Sherline 5000 Mill Assembly Instructions

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VERTICAL MILLING MACHINE OPERATION
CAUTION!
READ ALL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY MACHINING OPERATIONS.
NOTE: See pages 4 through 18 for setup, lubrication and
general machining instructions. Read Safety Rules for
Power Tools on page 3 before operating machine.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
At first glance, a vertical mill looks similar to a drill press,
but there are some important design differences; for
example, the mill has a spindle that can take side loads as
well as end loads and an accurate method of moving work
in relation to the spindle on all three axes. It is wise to
memorize these “X,” “Y” and “Z” axes, because, since
the advent of complex electronically controlled milling
machines, these terms have become common “shop talk,”
even outside engineering departments. Feed screws with
calibrated handwheels control movements on these three
axes. The handwheel calibrations are quite accurate and
should be used whenever possible.
Angles can be machined by removing the headstock
alignment key and rotating the milling head to the appropriate
angle to the work or by holding the work at an angle to the
spindle. (Note: Lighter than normal cuts should be taken
when the alignment key is not in place.) The latter method
must be used for drilling on 5000/5400-series mills to keep
the drill movement parallel with the machine slide. Angle
drilling can also be accomplished without removing the
alignment key by using the optional rotary column
attachment (P/N 3500). (The Model 2000 mill is also capable
of angle drilling due to its multi-axis design.) All machine
slides have an adjustable gib to compensate for any “play”
that may develop. (See “adjusting gibs” on page 11.)
It is assumed that anyone purchasing a vertical milling
machine has had some experience working with metal
cutting tools; therefore, these instructions are somewhat
limited for a beginner. There is enough information,
however, to enable a good craftsman to get started. Using
a vertical mill correctly takes more skill and experience
than is required for lathe operation because of the additional
axis (vertical) and the more varied type of work that can
be performed.
The machine must be well maintained, for it is subject to
higher stresses than a lathe. This particular mill is one of
the smallest being manufactured and is an extremely useful
tool. However, it would be unreasonable to clamp a 3-pound
piece of stainless steel to the work table and expect to
make a 1-pound part from it. The key point is to work
within the capabilities of the machine, and those limitations
can only be determined by the operator.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR MILLING
• This is a small, light-duty mill and should not be used to
remove large amounts of stock that could be easily removed
with a hacksaw. For efficiency, select a piece of stock as
close to finished size as possible.
• Stresses on a mill are quite high when cutting most
materials; therefore, gib and backlash adjustments must
be properly maintained. (See “Adjustments” section
beginning on page 10.)
• End mills must run true and be sharp. Holding end mills
in a drill chuck is a poor practice. Use collets or an end
mill holder instead. The 3/8" end mill holder (P/N 3079)
FIGURE 47—The axes of movement for milling on a
standard 3-axis vertical milling machine.
FIGURE 48—Eight directions of movement of the model
2000 series milling machines
1 (X-axis)
2 (Y-axis)
3 (Z-axis)
4
5
6
7
8
X
Y
Z