Another 4x4 - I’ll just leave this here….

[meadowfield 2,883]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

That's the basic thought process I have as well.

 

It's been indicated to me by someone here in real life that, instead of making standard small long thin Mill style cuts, I could potentially lock the depth up and down and make a whole bunch of drill holes in a row, then, straighten the slot. I'm no machinist so I don't know if that's realistic. Just what I've been told.

 

 

if you use a 1/4" end mill and your vice is rigid, then it might work....  I used to cut these slots in the lathe with an end mill

[Pullstart 68,419]

38 minutes ago, meadowfield said:

if you use a 1/4" end mill and your vice is rigid, then it might work....  I used to cut these slots in the lathe with an end mill

Was the axle mill work done with the axle still inside the transmission case?  I’d love to see the clamp work of that, if there is any documentation.  

[meadowfield 2,883]

3 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Was the axle mill work done with the axle still inside the transmission case?  I’d love to see the clamp work of that, if there is any documentation.  

it wasn't, but with a bigger table on the mill it could've been done. The shafts were still left in the diff housing

[lynnmor 8,182]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

It's been indicated to me by someone here in real life that, instead of making standard small long thin Mill style cuts, I could potentially lock the depth up and down and make a whole bunch of drill holes in a row, then, straighten the slot. I'm no machinist so I don't know if that's realistic. Just what I've been told.

 

If you have no more than a couple of thousandths of play vertically and horizontally with the spindle locked in place, you might be able to mill a slot with one of these: 

 

You will need a cross slide such as this:

 

I'm not recommending this rather poor way of milling, just showing some ideas.  Typically a drill press holds the chuck using a Morse taper that works well pressing down on a drill bit, but any upward load would tend to loosen it.