Talk to me about milling machines...

Drew Riley

Drew Riley

Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
I've had a milling machine on the wish list for quite some time, and it's looking like I MIGHT actually be able to swing the purchase in the next few weeks. Until then, I figure I'll spend some time trying to figure out the best investment of my money.

Now, the primary (or most often) use is probably going to be small work like milling liners for folders and cutting nail nicks, but at the same time, I wouldn't mind something with a little beef and versatility for those bigger jobs when I'm getting creative.

I was originally looking at the Hi-Torque Mini Mill from LMS, but now I'm looking at something a little bigger:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Drill-Mill-with-Stand/G0704

g0704.jpg

Anybody have any experience with this machine? Any other recommendations for the money?

I know it's not a 3 phase bridgeport or anything like that, but I dont plan on getting super crazy with it. Not gonna be making watch gears or jet engines with the thing... At the same time, I don't want to be throwing money down a rat hole for something I wish I would have just gone without, or spent a little more on.
 
Chuck Gedraitis Knives said:
You can do little work on a big machine, you can't do big work on a little machine. Buy the biggest, heaviest machine you can fit in your shop.
For almost the same money you could go with this one.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Drill-Mill-with-Stand-29-inch-x-8-inch-Table/G0705
Click to expand...

Size limitations aren't so much a factor as is financial limitation. I'm really trying to get the best bang for my buck (Really need to try and keep this under $1500) and I'm just trying to figure out what exactly that is.

While I do appreciate the higher power, table and spindle travel, and extra weight of this machine, I'm somewhat shying away from round columns in favor of a square column mill. I also like that the head tilts on the first one I listed. Not that it's a feature I'll likely use every day, but it's handy.

Portability is also nice, but I suppose not my biggest concern. I don't know... still looking into it.
 
I had a grizzly G3103 that I used for a while. It worked pretty well. However, that mill that you are looking at is not going to be all that rigid. There just isn't enough cast iron in the column. Try to find a good used Bridgeport. You won't regret it.
Phil
 
I've been checking craigslist from time to time, and while I have seen some reasonably priced Bridgeports in the past, they are usually snatched up pretty quickly. Then there's the issue of transporting something that big to my house and converting it to single phase with a phase converter. Once you factor in all that cost, on top of whatever work may need to be done to it, costs generally exceed my budget.

Right now, since this is more/less a learning machine that will primarily be used for small parts, I'm not so much interested in getting the biggest and best. I figure when the need begins to outweigh the capabilities, I can sell my first one and pay the difference. In the mean time I can be making my money back (and hopefully then some) with knives and tools made using this machine.

As far as rigidity goes, I really don't see that being much of an issue based on reviews and videos I've seen compared with the type of work I'll be doing.

No, I won't be able to take a .25" DOC in stainless steel at 400IPM with a 1" end mill, but then again, I don't need to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top