Frankenmill: Bridgeport J head onto Victoria U2

[Pete O]

(02-09-2019, 10:48 AM)Dr Stan Wrote: [I'd indicate a bar parallel to the Z axis on your horizontal mill and use it as a stop against the already machined edge.  Slap in your face mill and go to town.

I had trouble picturing what you were saying Stan until I realised that by Z axis you're referring to the horizontal spindle axis (I think?). I've always thought of the vertical axis as the Z.
If I understand you correctly, that would be good to get the sides machined at 90 degrees to the top & bottom. That's no difficulty; the challenge here is that the sides have an internal angle where the top plate meets the cheek plate.
It occurred to me that I may be better off leaving the sides of the front plate wider than the front of the cheek plates, also with a straight edge, so that the internal corner will provide a hand hold for sliding the overarm in & out. There's no crank function for this and once the new head is hanging off the front, it may be a challenge to extend & retract the overarm for horizontal milling.

(02-09-2019, 11:37 AM)TomG Wrote: ...and sawing off the cut edge before you mill it will help immensely.

That part of the plan will definitely be easier if I don't put in the internal corner.