Purpose of the Sherline Mill XY Bases
If you already own a vertical milling column for use with your lathe but feel a sturdier base with a larger work area would be to your advantage, you may purchase the base of any of our vertical mills as an XY base. This combination saves you the amount of money included in the cost of the vertical mill for the column but gives you the same machine less headstock and motor/speed control. XY bases have also found their way into the industrial market and are used in various manufacturing setups.
Standard equipment for the XY base:
- 18″ Mill Base
- 18″ Extended Mill Table
- Electroless nickel/Teflon coated mill saddle
- Stepper-motor mounts with high-torque couplings
- The handwheels are included and can be mounted to the end of the stepper motors to maintain manual control when needed. 2″ (51mm) adjustable “zero” handwheels on the X- and Y-axes. Each handwheel has laser engraved aluminum handwheel collars
- Oil reservoir on the X/Y axes to help keep critical parts lubricated.
- Brass leadscrew cover that keeps chips off the rear of the Y-axis leadscrew
- Accordion way cover
- Travel: X=13.65″ (347 mm), Y= 11.0″ (279 mm)
This 18″ XY base is the same base used in our NexGen mill but has been modified for use with ball screws.
If you are going to be using this XY base with your existing Z-Axis you will need to modify your column base. Instructions for how to do so are below.
Regarding the Hole Modification through the Mill Column Base
In order to allow clearance for the brass cover tube to go through the column base, you must drill a ½” hole through your column base. On page 5 of the instructions for the ball screw retrofits, there are copies of the prints for both the standard column base and the rigid column bases.
If you would like us to do the machining, the cost will be $60.00 plus your return shipping. Please contact us for more information on how to start the return process.
You can also purchase a new column base with the 1/2″ already drilled. The part numbers are 50055 or 50056 for the rigid column bases.
Please note that milling columns made before 1995 will need to be modified in order to work with this XY base. Your older vertical milling column can be returned to the factory to be re-machined and used with an XY base rather than purchasing the entire vertical milling machine. Contact us for more information. Vertical milling columns made after 1995 do not need to be modified.
*NOTE: CNC-ready machines cannot be operated manually unless double-shaft stepper motors are installed.
