Vertical Milling Table

The 8″ vertical milling table is another method of milling on the Sherline lathe instead of using the vertical milling column. Parts to be machined are mounted to the vertical table. The vertical table is then mounted to the lathe crosslide table and the part is moved past a cutter held in the lathe spindle. This provides 3 axes of cutting similar to a mill, but in different directions and with shorter X and Y movements. For general milling, we recommend the vertical milling column as a better way to do milling on a lathe, but for specific setups, you may find this accessory useful. Many books written for the hobbyist show this type of setup on larger lathes. It can also make a useful fixture for multiple movements when used on the mill or as a fixture on other special-purpose machines.

Improved over the years

In its original form, the table was 4″ long. It was increased to 6″ long when Sherline lathes went to 6″ tables. Now, to further increase its utility, we have taken an 8″ table designed for the CNC vertical milling table and applied it to the manual version as well. In addition, the new table extrusion is 1/4″ thicker than the old one for added stiffness.  An anti-backlash adjustment is included as well as two T-nuts and hold-down screws.