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ASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS
WARNING! To prevent injury from accidental operation, make sure the tool is switched OFF and unplugged from the power source before assembling the tool or making any adjustments.
CLEANING THE SURFACES
Your tool comes protected with a layer of heavy-duty anti-rust coating. Remove the protective coating from surfaces using a soft cloth, moistened with kerosene (do not use cellulose-based solvents such as paint thinner or lacquer thinner, as these will damage the painted surfaces). Apply a light layer of good-quality machine oil onto the machine’s surfaces to protect from rust and corrosion.
MOUNTING TO A BENCHTOP
For safe operation, the machine must be securely mounted onto a flat, secure workbench. Place the workbench away from direct sunlight, high moisture, or dust.
Position the machine on the benchtop and leave enough space around the machine for table travel. For unrestricted handwheel operation, make sure the cross feed and longitudinal feed handwheels extend out beyond the edge of the benchtop. Square the machine to the benchtop using a precision level.
Machine Base
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Drill four 10 mm-diameter mounting holes on the benchtop (same size as the machine’s mounting hole). Mount the machine using four
M10 hex bolts, eight flat washers, four lock washers, and four hex nuts (mounting hardware not included) (Fig. 2).
INSTALLING THE HANDWHEELS
The two handwheels have been initially installed in the reversed direction for shipping purposes. Unscrew the handwheels and install them in the correct orientation (Fig. 3 - 1)
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PREPARING VISES TO SECURE WORKPIECE
A vise (not included) is a crucial attachment to hold your workpiece in place when using the milling machine. You can purchase a milling vise or quick vise that is suitable for your workpiece and milling operation. The WEN 33124A
3.5 inch Quick Release Vise is perfect for holding your workpieces.
You may also use clamping kits to hold the workpieces to the machine’s worktable. Follow the instructions with your accessory for proper installation and operation.
Your machine can work as both a milling and drilling machine, depending on the type of cutter that is installed. Refer to the introduction below for some common cutter holders and cutting tools that you can install onto your machine.
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ASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS
CUTTER HOLDER
The two most common cutting tools for the milling machine are drill bits and end mills. Drill bits are held in place by drill chucks (one included), while end mills are held in place by either collets or end mill holders (not included).
Use the suitable holder for your cutting bit. The shank taper is R8.
• Drill Chucks The included drill chuck is ONLY able to hold drill bits for drilling operations. It is NOT able to hold milling bits. For end milling or face milling operations, collets or end mill holders are needed.
• Collets (not included) Collets are shorter than end mill holders to allow more vertical work area. It secures the end mill all the way around the shank to provide a better grip. They are also less expensive than end mill holders. The
WEN 33182A 8-Piece Imperial Steel Collet Set is a great set to hold you over.
• End Mill Holders (not included) End mill holders are longer than collets and so the cutter can reach closer to the machine’s worktable. The end mill is secured in the holder by a set screw that bears on the flat shank of the end mill.
Changing end mills is easier to do on an end mill holder. They are also more robust than collets and are less prone to wearing out.
Collets, end mill holders, and drill chucks are held in the spindle by the drawbar (Part No. .2-46).
The drawbar is tightened from the top of the spindle and extends through the spindle to the holder/chuck. When tightening the drawbar, make sure it is snug in the spindle threads, but do not overtighten.
CUTTING TOOLS
An end mill is the most common type of cutting tool for the milling machine. While a drill bit can only make plunge cuts in the vertical direction, an end mill can cut from the side of the workpiece. Some can also make plunge cuts.
• End Mills End mills can be classified into center-cutting and non-center-cutting mills. In a center-cutting mill, the flutes meet in the center on the tip of the end mill. This allows the mill to be plunged into the workpiece as is done with a drill press. In a non-center-cutting mill, the flutes do not meet at the tip, leaving a gap with no flutes in the center. The non-center-cutting mill can only cut from the side of the workpiece. It is recommended to use centercutting mills for their cutting versatility.
End mills can also be classified into 2-flute and 4-flute end mills, identified by the number of flutes on the tip of the mill. Commonly, 2-flute end mills are used for making bigger cuts or when cutting soft metals such as aluminum, as there is more room between the flutes to extract larger chips. 4-flute end mills can produce a better finish because there are twice as many cutting edges, each taking off less material. These end mills are used more commonly on harder metal such as steel and brass.
• Drill bits Drill bits can be used on the milling machine for it to function as a drill press. However, drill bits are not designed to cut from the sides as they are not built to withstand the lateral forces imposed by sideways cutting. DO
NOT USE DRILL BIT IN PLACE OF AN END MILL.
ASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS
REMOVING THE DRILL CHUCK
The drill chuck and taper shank are pre-installed on your milling machine. To replace the drill chuck with a collet or end mill holder, follow the steps below for removing the drill chuck. Cover the table with a spare towel or rag to protect it from getting damaged, in case parts or bits are dropped onto the table.
