johnsmachines

This rather cluttered picture shows the Mini Mill, the electronics box, the hand controller (left front), and the model USS Constitution (still under construction).

The mill now has T slots bolted to the work table (blue). And 2 alu plates attached to the T slots, and capable of being fixed in any X position. The right hand plate will hold the tailstock in due course.

The central machined alu plate attaches to a vacuum pump, to hold smooth pieces like the yellow plastic name plate, for engraving or machining.

The blue T slots are anodised aluminium, from AliExpress. They were inexpensive. The extrusions and anodising are good quality. Unfortunately the predrilled holes in the T slots were not very accurate, and required modification. The T slot pieces can be easily removed if necessary.

I have also cut some wood sacrificial work surfaces which will attach to the T slots, or to the bare machine table surface.

And the timing pulley covered with rubber bands at the right hand side can be used as a hand wheel for the X axis. Useful for manually positioning the table when it is not hooked up to the computer.