<Li> In the bed mill, however, the table moves only perpendicular to the spindle's axis, while the spindle itself moves parallel to its own axis . </Li> <P> Turret mills are generally considered by some to be more versatile of the two designs . However, turret mills are only practical as long as the machine remains relatively small . As machine size increases, moving the knee up and down requires considerable effort and it also becomes difficult to reach the quill feed handle (if equipped). Therefore, larger milling machines are usually of the bed type . </P> <P> A third type also exists, a lighter machine, called a mill - drill, which is a close relative of the vertical mill and quite popular with hobbyists . A mill - drill is similar in basic configuration to a small drill press, but equipped with an X-Y table . They also typically use more powerful motors than a comparably sized drill press, with potentiometer - controlled speed and generally have more heavy - duty spindle bearings than a drill press to deal with the lateral loading on the spindle that is created by a milling operation . A mill drill also typically raises and lowers the entire head, including motor, often on a dovetailed vertical, where a drill press motor remains stationary, while the arbor raises and lowers within a driving collar . Other differences that separate a mill - drill from a drill press may be a fine tuning adjustment for the Z - axis, a more precise depth stop, the capability to lock the X, Y or Z axis, and often a system of tilting the head or the entire vertical column and powerhead assembly to allow angled cutting . Aside from size and precision, the principal difference between these hobby - type machines and larger true vertical mills is that the X-Y table is at a fixed elevation; the Z - axis is controlled in basically the same fashion as drill press, where a larger vertical or knee mill has a vertically fixed milling head, and changes the X-Y table elevation . As well, a mill - drill often uses a standard drill press - type Jacob's chuck, rather than an internally tapered arbor that accepts collets . These are frequently of lower quality than other types of machines, but still fill the hobby role well because they tend to be benchtop machines with small footprints and modest price tags . </P> <P> A horizontal mill has the same sort but the cutters are mounted on a horizontal spindle (see Arbor milling) across the table . Many horizontal mills also feature a built - in rotary table that allows milling at various angles; this feature is called a universal table . While endmills and the other types of tools available to a vertical mill may be used in a horizontal mill, their real advantage lies in arbor - mounted cutters, called side and face mills, which have a cross section rather like a circular saw, but are generally wider and smaller in diameter . Because the cutters have good support from the arbor and have a larger cross-sectional area than an end mill, quite heavy cuts can be taken enabling rapid material removal rates . These are used to mill grooves and slots . Plain mills are used to shape flat surfaces . Several cutters may be ganged together on the arbor to mill a complex shape of slots and planes . Special cutters can also cut grooves, bevels, radii, or indeed any section desired . These specialty cutters tend to be expensive . Simplex mills have one spindle, and duplex mills have two . It is also easier to cut gears on a horizontal mill . Some horizontal milling machines are equipped with a power - take - off provision on the table . This allows the table feed to be synchronized to a rotary fixture, enabling the milling of spiral features such as hypoid gears . </P>

What can you do with a milling machine