Milling machine — ZX45
Change speed only when the machine is stopped. Know where the E-stop is before you start.
Manual milling and drilling machine with ISO30 spindle and Ditron D80 digital readout.
Front | Side |
|---|---|
ZX45 with Ditron D80 DRO and HAAS vise | ZX45 side view with quill feed |
Location | Metal room, on a blue cabinet |
Materials | Metal and plastic |
Speeds | 75–3200 rpm, 12 steps |
Help / faults | Slack #metallrummet |
Owner | On loan from Johan Kristensen |
Setup
Spindle: ISO30 taper.
Vise: HAAS HMV-6F-08, usually mounted on the T-slot table.
Quill feed: handle on the right side of the head.
DRO: Ditron D80 on X, Y and quill (see below).
Front controls: Drill / Stop / Tap, Up / Down, Right, Left, Stop, E-stop.
Tools and holders: in the wall racks next to the machine.
Head oil: sight glass on the head, filler marked "↑ Påfyllning olja".
Safety
No gloves — a caught glove causes far worse injuries than a cut.
No loose sleeves, jewellery, hoodie strings or necklaces. Tie back long hair.
Safety glasses. Use a chip guard when possible.
Clamp the work securely.
Know where the E-stop is and make sure you can reach it from your working position.
Never reach in to adjust or feel anything while the spindle runs. Take care when applying coolant.
Use sensible speeds, the right tool and cutting fluid for the material. A broken cutter throws sharp, hot fragments.
If terms like climb/conventional milling, face mill, carbide insert, feed rate or collet are unfamiliar, read up on basic milling first (see videos below).
Know where the first-aid kit and alarm are.
Changing the tool holder
Lift off the black plastic cover on top of the head (covers the drawbar).
Loosen the drawbar nut with an 18 mm ring spanner. If it's tight, select the lowest gear and break it loose with a sharp tug.
Unscrew the nut upward so the drawbar pushes the holder down. If the nut climbs without the holder releasing, tap the drawbar very lightly with a rubber mallet.
When the holder is free of the spindle drive dogs, unscrew it. Hold it — it's heavier than you'd think.
Screw in the new holder and tighten the drawbar nut gently. It doesn't need much torque — keep it easy for the next person.
Cleaning up
Return all tools to their place.
Brush out the T-slots where the vacuum can't reach.
Vacuum all chips from the machine and floor.
Digital readout
Ditron D80 with these scales:
Axis | Scale | Status |
|---|---|---|
X — table | 600 mm | Fitted |
Y — table | 250 mm | Fitted |
Quill | 150 mm | Fitted |
Column / head height | 600 mm | Not fitted |
Head movement on the column is not measured. The column scale is at Makerspace — any member is welcome to make brackets and fit it; the D80 can then add quill and column into one Z axis. Details on the Ditron D80 page.
Specifications
Model | ZX45 |
Spindle taper | ISO30 |
Spindle speeds | 75–3200 rpm, 12 steps |
Drilling capacity (steel) | 36 mm |
Max end mill / face mill | Ø20 mm / Ø80 mm |
Quill travel | 130 mm |
Spindle centre to column | max 270 mm |
Spindle to table | max 450 mm |
Table | 800 × 240 mm, 14 mm T-slots |
Table travel | 585 × 230 mm |
Motor | 1.1 kW, 3-phase 400 V |
Weight | 380 kg |
Maintenance
Maintenance and repairs log — purchase, DRO installation and service history.
Documents and links
MIT — Working with a Milling Machine: part 1 · part 2 · part 3 · part 4
Stefan Gotteswinter, buying a similar machine, and his upgrades: X power feed · quill depth stop · quill power feed · epoxy alignment