Small milling machines

Royboy

Royboy

many roads, little time
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During my recent search for a replacement spacer for the rear axle on the 77D I began to realize that if I had access to a small milling machine the part could be made faster than it could be found. I've always had an interest in owning one anyway so here is the question. Would something like this be useful or just a toy? http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_7171_7171?isSearch=#143352

A friend owns one of these, never used, and would sell it to me for $700. Smart or not?:shrug:

roy
 
That's not exactly a milling machine, but it looks more like a lathe with a drill press attached. Useful if you are making spacers and need to drill a radial hole. Could be useful if space is limited, but I would rather have a dedicated lathe and separate drill press or mill.

Edit: Well, they claim it is a milling machine, but I don't think you would be able to make very large parts. A lot of precision is rigidity, and that just doesn't look very rigid.
 
I had one similar to that, it was more frustrating than it was worth... Sold it within a month and got a small Southbend lathe, and saved up for a Bridgeport clone...
 
I'll take any tool i can afford... any! But this is definetly more a micro-lathe then a milling... but if you can put a vise on the trolley, it sure can do some small milling jobs!!

But with 2½'' facing capacity... you won't do many things... I'll take a mini-lathe before that imho
 
It's a piece of shit for most purposes. Had that exact machine at my last job. I can buy a table vice from Grainger and get better accuracy on the bed. It has little to no balls, cannot be slowed below 480 RPM, so it turns a bit quick for steel, and the start capacitor died in it about a year after we got the damn thing and you had to wrap a rope around the spindle or chuck and spin start it like a Briggs & Stratton. We tried several times to tighten the table up and could not do anything with it. The acme screws have a lot of slop in them as well.
It's a Chinese piece of shit. I've never used a Smithy 3 in 1, but I have been told they are OK for farting around in the garage, which sounds like most of my machining experience anyway.
My advise, tell that guy to put that thing on Craigslist and don't let the buyer know where you live!
A JET is only about 2 ticks better from what I'm told, but I have no direct experience with a JET compact mill.
 
Ya' know, I kinda' knew the answer before I asked the question but hope springs eternal. Anything I could understand, pay for, move and have room for isn't gonna be much. Some of the coolest guys I've ever known have been tool and die makers and machinists. I so envy those talents. Guess I stick to a hacksaw and a file.

roy
 
Imo, for what it's worth, a lathe is more versatile than a mill if you're on a budget. A lathe can be used as well... a lathe, but you can also use it as a mill. It depends how creative you are. The milling bit goes in the lathe chuck and you fabricate a table/clamp/vise to go on the ways. It's pretty simple and common, just browse around on the net. Lots of wonderful resources.
Not to mention you can pick up an older south bend for a few hundred bucks. They will blow away any new Chinese piece of garbage out of the water in terms of accuracy too.

Some food for thought
 
Royboy said:
Some of the coolest guys I've ever known have been tool and die makers and machinists. I so envy those talents.
roy
Click to expand...



My brother is a tool and die maker and a complete ass. I ask him how to do something and he tells me it can't be done. Then I listen to an hour or more of different ways it can't be done. Then in two minutes flat he tells me how to do it but before I can start he takes it away from me and does it himself so I never get any hands on. Then he complains about having to do all the work. I envy his talents I just wish he'd not be such a jerk about using them.
 
I agree with what most have already said, a name brand lathe like a southbend, even old and worn would be nicer than one of those. Don't get me wrong, a little something is better than nothing of course. Also keep in mind, the tooling that goes along with the discussed equipment can add up real quick

I bought a little 4" vise from "the little machine shop" a few years ago, and was pretty disappointed with the quality, the picture looked great, but the actual product quality was very poor. It works... I guess... But little things like the vise handle that it was supplied with wouldn't fit the vise without minor modification first ( right out of the box)
I'd be leary about the milling machine.... I can't say for sure, but I would expect the same quality.

If its a hobby you think you might be interested in learning I'd definitely hold out for something that's a little better quality
 
I would hold out for a lathe. I bought my southbend 10" for 700$ and its by far my best tool! I actually make money with it. That machine you posted is tiny and you would out grow it fast.... Just my two cents
 
the machine posted by OP youll notice in the customer supplied image... those are model car boxes to the left ... thats about all i would trust that machine to do
 

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