Build it yourself? How about "Machine it yourself"?

[Garandman]

Every once in a while I need a milling machine for repairs. For as little as I use it, I didn't want to get a big or expensive machine. And I did not want to get an imported machine. Found this for $300 on Craigslist. Benchmaster, made in Los Angeles after WWII. This one is over 65 years old, still works fine.

Sweet!

I've been looking for a Light Machines desktop CNC mill.

 

[muddstopper]

I've been watching CL for a few years, I've never seen a deal like that. I'd be all over it if I did. I always see stuff like this - GRIZZLY G0704 CNC MILL.

For the asking price of that grizzly conversion, you can buy a good used bridgeport. Bridgeport Vertical Milling Machine Series 1 B1 1150 9" x 32" Table | eBay

 

[Renze]

Perfect? Not even close. Good enough for the girls I go with? Absolutely. It's a low speed application and works just fine.

My method is to roughly weld up the sloppy keyways, then put the pulley back on, then drill and tap a threaded hole where once the key was. With a three stage tap, i only run the 3rd tap deep enough for the bolt to grip, then turn the well greased bolt in hard so it pushes all the slop out of it, also the slop of the pulley bore on the shaft. Works a charm, doesnt need setscrews, instant repair.

 

[sandman2234]

I gave a friend a Fray All Position Milling Machine, (really good friend!) and sold another Milling Machine to a guy in Mississippi. That was a Maho Milling machine, a 1983 model i think. An early CNC, but it still has handles, so it can be used like a Bridgeport with more! (40 taper, power axis in multiple directions, just a lot more than my Bridgeport). The buyer in Mississippi was looking for a ride for it, and changed directions in his shop, so no longer needs the mill. So I have an extra mill sitting in my garage that can be purchased for about half of what I sold it for to him. (His loss, he has already paid for it).
The drill press used to do a keyway can be done, but another drawback besides chuck coming loose, is the bearings in the quill. Those are not designed to withstand side loading, and although they will for a little, most of them won't stand it for long. If you ever price (and can find a source for bearings for a drill press quill) then you probably won't want to do that much.
David from jax

 

[Chopperhed]

You must have seen her shoe closet, she has over 100 pairs and still shops for them constantly. I don't really mind though, she's pretty frugal and always waits for stuff to go on sale, rarely paying more than $30 for a pair, and to be honest, I like the way she looks in her stilettos. The fringe benefits of her feeling sexy in them don't suck either.

By last account, the Missus has 140 pairs, ( She recently purged more than a hundred pairs to a local second hand store) but like your mate, she only buys on sale. and yes Stilettos look fantastic on a set of legs. I don't complain about her shoes, (or purses, clothes or kitchen appliances,) and she doesn't complain about my tractors or quads or dirt bikes or tools. And she hasn't questioned my recent decision to buy an ultrasonic cleaner either. I'm working on my next deal. I want a 3d printer.

 

[Chopperhed]

My method is to roughly weld up the sloppy keyways, then put the pulley back on, then drill and tap a threaded hole where once the key was. With a three stage tap, i only run the 3rd tap deep enough for the bolt to grip, then turn the well greased bolt in hard so it pushes all the slop out of it, also the slop of the pulley bore on the shaft. Works a charm, doesnt need setscrews, instant repair.

I've done that too, it works great, and the bolt acts as a shear pin and can save parts damage down the line.

 

[Renze]

I've done that too, it works great, and the bolt acts as a shear pin and can save parts damage down the line.

I think you mean a radially positioned bolt, so the bolt is pushing onto the shaft like a setscrew. I put them in parallel to the shaft axis, so they act just like the original key. It makes a much stiffer joint because you arent depending on thread friction for the locking, but are wedging a bolt in a gradually smaller hole because it isnt fully tapped.

Drawback is that its only applicable to pulleys that are on the end of a shaft. But most farm hack jobs like manure spreaders, require just that