NEW! PM-728VT Ultra Precision Milling Machine – Precision Matthews Machinery Co.
www.precisionmatthews.com
PM 728 VT. I have one and really like it. Won’t break the bank.
+1.
Small milling machines
- Thread starter DShortt
- Start date
+1.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I've been around a knee mill and I'm not sure about that. Vertically then the area required is close to the same but I don't know about the length and width. The other thing I was thinking of is I can mount it to the floor with concrete anchors when I'm using it and move it out of the way when I'm not. I don't think that is realistic with a knee mill.
I used to have a 30'x40' garage with a concrete floor and 200 amp service. I had plenty of room and everything else I needed there but now I'm stuck with half of a 2 car garage. One of those ones where if you own anything much bigger that a Smart Car you can't park two vehicles in there and open the doors anyway. I'm sure at least some of you know the type I'm talking about. Add in the drop in part of the ceiling for the mechanicals and space is an issue.
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RussellJ
Gold $$ Contributor
I own a JET JVM-836 Mill and added a Accu-Rite S200 DRO unit. I purchased it new back in 2007, it's been a good mill. The digital readout(DRO) was a great addition to the mill.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I'm sure it's great but I don't have $10K I can spend on a new mill just to mess around with my shooting hobby that is getting more expensive by leaps and bounds as of late. I'm sure you're quite happy with it but it's not in the cards for me. I'd settle on a used knee mill but I don't have the room and that machine looks like it needs a dedicated spot too which is a problem.
All of these considerations is why I am asking about small mills.
RussellJ
Gold $$ Contributor
I agree, I paid $3500 for the mill when it was new and $800 for the DRO. JET has been sold two or three times and their prices have skyrocketed.
I have a little mill/drill which is designated RF45. Taiwanese. Dovetailed Column, R-8 collets, and enough table travel to flute a barrel or mill one octagonal. Reasonably rigid and accurate. The next step up is a Bridgeport-type. WH
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Have Nez Rongero send you photos of his shop in his regular size 2 car garage. He has 2 lathes and a mill. His wife insists that she gets her car parked inside every night.
Google, Little Critter milling machine.
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I personally have a grizzly mini mill. Cost about $1100. Then $300 for a dro and another $150 for power feed. It's a nice machine. What is your budget? PM me if you have any questions about my exact model. If you get creative you can do a ton with a small mill. Check out Joe Pie on YouTube for some great tips and tricks. It does depend on exactly what you want to do but I think a small mill will be great
I have a cheap round column grizzly mill, it is ok for cleaning up bedding jobs and small milling projects (Rem bolt handle milling off the knob and threading) I use an annual cutter at 70rpm, but that’s about it. Changing belts for speed sucks, round column never repeats so each time you move it I have to reset to my mill vise. But I also only paid $375 for it. So it’s all about what your going to use it for and how much you want to pay. Hands down a mill for cleaning up bedding is a must in my small garage shop.
6x26 is the smallest knee mill I know of. I have a 1986 Select but there are current production versions, Horror Freight, Grizzly, Wholesale tools. They can be found used, as mine was, but you sorta hafta know what you're doing. I paid $800 for this one in 2007 and added the DRO, power feed and VFD/3phase motor. I have well under $2000 into the mill, but like most machine tools, the cost of tooling often can overtake the cost of the machine, at least in the used market. That is less true of mills compared to lathes.
I would not get any mill that does not have a dovetail column. I had a Mill/Drill for a short time and it would lose registration anytime I had to raise or lower the head, which was often. Dovetail column mills do not.
The 6x26 does not take up nearly the space of a full sized mill, but it still takes up space. You would have to go to a true bench-top mill, such as the mini-mill types to reduce space requirement and you lose significant rigidity and capacity. The Mill/Drill I had took up as much space as my 6x26.
Rick
I would not get any mill that does not have a dovetail column. I had a Mill/Drill for a short time and it would lose registration anytime I had to raise or lower the head, which was often. Dovetail column mills do not.
The 6x26 does not take up nearly the space of a full sized mill, but it still takes up space. You would have to go to a true bench-top mill, such as the mini-mill types to reduce space requirement and you lose significant rigidity and capacity. The Mill/Drill I had took up as much space as my 6x26.
Rick
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spitfire_er
Silver $$ Contributor
When I didn't have space for a Bridgeport, I had a Rusnok Model 80 benchtop mill along with a Clausing 8520. Both in good shape and were quite capable machines. The Rusnok was limited to about receiver length work, but the Clausing had 26" travel. I also had a Wabeco F1210 German made benchtop mill that was a super nice benchtop mill and I think that's what all the current imports are modeled after. I have used some of the older import Mill/Drills and I was never impressed. If you are going to get a small mill, I would focus on the quality of the machine. That German made Wabeco, although it was small, was quite sturdy and a very impressive machine.
USMCDOC
Silver $$ Contributor
Did you end up getting or ordering anything?
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
Yes, I did. I found a Benchmark locally in really nice shape that I bought. It has limitations such as MT2 collets, no quill feed and not a large amount of bed travel but it's fine for what I do. I'm a hobbiest so I don't need to do things fast. My lathe is a SouthBend Heavy 10 and they match up pretty well so I'm very happy with it.
USMCDOC
Silver $$ Contributor
skeeljc
Gold $$ Contributor
I have not found the need. With the DRO is is no big deal to re-establish zero.
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