I had and still have many questions about machining, some of which are so basic, they don't seem to be covered in books and online resources. As I find the answers, I write them down here.
Disclaimer: I only include questions that I have asked and always mention if I have not tried out a solution personally myself. I try not to include answers that I feel put people, their work or their equipment in danger, but I am not a professional machinist and cannot guarantee that the answers here represent the best solutions and practices.
1. What choices do I have for a table-top milling machine or lathe?
I got the Sherline machines and have no experience with the others, but the impression I get from reading and asking around ...
Proxxon - most people avoid them since their small size greatly limits what you can build.
Sherline - bigger than the Proxxon, good precision, backed up by great service and the widest range of optional accessories.
Sieg from China - (apart from the X1) bigger and more robust than the Sherlines and cheaper too. Well built but badly assembled, so improves dramatically with some tinkering.
Taig - good size and high precision, so very popular machines.
2. What sort of table do I need for a milling machine?
This was one of my first questions. Basically you want something sturdy. Mine is just a metal-framed office desk but I find myself standing up often to get a view of the workpiece and cutter from the side, so a taller workbench (along with a taller stool) would work well. Many people recommend bolting your milling machine to the table and even bolting the table to a wall. So far, I've gotten by with just bolting my milling machine to a 20" X 22" piece of half-inch MDF board and sticking thin rubber pads below that. This lets me move the machine around when I need to.
3. What else should I get along with my milling machine?
Most people don't like answering this question because too many variables are involved - the type, size and materials of work, space and budget constraints, ease of acquiring tools and accessories in the future, just to name a few. First things first - you will need safety goggles or safety glasses for yourself and whomever else will be in the room with you when you are milling. I got the ultimate package from Sherline which came with almost everything. In order of usefulness, they are - endmills and endmill holders (or collet set if you prefer to use single-ended endmills), jacobs drill chuck, centre drill set, mill vise, fly cutter, work clamping set, angle plate and rotary table. Of course, drill bits would be good if you don't already have them. I also bought two books to get me started - Doug Briney's Home Machinist Handbook and Joe Martin's Tabletop Machining (I recommend reading both, if you are new to machining), plus some hand taps and countersinks. A metal file is indispensable too. I didn't get any proper cutting fluid but have been getting good results with some 3-in-1 oil. I use some old paint brushes and tooth brushes for cleaning up.
One thing I regretted not getting right away was a set of parallels. I tried making my own set but that proved too difficult without already having some parallels to begin with.
4. What else should I get along with my lathe?
Again, my package came with almost everything so in order of usefulness, they are…
Safety glasses, 3-jaw self-centering chuck, lathe tools (right hand, left hand, boring tool) and tool holder (the rocker tool holder is very handy so far), Jacobs chuck for the tail stock, centre drills, live centre, drill bits, compound slide, face plate and lathe dog.
5. Can I make a cut starting from the middle of a length of shaft with a right-hand lathe cutting tool?
Basically, you cannot plunge the tool in deeply or quickly but you can sneak in a shallow cut starting from the middle (moving the tool towards the left).
6. Can I plunge cut with the boring bit to make a counterbore hole?
I have done it myself but the general consensus is I should not have. Boring bits are meant for enlarging holes a little at a time. The proper tool for starting holes are drills and the proper tool for counterbore holes are counterbores.
7. My Sherline boring head starts at a very large offset, but the instructions say I can make a minimum diameter hole that is much smaller.
Back the small adjustment bolt out and check that both halves of the boring head are able to slide outwards and inwards. In my Sherline boring head, I found that a tiny burr was preventing the lower half of the boring head from sliding properly. Just a little bit of a push was needed to get it sliding properly. At the minimum diameter, the boring bit should be inline with the spindle.