What Mill thread?

[Work Saw Collector]

What I know about a mill or being a machinist you could shove in your eye sideways and it would't hurt. I would like to learn on something affordable.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Combo-Lathe-Mill/G9729

When I joined all these chainsaw sites I had a bad running 026 with dull safety chain, and I was happy. Now I want it all. I blame Mitch and his videos. :lmfao:

So Mitch, Randy, Stump, and anyone thats got one. What Mill for a guy on a budget and just doing my own work on my own saws and stuff around the farm?


I have been just a parts changing mechanic most of my life, this should be a fun change.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

TK no recomendation?

 

[mweba]

No recommendation on a mill as I don't have one but....you are purdy close to the Grizzly main office/showroom. Worth a trip up to look.


Been looking at the Grizzly's as well

 

[Work Saw Collector]

No recommendation on a mill as I don't have one but....you are purdy close to the Grizzly main office/showroom. Worth a trip up to look.


Been looking at the Grizzly's as well

I didn't know I was close to them, going to look that up now.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

Cool same town the quilting machine was made in.

 

[Gink]

I think one of those small mini mills work good, they are pricy to buy though. If it were me I would search Craigslist for a old veritcal Bridgeport style mill. I picked up a 10x50 3hp motor on it with DRO and X power feed for $800.00. The thing weighs close to 4,000 lbs. It is a big machine with alot of balls and will work with any project I can throw at it. I'm not knocking the mini style mill as they fit a great market but sooner or later you will out grow it. If your interested in one, I have a satellite co-worker that is trying to sell a mini and old Atlas lathe, he wants $1000.00 for the mill and 400.00 for the lathe. He lives in Lancaster, PA but said he would do whatever it takes to make the shipments happen. I'm not sure where you are located? I'll post some pics he sent me last week.

Here is the one I picked up for 800.00

 

[thomas1]

1. How much room do you have?
2. Budget?
3. Location?
4. What do you want to do?
5. Power requirements?

As a general rule, combo machines don't do things as well as dedicated machines. If you have room, for the same money you could buy a used lathe and mill and be miles ahead in capabilities. Just remember that you should expect to spend almost as much in tooling as you did ip for the base machine.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

1. How much room do you have?
2. Budget?
3. Location?
4. What do you want to do?
5. Power requirements?

As a general rule, combo machines don't do things as well as dedicated machines. If you have room, for the same money you could buy a used lathe and mill and be miles ahead in capabilities. Just remember that you should expect to spend almost as much in tooling as you did ip for the base machine.

1. I have a 40x60 shop but not looking for a great big machine.
2. couple grand I been looking for close ones on ebay and the like.
3. Oklahoma
4. Mostly saw parts, some custom parts maybe a bikesaw frame (in the future when I figure out what I'm doing.

5. 110, or 220 no three phase

Thanks for the info. I figured it would cost a bunch for tooling.

 

[TK]

TK no recomendation?

I have neither, but like your thinking. I'm interested in acquiring one of these as well, but it will be quite a while before I do.

 

[thomas1]

1. I have a 40x60 shop but not looking for a great big machine.
2. couple grand I been looking for close ones on ebay and the like.
3. Oklahoma
4. Mostly saw parts, some custom parts maybe a bikesaw frame (in the future when I figure out what I'm doing.

5. 110, or 220 no three phase

Thanks for the info. I figured it would cost a bunch for tooling.

1. Great big being relative. A Bridgeport size mill will take up roughly 6'x6', a 12"x36" lathe is going to be about a 2'x6' footprint. My Sheldon no. 0 mill is about 3'x3' and my 9" South Bend is probably 2'x4'.

2. Close by is good so you can check them out before you buy, but you may have to expand your search to find a good deal. If you find something further away you may be able to get a deal on shipping through uship.com or something similar. Areas closer to industry will obviously have more machines available.

3. I don't have any good leads that are even remotely close. You may also check the classifieds on practicalmachinist.com or the home shop machinist site.

