tossed. Those shaper shavings are like little sand
burrs, they stick into everything and are really hard to get gone. The
shaper tosses them halfway across the basement, too.

Stan

It is. Now find a nice sharp 3" helical slab mill and a nice chunk of
cold rolled. Instant chip shower. Even more fun with Aluminum.

This is where you need to start considering HP. A 3 inch cut in steel
could require more that the 1.5 HP motor on the clausing. Seems like
coolent would be very nice to have too.

I used the old Brown and sharp horizontal at the local college and
I could make lots of smoke milling 1.5 inch steel.

chuck