Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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Aciera F1 Milling Machine

One of the most

desirable small

milling machines,

the Aciera F1 is

popular with

horologists and

other micro

mechanics. A

direct development

of the earlier F12

machine, produced

up to the late

1940s, the F1

employed

Schaublins W12

collet in both the

cutter and indexing

spindles. Aciera

Swiss machine tools for the discerning horologist and precision engineer

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Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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also used the same

external thread on

the indexing head

spindle as that of

the Schaublin 70

lathe spindle.

Consequently, the

F1 is an excellent

companion to the

Schaublin 70. With a working footprint of 1300 x 530 mm and a maximum weight of 210kg the F1 is small and

light enough to be located in a spare bedroom. The 245 watt three phase 220/380v spindle motor lends itself

perfectly to being driven by a 220v inverter (VFD) giving not only the advantage of being run from a domestic

single phase supply but also providing infinitely variable spindle speeds.

The smallest of Acieras milling machines the F1 had traverses of 100mm (longitudinal x axis), 75mm (headstock y

Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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Aciera F1 Universal Vertical Support

axis) and 150mm (vertical z axis). The plain table was provided with three 8mm T-slots and had a clamping surface

of 100mm x 220mm. The F1 came equipped with both screw and lever operated slides increasing the machines

versatility. Sensitivity of the vertical slide was ensured by the use of an adjustable spring compensator located in the

body of the machine.

The machines 40mm diameter quill and drive motor and gearbox assembly could be easily removed from the

horizontal position and replaced with a swiveling vertical bracket into which the quill could be inserted. Thus,

converting the machine from horizontal to vertical operation was an easy one-person operation taking a matter of

minutes. In addition to the simple vertical bracket a universal bracket (inclinable in two planes) was also available.

Feedscrews were of special steel with ground trapezoidal thread form available in metric (2mm) or imperial (10

tpi) pitches and provided with large micrometer dials with a resolution of 0.01mm or 0.0005. The non-adjustable

cylindrical feedscrew nuts were of bronze alloy matched to the feedscrews and, when new, had less than 0.01 mm

backlash. A locking cotter secured the nuts into the slide casting and could be quickly released to enable lever

operation of the slides. Both horizontal slides were lever actuated by rack and pinion, while the vertical axis was by

pivoted lever. Adjustable stops were provided for all axes.

The F1s dovetail form slides were ground and hand-scraped to

a overall geometric accuracy better than 0.01mm. Slides were

fitted with rhomboid section jibs with adjusting screws and

locking nuts. Accessories were mounted to the longitudinal

slide by means of a external male dovetail running the entire

length of the slide. The plain table mounted directly to this

dovetail while a swiveling universal support accommodated

the 35mm spigot on both vices, tilting table, indexing head and

rotary table. The universal support allowed simple and rapid

exchange of accessories while the use of the external dovetail

allowed the support bracket to be both positioned anywhere

along the length of the slide and quickly removed and

exchanged for the plain table.

Earlier machines had a six speed spindle from a three speed flat

belt drive and two speed gearbox while later (late 1970s

onward) machines produced eight speeds from a pair of four

Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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Aciera F1 Tilting Vice

Aciera F1 Drilling Attachment

stepped V belt driven pulleys combined with the gearbox. The

earlier type of spindle employed a special needle roller bearing

at the front end to take radial loads and a pair of ball races at

the gearbox end to deal with axial loads. These early spindles

are now a challenge to service if wear is present in the front

bearing as the original fitment is no longer made. Later eight

speed machines employed a pair of sealed angular contact bearings at the front end which are still available.

Another minor difference between earlier and later machines is

the method of fixing the horizontal overarm cylinder. On

earlier machines the Y axis headstock casting was slit through

to the overarm bore with a pair of pinch bolts arranged to

clamp the overarm cylinder in place. On later machines a more

elegant method was provided with the overarm being

internally clamped. In these machines the headstock casting is

not slit through and the overarm rod is clamped by a cross-

plug operated by a socket headed eccentric-ended rod through

the centre of the cylinder impinging with the bore of the

headstock.

Machines were supplied as standard for horizontal operation

without a plain table or other accessories. All other equipment

was supplied to the customers requirements.

A vast

range of

Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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Aciera F1 Indexing Head

Aciera F1 Slotting Head

accessories were available for these machines allowing a wide

range of machining jobs to be performed. Probably the most

desirable accessories include the beautiful spigot mounted

machine vice and the indispensable direct indexing head which

could be converted to full dividing head with the addition of a

very rarely seen worm and wheel gearbox equipped with three interchangeable indexing plates. Even rarer is the

superb sliding quill drilling head and diminutive slotting head.

Accessories were accommodated in the doors of the substantial

fabricated steel stand, each door being fitted with hardwood

receptacles designed to accept a particular accessory. The

stand also housed the machines electrical switches with later

machines having a push-button low voltage switching system

contained in an additional cabinet fastened to the rear of the

stand.

There are rumors that the F1 was not manufactured by Aciera

in-house and it appears that rights to manufacture it were

Aciera F1 Milling Machine - Anglo-Swiss Tools

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Aciera F1 Indirect Dividing Attachment retained in Switzerland when Aciera went into liquidation. An

updated version of the F1 known as the F1+ continued to be

made by a firm in Switzerland after 1992. If any reader can provide information on these machines I would be very

grateful.

Some equipment from the very similar Sixis 101 will also fit the F1 without modification, suggesting that at least

some of the equipment for both was made in the same factory.

Aciera index page

Aciera F1 photo gallery

Aciera F1 1987 catalogue (English) download

Aciera F1 1975 catalogue (German) download

Aciera F1 1971 manual (English) download

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