4. It's usually much easier to do small parts on a bigger machine, than it is to do big parts on a smaller machine.

5. The used 110/220 machines are going to command a premium over a 3-phase machine as most people don't have 3-phase power available. Don't let this scare you away from a 3-phase machine, you may be able to score 3-phase machine for a song and buy a phase converter to run it, or use a vfd.

If I had an extra 2k laying around I would be the owner of a 16x60 lathe and another Bridgeport, along with 2 bandsaws (one horizontal, one vertical) half a truck load of tooling and measuring tools, and probably 2,000 pounds of various steel and aluminum stock. It's a package deal and the size of the lathe has scared off everyone that's come to look.

 

[Gink]

I have a 25'x 28' shop and house a 10x50 mill, south bend heavy 10 lathe, Kalamazoo H9w Horizontal bandsaw, 4x8 steel welding table, plus a couple welders and other crap. It is tight for space no doubt, I wouldn't know what to do with a big sized shop! LOL Buy more crap!

You are correct, I wouldn't run from 3 phase stuff, no body wants it because they think it is a wiring nightmare. I would choose a VFD and use it as a phase converter. Reason being it is small and makes a true three phase and it will become the motor control for you machinery. You can buy some nice equipment that is 3 phase for cheap and have a real piece of equipment for less cost and not the hobby shop toy stuff. Here is a video showing a Allen Bradly VFD on my mill.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qCMuYHjFGro" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Work Saw Collector]

Cool info thanks, I'm watching Bridgeport and others videos now trying to at least figure out what I want.

 

[Wigglesworth]

I have a 25'x 28' shop and house a 10x50 mill, south bend heavy 10 lathe, Kalamazoo H9w Horizontal bandsaw, 4x8 steel welding table, plus a couple welders and other crap. It is tight for space no doubt, I wouldn't know what to do with a big sized shop! LOL Buy more crap!

You are correct, I wouldn't run from 3 phase stuff, no body wants it because they think it is a wiring nightmare. I would choose a VFD and use it as a phase converter. Reason being it is small and makes a true three phase and it will become the motor control for you machinery. You can buy some nice equipment that is 3 phase for cheap and have a real piece of equipment for less cost and not the hobby shop toy stuff. Here is a video showing a Allen Bradly VFD on my mill.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qCMuYHjFGro" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Amen to that. A powerflex 40 is a thing of beauty. Plus Stephen, u know a guy who has lots of time programming those things.

 

[Barneyrb]

Amen to that. A powerflex 40 is a thing of beauty. Plus Stephen, u know a guy who has lots of time programming those things.

Maybe a couple of guys.....jus sayin

 

[Al Smith]

Three phase is not a big deal .I run my entire amount of equipment from a 5HP rotary home built phase converter .Fact I've made about 20 or them .

As far as milling machines I've got a little half HP Bridgeport model M circa 1940 that does a fine job .800 bucks about 15 years ago .

 

[cowroy]

This ole girl is what i'll be learning and honing my machining skills on. :)

 

[Al Smith]

Ah yes a good old Monarch which is nearly bullit proof .Made to last almost forever .

I've got a 1956 10" EE model which unfortunately is giving me fits at this time .It's a thyratron tube DC drive which I went completly through .Now it appears I'm going to have to pull that 300 pound DC motor out to take a peek what's wrong with it .

 

[srcarr52]

I picked this beauty up about a month ago. Just got it running over the weekend. I had to put a Baldor VFD in it to convert it to single phase and put a new CMOS battery on the 386SX motherboard. Hopefully I'll be making chips tonight.

 

[mweba]

I picked this beauty up about a month ago. Just got it running over the weekend. I had to put a Baldor VFD in it to convert it to single phase and put a new CMOS battery on the 386SX motherboard. Hopefully I'll be making chips tonight.

View attachment 928

Don't get any on the wall...

 

[srcarr52]

Don't get any on the wall...

I know... I need to get my splash gaurd up on the wall behind the lathe and get sides made for the mill.