Milling machine help

Gliden07 said:
Really dont have the room! I would have preferred that! A real Bridgeport mill heck yeah. No room though!
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I hear this reasoning a lot, but when you factor in the bench or stand that the mill sits on, a bench top mill is really NOT that much of a space saver over a full sized (or especially a mid sized) knee mill. And for the extra capability, I think it's worth blocking out an extra couple of feet per side.

YMMV
 
Motor City Mike said:
And they don't have an auto off. I leave mine on by mistake at least 50% of the time. Good thing I have a large supply of CR2032 batteries thanks to my wife's "extreme couponing"
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Yeah, iGaging is odd that way. I have one of their quill DRO's, and that does have an auto off, as does (I believe) their height gage, but their calipers and angle finder do not have an auto off. Their calipers do last forever though, so that is nice.
 
ARCustomKnives said:
I hear this reasoning a lot, but when you factor in the bench or stand that the mill sits on, a bench top mill is really NOT that much of a space saver over a full sized (or especially a mid sized) knee mill. And for the extra capability, I think it's worth blocking out an extra couple of feet per side.

YMMV
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So true. I had that same thought when I bought my mini mill. It now sits on top of a 42 inch wide toolbox, so the joke is on me!
 
My problem is the mill is going into an old bedroom that I am going to convert into a "MANCAVE", gonna do my reloading and some of my knife work in there. The Bridgeport would never make it down the hallway or thru the door.
 
Gliden07 said:
My problem is the mill is going into an old bedroom that I am going to convert into a "MANCAVE", gonna do my reloading and some of my knife work in there. The Bridgeport would never make it down the hallway or thru the door.
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I have the same problem.

My shop is in my basement and getting a mini mill down there by myself was hard enough.

A full Bridgeport would have to go in our livingroom lol.
 
Glidden, that's the same machine I have and I like it. it would benefit from a DRO though as this one and honestly most other imports always have some slop in their dials. I don't have a DRO but maybe in the future, right now the dials on mine are pretty good.
I don't think I'm missing anything by having a round column, over all it's a pretty tight machine.

Moving it, on the other hand takes some logistical planning. I had a boom truck lift it off a trailer and place it on a custom fabricated stand with wheels...then pushed it in the shop.
If I planned on moving this thru a house like I think your suggesting, I'd plan ahead and make an appointment with a chiropractor. it's a big, heavy, awkward machine to be moving.
 
just a note on this....safe movers put large things into basements and bedrooms all the time. I had a Bridgeport moved up 2 flights of steps in a friends' machine shop. We also moved a 9 ft engine lathe up there the same day. Safe movers have a thing called a stair climber that will move thousands of pounds up and into small, tight spaces....
 
bladegrinder said:
Glidden, that's the same machine I have and I like it. it would benefit from a DRO though as this one and honestly most other imports always have some slop in their dials. I don't have a DRO but maybe in the future, right now the dials on mine are pretty good.
I don't think I'm missing anything by having a round column, over all it's a pretty tight machine.

Moving it, on the other hand takes some logistical planning. I had a boom truck lift it off a trailer and place it on a custom fabricated stand with wheels...then pushed it in the shop.
If I planned on moving this thru a house like I think your suggesting, I'd plan ahead and make an appointment with a chiropractor. it's a big, heavy, awkward machine to be moving.
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This is what I needed to know!! Thank you!!
 
Vombrown said:
just a note on this....safe movers put large things into basements and bedrooms all the time. I had a Bridgeport moved up 2 flights of steps in a friends' machine shop. We also moved a 9 ft engine lathe up there the same day. Safe movers have a thing called a stair climber that will move thousands of pounds up and into small, tight spaces....
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This was something I was considering. I remember trying to move a small piano when I was younger! Notice I said "TRYING". I have no clue what I'm gonna do! The more research I do the more I confuse myself!!
 
Vombrown said:
not trying to push but harbor freight also runs a regular 20 percent or more off anything in the store coupon.
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Yup did the Math. Should cost that with shipping after coupon? If o wait and can get a 25% coupon it would be less.
 
Well I think the 1-1/2HP Harbor Freight (Rong Fu) is the one I'm going to get. I found a guy that makes a fix for the round colum. With the coupon it should be about the $1200 cost shipped total. I also believe I wont be doing super precise work. I want to be accurate but I dont think I'll have to hold 10000th either? Be a few weeks before I order. I think the fix for the colum will also help facilitate mounting the scale and sensor for the Z axis when it comes time to set up a DRO.
 
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