Here is a picture of a drill press I use as a small mill. It is a cheap Ryobi 10" with an X-Y table I bought used for about $100. The key is the black knob on the left. It locks the quill while I am actually cutting. Without it, the quill is too loose and you cannot get a clean cut.
I had to remove the quill to drill and tap a #10/32 hole for the locking shaft. I used a bronze screw for the shaft so I don't ding she quill itself.
With aluminum and a 1/4" end mill, I can cut about 0.020 at a time. The procedure is to loosen the quill just enough to move it down to start the cut and then lock it while moving the table. There is some chatter while the quill is loose and you are starting the cut, but it is manageable.
It's a jury rig that works quite well for me, but I make sure to wear eye protection, not wear loose clothing, and do everything slowly and carefully.
I had to remove the quill to drill and tap a #10/32 hole for the locking shaft. I used a bronze screw for the shaft so I don't ding she quill itself.
With aluminum and a 1/4" end mill, I can cut about 0.020 at a time. The procedure is to loosen the quill just enough to move it down to start the cut and then lock it while moving the table. There is some chatter while the quill is loose and you are starting the cut, but it is manageable.
It's a jury rig that works quite well for me, but I make sure to wear eye protection, not wear loose clothing, and do everything slowly and carefully.
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