do i have to get a rolling mill stand? can i bolt my rolling mill to a
work table, or will it move the table around too much? does the
rolling mill stand have to be bolted to a cement floor? how does one
do that?
thank you,
gail
Hello Gail, Just bolt the rollers to the top of your work bench. If
it moves the bench around, take smaller bites at the metal. Have fun.
Tom Arnold
Hello Gail, If you bolt it to a work bench and the bench moves it is
time to anneal again. It may be a good way to tell when you need to
anneal again. Steve
Gail You can bolt a rolling mill to a work table, provided it is
heavy enough. Rolling Mill Tip - Place a sponge lightly saturated with
oil below the bottom roller and one above the top rolled. Attach them
with binding wire, but make sure everything keeps clear of the gears.
This will clean the rollers as you use it and keep a light film of oil
on the rollers to keep them from rusting or pitting. Brad Simon
Gail - When I bought my rolling mill (with reduction gears) I went to
a thrift store and bought an old heavy chest of drawers for $25 or
$30. I bolted my rolling mill to one end and haven’t had a problem.
Sometimes I need to move the chest away from the wall a bit to roll
really long pieces of metal. Check the full rotation of the handle
for clearance and comfort before you bolt it down.
Steven Brixner - Jewelry Designer - San Diego CA USA
mailto:@Steven_Brixner4
http://home.att.net/~brixner
Hi Gail, We had, years ago at school, rolling mills attach to a 8
inches diameter steel posts bolted to the cement slab floor. After 1
year the cement started to crack and move. These posts were to thin at
the base. The stands made for this purpose are larger at the base and
good if they are bolted to the floor but they are very expensive. You
can bolt your rolling mill to a strong table but the best thing to do,
for my part, is to bolt it to a small and strong wood shelf screwed in
the wall. Have a good day Vincent Guy Audette
Gail, If you have a good solid work bench you can bolt your rolling
mill to it. I have used mine that way for 27 years. If you want to
bolt a stand to a concrete floor you have to break up the concrete
where your stand will be located and get some galvanized or stainless
steel bolts with washers and mix up some fresh concrete, carefully
measure for the location and place the bolt heads with washers in the
concrete. Make sure that you use concrete, a mix of cement, sand and
a stone aggregate, rather than just cement and sand. It is much
stronger. Keep it damp for a few days as it cures. This will make it
stronger.
I have mind mounted on a stand and botled to a 1 1/2" thick sheet of
Alumiun 2 feet by 2 feet. I can stand on it and also used it to move
it outof the way. I also have seen them mounted to bench tops - lower
than you would sit at. Both methods seem to work Barb
anyone out there have suggestions for the type of material to use for
covering up a rolling mill when not in use ( wool flannel, plastic
table cloth with felt backing, old terri cloth bath towel ???) just
got one - a Durston - dont want that puppy to rust - any suggestions?
Aileen
I mounted my rolling mill (it has a stand) on a cirlce of 1" plywood
which I stand on and then can roll it out of the way. Seems like great
minds think alike, I thought I was probably the only person with a
movable mill… Orchid comes through again. Frank
Hi Gail. I’m always looking for easy and inexpensive ways of doing
things. Drilling into the floor of my studio to set bolts to hold
my rolling mill seemed neither easy nor inexpensive----so I got a
small inexpensive second (maybe 3rd or 4th hand chest) that has a
door (instead of drawers.), and I filled the inside with concrete
bricks stacked one on the other for weight.I then bolted my mill to
the chest which is now firmly held in place., In order to assure
that the weight of the bricks would not push the bottom of the chest
loose, I fastened some heavy wood strips across the underside —2 by
4s. These actually rest on the floor so that there is no slack, and
the bricks are sitting on a firm surface. If you choose to follow
my suggestion, do make sure that the chest is of a height that is
comfortable for you. Good luck- Alma in rainy but beautiful Oregon.
You should see the fall colors.
I also have my rolling mill stand bolted to a 24" square piece of
1/2" plywood and have added those stick-on teflon sliders on the
corners. I stand on the wood to roll, but can move the mill easily if
I need to. Donna in WY
My mill is about 100yrs old, on a matching cast iron stand. Although
it has bolt holes in the base, I too have had a mobile mill! The base
is round, so I just tip it and roll it in and out of position.
Whether you realize it or not, we don’t necessarily think alike, we’re
just all left handed! Curtis
I mounted my rolling mill (it has a stand) on a cirlce of 1" plywood which I stand on and then can roll it out of the way. Seems like great minds think alike, I thought I was probably the only person with a movable mill.. Orchid comes through again. Frank
Along the same lines, I haven’t tried this with a rolling mill, but I
used it for a blacksmiths “post-vise” and it was OK. Take an old
tire, lay it flat, and fill the center with redi-mix cement. After
it’s set a couple days, anchor your stand with lag-bolts by drilling
holes with a masonry bit and plugging with anchors. Makes a stand
that rolls real nice. I may try it one day. If it doesn’t work, I
can always use it for another post vise. 
Hi Folks,
Midway Shooters Supply has a portable stand used to set up a
reloader. It consists of a big round base, a chromed 3"(?)
pipe, and an extremely durable table. I just bought a rolling
mill and I am going to mount it on that. I am sure that it
will hold it. will fill the group in on it when get the
mill.
Regards,
Skip
Anyone out there have suggestions for the type of material to use for covering up a rolling mill ...dont want that puppy to rust -
Depends how fanatic you want to be about it, and what kind of
environmental controls you have in your shop. If your shop is
air-conditioned or de-humidified, and cover that will keep the
dust and grit off will suffice. If, on the other hand, you're
working in a dank, dark dungeon, you'll want to cover your mill
with a bell jar filled with silica gel or some similar
dessicant, attach a vacuum pump and leave your mill resting in
a hard vacuum - that'll keep that sucker clean!!
Mike
Jeez, you folks make this soooo complicated - I found a small
(30 X 54 or so) workbench someone had set out for unlimited
garbage pickup day ( I always try to get some cruising time in
the van on unlimited pickups - you’d be amazed what people will
throw away!!) I bolted my rollong mill to one end. On the shelf
underneath I store a couple of file boxes of back issues of
Lapidary Journal, Ornament, Metalsmith and the like and, viola-
several birds with the same stone - I have plenty of weight to
anchor my mill, I have extra work suface on the rest of the
benchtop ( My sandblaster fits there nicely) and I have my back
issues close at hand. Simple - No??
David, I used a cement in tire for my grandson’s basketball hoop. No
way could I roll that thing out of the driveway. That becomes quite
heavy for a woman to roll. Teresa
de-humidifiers aren’t usually that expensive. I’ve used calcium chloride, used as
a sidewalk de-icer. Put it in a large pan in the corner. It will absorb water.
You will see it get runny looking on the surface, and sometimes even form puddles
of water which can then be driven off by putting it in the sun or the oven. Good
way to boost the humidity in your home when it gets dry in winter.