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Micro mill from scrap aluminum

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Micro mill from scrap aluminum
handmadeMill.jpg

Our bud Kent Barnes turned us on to this maker’s blog: Sir Richard’s Tool Kit. There are a number of nice projects here, including this sweet little micro mill made from scrap aluminum:

It was a long time in the making, but I have finally finished putting together the micro mill that I started about five years ago. It was one of those projects I started, got 95% complete, then moved on without doing the finishing touches. I made it out of scrap aluminum, some 4-40 and 1/4-20 threaded rod, 1/8″ drill rod, some pieces of Teflon and Delrin, and various screws and bolts. It was all machined on a Bridgeport mill and a lathe. The motor and chuck I salvaged from a 12 volt carving tool. It’s an import with non-standard collets, but it works fine. I made a new housing for it out of aluminum to make it easier to mount on the mill.

Micro Mill from Scratch

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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