Got myself a new toy... Need some tips please ! (Milling)

[zim]

Ok... Got this for a good price, so don't say get a bridgeport

It's an Ajax. Not sure which model. Google doesn't say a lot, apart from it's a beefy bridgeport copy. Damn heavy !

I'm unsure what hp the motor is, hopefully 3hp or less so that i can run it on my inverter. It's got a 48" wide table and the DRO works

Does anybody know much about these mills ? I've never touched one in my life.......

The fly press in the bottom of the picture was also with it

G

[vulcan bomber]

What specifically do you want to know? We have 5 of these at work in various disguises...

[B reg 90]

Look on Lathes.co.uk for info. Pretty sure there will be something on there.

Looks nice

Adrian

[zim]

Ideally i'd like to know what model it is and want a manual for it. What sort of age is it ?

I'd like to know what the motor is ? And can i run it on 240v 3 phase ? If not i'll get a new motor.

For the rest i guess we'll have to have a crash course (literally!) with a friend's dad.....

G

[CwazyWabbit]

There may be a plate on the motor, take a picture of it and post it here if there is.

[zim]

Sorry my pictures are a bit dark :

(The quil feed handle is missing - not sure of the proper name, need to source one)

If this helps to id the motor. There is no info plate on it :

The fan has seen better days.

G

[simonr]

They are nice machines.

Most motors can be configured in star or delta depending on the 3 phase voltage. Wire it as delta for 240v. There should be a plate / diagram inside the junction box on the motor.

Si

[CwazyWabbit]

Based on the pictures on lathes.co.uk it's either an AJT1,AJT2 or AJT3 (the difference is apparently the table size). Parts lists and manuals are available via email (for a price) from there.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/ajaxmillers/

[zim]

Si,

What would happen to my inverter if (inverter is 2.2kw):

a) the motor is more than 2.2kw ?

b) are all motors ok to be wired at 240v ?

On a slightly different question, i need to find a switch so that i flick my inverter from the lathe to this. Will a changeover switch work ? I just need to switch the 3 x wires for the motor power. The inverter then uses a 12v switching system for everything else (on / off / fwd / rev / E stop), i can sort that out easily enough.

G

http://www.electricmotorsandinverters.com/pdf/TECO2SpecificationSheet.pdf

[CwazyWabbit]

Not being Si but have played in this area a little.

Most motors can be wired in star or delta, not all motors have the various wiring points accesible though, some have these joints buried in the windings of the motor but it is still possible to dig these out and rewire them (I have done so).

First thing to check is that it is a simple single speed motor.

Also have a look in your inverter manual, it is quite likely that it has overload protection so should shut down if the motor is too large a drain on it .... but have a read

[simonr]

A) Nothing. It will just limit the torque of the motor a bit - but you won't notice the difference.

B) None of them will be damaged if you connect it to 240 if its wired for 415 - it will just loose torque. I had almost the same motor on a previous mill. Open up the box on the motor and it should explain how to change the wiring from 415 (star) to 240 (delta)

C) I don't understand why you need a changeover switch at all. Just connect the power to all your appliances and switch whichever you want to use on, on the machine. The machine itself should have an on off reverse switch.

Si

[integerspin]

Mine looks the same and is an AJT3, mail the serial number to

Ajax and they will tell you when it's birthday is..

You don't really need the feed handle thingie, I take mine off to

get at the bolt head behind it and often forget to put it back, I

don't think I have ever used it.

The motor is tiny! Mine has what looks like your normal 3hp or so

motor, about 12 inches tall. There isn't an ID plate on my motor, but

I run it from a rotary converter so the size isn't an issue.

Having reverse is pretty useful.

[simonr]

Having reverse is pretty useful.

If you want to reverse any 3 phase motor, just swap two of the wires / phases round - doesn't matter which two.

You don't really need the feed handle thingie,

Personally, I did use mine more than the lever on the side. I guess it depends whether you just want to use it as a big drill press or as a mill.

If you want to, say, for example clear a large flat area, being able to wind the quill down to the required height, then turn the X & Y axis handles is easier than having to hold the lever to keep the quill in position and turn the other two handles - unless you have three hands? Granted, you can do it by locking the quill in the required position - but it's less convenient.

Similarly if you need to move the quill a tiny amount, or use the auto drive on the quill (lever below the feed handle to engage, selector on left hand side to change speed), say for very slowly drilling big holes, it's better to have the handle to set the initial position. Mine had a vernier on the handle for accurate depth plus the stops (as yours has) for course adjustment.

