Auxiliary table for milling machine and method of reconfiguring a milling machine

A method of reconfiguring a milling machine or similar machine of a type including an original work table for mounting a workpiece to be machined, said work table having an array of work piece mounting features on an upper surface thereof with a cutting tool holder supported by an upright machine column projecting above the said work table, comprising:

• installing a column spacer onto said column to raise the height of said tool holder above a top surface of said original work table;
• installing a one piece auxiliary work table of a height on the order of the height of said column spacer to thereby provide a clearance space above said auxiliary work table surface for mounting workpieces on said auxiliary work table, said clearance space on the order of said clearance space existing without the presence of neither said column spacer nor said auxiliary work table installed thereon, said auxiliary work table large enough to have an array of workpiece mounting features thereon so as to allow a range of sizes of workpieces to be mounted thereto comparable with the normal capability of the machine with the original work table alone without the auxiliary work table and the column spacer;
• and
• thereafter leaving said column spacer and said auxiliary work table installed on said machine for carrying out subsequent typical machining jobs on said range of sizes on workpieces by mounting said workpieces on said auxiliary work table, and removing said auxiliary work table as necessary to allow machining of a very tall workpiece requiring additional vertical clearance, and mounting said very tall workpiece on said original work table while leaving said column spacer in place so as to enable machining of said very tall workpiece mounted on said original work table by the additional overhead space created by said column spacer.