Training Objectives: 

• Work holding material that is saw cut on all sides
• Using a Drop saw and Band saw 
• Using an Octomill 
• Using a Machinist square
• +/- .002" tolerance machining on flatness
• +/- .005" tolerance machining on lengths

Tool list:

• File
• Caliper
• Octomill
• Dead Blow Hammer
• 1/2"’ Parallels & 1" Parallels
• Machinist Square
• Aluminum Octomill
• Sheet of Paper

Important notes:

• Use Mill #1 or #6 (Mill locations are best for cleanup and keeping chips from walkways)
• Ask pro staff if you have questions
• Clean and deburr the work piece after all operations
• Clean the vise area and parallels before all set ups
• Paper will be placed between the saw cut sides of the stock and the vise jaws to fill in the uneven sides of the stock

Prepare The Stock Material

Ask pro staff for material.

Use the drop saw to cut the aluminum bar stock to approximately 1-1/8".

Layout the stock so that the 4 remaining sides can be saw cut to approximately 2-1/8" x 3-1/8" using the drop saw. (1 cut from each side)

Use a file to deburr the sharp edges and clean the stock

Mill the Work Piece To 1" x 2" x 3"

Mill side #1

Place the part in the vise on 1" parallels with the largest surface area facing up and with the longest side against the back of the vise (solid jaw).

Fold a piece of paper 2-3 times and put it between the part and movable jaw and solid jaw. Tighten the vise, use a dead blow hammer to seat the stock against the parallels. (Do not be concerned if the parallels are slightly loose). 

Load the aluminum octomill, lower the quill about 1-2" and lock the quill. Raise and tighten the quill stop and zero the quill caliper. 

Check the zero of the quill caliper by raising the quill up and then back down to the quill stop. If the caliper does not read zero while holding the quill handle down, re- zero the caliper and repeat the process. Lock the quill.

Turn on the spindle to the recommended speed on the octomill case. Do not use cutting oil and raise the Z-axis using the hand wheel until the octomill makes contact with the highest point of the stock.

Zero the Z-axis on the D.R.O. Use roughing cuts until the part is flat and then machine a finishing pass. Turn off the spindle and move the part in the X-axis from the octomill 8" to allow space for removal of the part.

Remove the work piece and deburr the sharp edges. Clean the part, parallels and vise.

Label the machined surface as side #1.

     Mill side #2

Lower the Z-axis table approximately 2" and place the longest side of the part in the vise on 1" parallels with the milled side (#1) against the solid jaw. Use a piece of folded paper between the saw cut side of the work piece and the movable vise jaw and tighten the vise. 

Use a dead blow hammer to seat the part against the parallels. (Do not be concerned if the parallels are slightly loose). Verify that the bottom of the octomill is higher than the top of the part.

Turn on the spindle and raise the Z-axis until the octomill makes contact with the highest point of the part.

Repeat the milling procedure to square the second side of the part.

Turn off the spindle and move the part from the octomill, about 8".

Remove the part and deburr the sharp edges. Clean the part, parallels and vise 

Label the machined surface as side #2.  

     Mill side #3

Place the part in the vise with side #2 on the 1" parallels and side #1 against the solid jaw of the vise.

Use a piece of folded paper between the saw cut side of the work piece and the movable jaw and tighten the vise. 

Use a dead blow hammer to seat the work piece making sure that the back parallel is tight. (Do not be concerned if the front parallel is loose).

Turn on the spindle and raise the Z-axis for a roughing cut. Repeat until the edge is machined flat.

Turn off the spindle and move the part from the octomill about 8". Remove and clean the work piece.

Measure across the parallel edges and input the measurement into the Z-axis D.R.O.

Place the part in the vise with side #2 on the parallels and tighten the vise. 

Use a dead blow hammer to seat the part, making sure the back parallel is tight.

Turn on the spindle and continue machining using roughing passes and a finish pass to the desired thickness.

Turn off the spindle and move the part from the octomill about 8".

Remove the part and deburr the sharp edges. Clean the part, parallels and vise.

     Mill side #4

Place the work piece in the vise with side #1 on 1" parallels and side #2 against the solid jaw.

No paper is needed at this point because the clamped edges are parallel. Tighten the vise and use a dead blow hammer to seat the part making sure both parallels are tight.

Turn on the spindle and raise the Z-axis table until the octomill makes contact with the highest point of the part. Machine to the desired thickness.

Turn off the spindle and move the part away from the octomill about 8". 

Remove the work part and deburr the sharp edges. Clean the part, parallels and vise.

     Mill side #5 

Lower the Z-axis table approximately 2". 

Place the part in the vise on 1/2" parallels with side #1 against the solid jaw and Side #2 facing the right side with the saw cut edge facing up.

Tighten the vise very lightly so the part can be adjusted in the vise.

Set the machinists square on the parallel against the solid jaw on the right side of the part.  Adjust the part so side #2 is lined up square to the edge of the machinists square.

Tighten the vise and use the machinist square to verify the part remained square after clamping. Re-clamp the part if necessary.

Verify that the bottom of the octomill is above the top of the part. Turn on the spindle and raise the Z-axis until the octomill makes contact with the highest point on the top of the work piece. 

Use roughing cuts until the part is flat and then machine a finishing pass. Turn off the spindle and move the part about 8". 

Remove the part and deburr the sharp edges. Clean the part, vise and parallels.  

Label the machined surface as side #5.

     Mill side #6

Place the part in the vise with side #5 on 1/2" parallels and side #1 against the solid jaw. 

Tighten the vise and use a dead blow hammer to seat the part, making sure the parallels are tight.

Turn on the spindle and machine the surface until flat. Turn off the spindle and move the part away about 8".

Remove and clean the part vise and parallels. Measure across the machined surfaces and input the measurement into the Z-axis D.R.O.

Place the part in the vise on parallels and tighten it. Use a dead blow hammer to seat the work piece, making sure the parallels are tight.

Turn on the spindle and continue machining using roughing passes and a finish pass to the desired thickness.

Turn off the spindle and move the part away about 8".

Remove the part, deburr the sharp edges and clean it.

Raise and lock the quill before removing the octomill. Clean the machine and work area.

Measure the part, check squareness  and go over it with pro staff.

Save the part, it will be made into a tap block when doing Intermediate Training Mill 3