Si

[vulcan bomber]

I've never used the small wheel on a quill, i always use the big handle...

First lesson in milling is wind the table up, not have the quill hanging out. The quill's only really there for drilling, reaming and boring, not so you can be lazy and leave the table near the bottom of its travel. The worst thing in the world is having a milling cutter flapping i the wind. To set a depth for drilling set the quill stopso you have roughly the right amount of movement and then wind the table up to the correct possition.

[zim]

Thanks for the replies

I guess my next question will be about collets. I'll have a proper look when i'm in the garage later, but a quick look on google and they look like some form of ER collet system.

Unfortunately today i shall be getting my 4.6 p38 megasquirt running.

G

[LandyManLuke]

I don't know the ajax machine, but on my bridgeport it's been no big deal to remove the original (broken) motor and replace it with a standard IEC framesize motor, wound 240v delta/415v star, running in delta on an inverter. I've rewired start/stop/direction through the original switches, using the inverter's 24v inputs.

Note, not all motors are wired star/delta, some are wired star/star, both windings being 415v, but giving different speeds. Running either of these windings on 240v will give a poorly fluxed motor, producing poor torque as Si has mentioned.

Going to town, with a decent inverter, it's possible to parameterise the inverter for two seperate motors, then use an input connected through an aux terminal on a contactor (for example) to switch the inverter parameters automatically, between two machines. This gives independent control of ramps, setpoints etc.

Luke

[zim]

My inverter can't do that. It's only got 1 set of settings.

They are ER32.

Can someone tell me what this type of collet holder is please, as in what is my quil ? 30int ?

[integerspin]

If you want to reverse any 3 phase motor, just swap two of the wires / phases round - doesn't matter which two.

Reverse instantly for tapping , so you really want the reverse switch wired to the inverter.

Personally, I did use mine more than the lever on the side. I guess it depends whether you just want to use it as a big drill press or as a mill.

I use the knee. Not to say I don't occasionly drop the quill if I need a quick change in height,

like to drop a tool into a hole, if I am expecting to have to do it again and again and can't be

arsed raising and lowering the knee, but I try not to. There again I am winging all this.

That looks like an Int30 collet chuck, not that I have ever seen int30;-) I have int40 and BT35. From memory The fat bit[of the taper] of int40 is 1-3/4", int35 1-1/2" and int30 1-1/4". I would guess that collet chuck is ER32. ER32 collets are roughly 32mm OD, I think they may be 33mm? I

have a few ER40, they are roughly 40mm OD, so I supect that's what the numbering is all about. I

use mostly ER32 collets, I do have a couple of clarksons I have picked up over the years, but as I

prefer carbide mills they are not[the clacksons] used a huge amount.

[vulcan bomber]

yes thats a 30 international taper with 32er collets, a verygood collet system, and well used in industry.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

I have a huge beaver (stop sniggering) turret mill uses 30 int taper stuff appears on eBay cheap as big current type of fitting but common old stuff

I removed the 3 phase and popped a Clarke 3hp motor single phase on it years ago as the invertor I was trying saw big power drop

I had the table motors reset to run single phase being small power the drop was equally small

I have used one of those you have and they are good solid bits of kit

Auto jumbles are good for cutters drills etc I bought a whopping box if stuff at old sodbury last year !!!

N

[zim]

Thanks.

I have a fair few end mills and slot drills, but not a lot else. A few slitting saws but no arbour for them. Neither do i have an adapter to hold MT drill bits. The majority of my drills are MT2 / MT1 but got a few bigger MT3. Suppose i'll also need some normal drill bit chucks........ All money though

G

[vulcan bomber]

Put your drills into er collets,saves winding the table down a mile to drill a hole.

[ejparrott]

Now all you need is Mach3...and with a INT30 spindle you can have a toolchanger too!

[vulcan bomber]

Now all you need is Mach3...and with a INT30 spindle you can have a toolchanger too!

If your wallets big enough you can have a tool changer on the R8 spindle that IIRC works alot like the locking collar on the old Interacts.

[B reg 90]

Thanks.

I have a fair few end mills and slot drills, but not a lot else. A few slitting saws but no arbour for them. Neither do i have an adapter to hold MT drill bits. The majority of my drills are MT2 / MT1 but got a few bigger MT3. Suppose i'll also need some normal drill bit chucks........ All money though

G

You start off thinking the machines the expensive bit... Then you start buying the tooling. Next thing you have spent £££

Very easy to do!