Overview

The TMV is built on box ways instead of dovetail ways, and that single construction difference is the reason it exists alongside Sharp’s LMV line. A dovetail way carries load on angled faces; a box way carries it on broad flat surfaces on all four sides. Under heavy cutting, box ways resist deflection far better — which is what lets you take a deeper pass without the head walking or the table lifting.

Those box ways are hardened and ground on the vertical column and base, with Turcite coating on the slideways for wear resistance and oil retention. Castings are certified Meehanite for rigidity and vibration damping. At roughly 3,000 lb on a 10″ x 50″ table, this is a mill that stays put while it cuts.

Sharp’s patented knuckle head (Patent No. 5044054) holds the vertical head with six bolts, three per side, seated in circular T-slots with matching nuts securing from outside. Conventional mills squeeze the casting with three bolts and rely on friction — heads slip over years. This locks mechanically. A matched pair of super-precision ABEC-7 angular contact bearings supports the spindle, and the quill is CNC-ground to a mirror finish then chromed to fit the housing, holding spindle runout to no more than 0.0004″ TIR.

Details that show up in daily use: a double-nut backlash eliminator keeping the feed screw between a pair of bronze nuts, adjustable with a supplied custom tool. Dual clamps on knee and saddle that lock evenly to prevent skewing, with handles adjustable to twelve positions. Thrust bearings at the ends of table and saddle preloading the feed screws to eliminate end play. And a self-lubricating motor shaft with a center oil channel fed by a grease fitting — another Sharp patent.

The saddle is hand scraped on its underside rather than the top of the knee ways, which is backwards from most manufacturers and deliberately so: chips and dirt can’t embed in the sliding surface and score it.

Key specs

Table: 10″ x 50″
Travel: 33″ longitudinal, 16.3″ cross
Spindle: R-8 taper, variable speed
Motor: 3 HP with dual cooling fans
Ways: hardened and ground box ways on column and knee, Turcite coated
Spindle runout: 0.0004″ TIR
Weight: approx. 3,000 lb

Specifications

Model	TMV
Type	Heavy duty vertical knee mill, box way construction
Table size	10″ x 50″
Longitudinal travel	33″
Cross travel	16.3″
Spindle taper	R-8
Spindle drive	Variable speed (digital variable available)
Spindle runout	0.0004″ TIR maximum
Spindle bearings	Matched pair super-precision ABEC-7 angular contact
Motor	3 HP with dual high-output cooling fans
Column and base ways	Hardened and ground box ways
Slideway coating	Turcite
Castings	Certified Meehanite
Leadscrews	Hardened, table and saddle
Head tilt	90° right to left
Voltage	Wired 220V or 440V (specify at order)
Power consumption	5 KVA — 25 A at 220V, 12.5 A at 440V
Approximate weight	3,000 lb

Standard features

Hardened and ground box ways on vertical column and base for support under heavy cutting
Patented knuckle head design — six bolts in circular T-slots prevent head slippage (Patent No. 5044054)
Double-nut backlash eliminator with bronze nuts and supplied adjustment tool
Dual clamps on knee and saddle lock evenly to avoid skewing, handles adjustable to 12 positions
Matched pair of super-precision ABEC-7 angular contact spindle bearings
Quill CNC ground to a mirror finish and chromed to fit the housing
Dual high-output cooling fans dissipate head motor heat for extended demanding runs
Motor shaft and vari-drive pulleys dynamically balanced then hard chromed for vibration-free milling at high speed
Self-lubricating motor shaft with center oil channel fed by a grease fitting (patented)
Roller bearing support at the bottom of the motor shaft prevents belt distortion over years of use
Thrust bearings at the ends of table and saddle preload the feed screws and eliminate end play
Underside of the saddle hand scraped — keeps chips and dirt out of the knee ways
Tapered gibs for easy long-term adjustment
Free-spinning feed handles reduce operator hand friction
Safety device prevents self-start
Front and rear way covers
Tool kit — machine manual, half-nut wrench, 17mm and 19mm wrenches, set of six Allen wrenches, Phillips and flat screwdrivers, oil can, grease gun, rear cover bracket, indicator pin, can of touch-up paint

Manuals and documentation

Sharp Operators and Electrical Manuals Library — TMV Manual

Ordering and freight

Ships by freight at approximately 3,000 lb and needs rigging rather than a curbside drop. Send us your delivery address, dock situation, and access details and we will build a complete landed quote covering freight and placement.

Power: wired 220V or 440V — specify at order. A TMV-DVS variant with a digital variable speed head runs on 220V single phase, which is worth knowing if your shop has no three-phase service.

Package option: Sharp offers this machine as the TMV-K package with digital variable speed, power table feed, 3-axis digital readout, and power drawbar included. Ask us for the package price if you want it turnkey.

TMV or LMV? Both carry the patented knuckle head and ABEC-7 spindle. The TMV adds hardened box ways on the column and knee and roughly a thousand pounds of mass. If you are taking heavy cuts in steel rather than light work in aluminum, the box ways are what you are paying for.

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Sharp Vertical Knee Mill TMV — 10″ x 50″ Table, 3 HP with Hardened Box Ways