1. Make sure the machine is unplugged to prevent accidental starting.
2. Remove 3 cap hex screws securing drawbar cap (Fig. 4 - 1) to the headstock.
3. Secure the spindle (Fig. 5 - 1) from the bottom with the spindle wrench and loosen the drawbar from the top by using the 8 mm hex wrench and turning the drawbar only one full turn counter clockwise.
NOTE: Do not completely unscrew the drawbar from the spindle. Doing so before the next step of striking it with a hammer can potentially damage the threads on both the drawbar and the arbor.
4. Tap the top of the drawbar with a dead-blow or brass-head hammer to release the taper of the drill chuck.
5. Hold onto the drill chuck while fully unthreading the drawbar. Once the drawbar is unthreaded, carefully remove the drill chuck from the spindle.
INSTALLING DRILL CHUCK / COLLET / END MILL HOLDER
1. Make sure the machine is unplugged to prevent accidental starting.
2. Align the keyway of the chuck/collet with the pin inside the spindle taper. Firmly press the chuck/collet into the spindle taper to seat it.
3. Hold the chuck/collet in the spindle and insert the drawbar into the spindle from the top. Thread the spindle into the chuck/collet and hand-tighten tighten the drawbar.
4. Use the 8 mm hex wrench in the drawbar and the spindle wrench in the spindle to tighten the drawbar securely.
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Fig. 5
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ASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS
ADJUSTING THE TABLE TRAVEL
The milling machine’s worktable can be adjusted along the X axis and
Y axis to accurately control the cutting location. The gauge on each handwheel indicates the distance of travel.
1. To move the table along the longitudinal (X) axis (left and right), loosen the longitudinal feed lock lever (Fig. 6 - 1), engage the cross axis handwheel (Fig. 6 - 2) with the clutch teeth and rotate the longitudinal handwheel. Tighten the longitudinal feed lock lever to lock the longitudinal travel.
2. To move the table forward and back along the cross (Y) axis, loosen the cross feed lock lever, and rotate the cross feed handwheel (Fig.
6 - 3). Tighten the cross feed lock lever to lock the cross travel.
NOTE: The lock lever can be pulled outwards and repositioned on the screw if the handle cannot be completely rotated due to interference with another part.
ADJUSTING THE SPINDLE DEPTH
For normal feeding, the downfeed selector knob (Fig. 7 - 1) should be lose and disengaged. Rotate the downfeed feed handles (Fig. 7 - 2) to bring the headstock up or down. Use the digital depth readout in the front of the machine to read the cutting depth.
For fine feeding adjustment (down to 0.001 inch increment) , rotate the downfeed selector knob clockwise (Fig. 8 - 1) until it is tight. Then rotate the fine downfeed knob (Fig. 8 - 2) to make fine adjustments to the headstock position. Use the digital depth readout in the front of the machine to read the cutting depth.
NOTE: The spindle is equipped with a depth lock. To engage the depth lock, insert the 8 mm hex wrench in the depth lock and rotate clockwise until it is tight and engaged. To disengage the spindle depth lock, insert the 8 mm hex wrench and rotate the spindle depth lock counter-clockwise until it is loose and the spindle can move smoothly with the normal or fine downfeed handles. Be aware not to try to adjust the spindle depth while the spindle depth lock is engaged as doing so might cause extreme damage to the spindle.
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ASSEMBLY & ADJUSTMENTS
ADJUSTING THE HEADSTOCK HEIGHT
The headstock on your mill can be adjusted up and down to accommodate short or tall workpieces and enables you to change tools mid project. The dovetail design creates precise Z-axis movement that allows you to keep your workpiece aligned when changing the headstock height or changing tooling.
1. Ensure the machine is unplugged to prevent accidental starting.
2. Loosen the Z-axis lock handle (Fig. 9 - 1).
3. Turn the Z-axis handwheel (Fig. 10 - 1) to adjust the height of the headstock. Turn the handwheel clockwise to raise the headstock and counter-clockwise to lower it. Each full rotation of the handwheel moves the headstock 0.05".
4. Lock the Z-axis lock handle once the headstock is adjusted to the desired height.
DETERMINING THE SPEED SETTINGS
The suitable operating speed depends on the size and material of the workpiece. Generally, use higher speeds for cutting softer materials and smaller holes; use lower speeds for cutting harder materials and bigger holes.
Your machine has a range of 100 - 2000 RPM. Use the spindle speed knob (Fig. 11 - 1) on the control panel to select the desired speed range.
Your machine is also equipped to run in the forwards and reverse directions. Flip the direction selector knob (Fig. 11 - 2) to either forwards or reverse to chose the desired direction.
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WARNING! Do not change the direction selector knob when the machine is running! Always turn the speed range knob to
0 before flipping the direction selector knob to either off or the other direction.
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Fig. 9
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