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Need Help finding Milling Mach.

ElbestaElbesta Member Posts: 334 ✭✭✭
edited April 2005 in General Discussion
I need to buy a new mill I can spend about $1000.00 plus shipping.
I looked at Grizzly,Harbor Freight,and Wholesale Tool Inc.
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This is what im thinking about getting. If anyone has any other ideas please let me know.
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.http://wttool.com/p/3006-0075

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Comments

  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    for a 1000? good luck!
    it will cost you that in shipping!
    those things are heavy!
    best bet is to contact your local machine shop and see who sells and delivers machines in your area. he will know all the dealers in your area and you may find one cheap. but remember, cheap means worn.
    good luck!

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  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    I've done some internet searches for used machinery. I'd rather have a used Bridgeport than a new Chinese. May find something local, too.

    york.bmp"No taxation without representation, Join the NRA"
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bridgeports (made 10 miles from my home) are good machines, but they wear out too. chinese machines arent all that bad. honest.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • TexasVetTexasVet Member Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bobski is right, some of the Chinese machines are pretty good.

    I bought a Grizzly 3 in 1 lathe, mill & drill a few years ago for $1299.00, and it has worked great for me. I make small parts that aren't available for my cars, and sometimes even tools.

    My unit weighs over 700 lbs., and only cost $99.00 to ship from their warehouse to the Yellow Freight dock, I picked it up there to save the home delivery charge. Be warned though, unless you have a cherry picker (engine crane) you will have a tough time unloading.
  • MRBEANMRBEAN Member Posts: 562 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't go with harbor freight! The only sh^t I buy from them is under the "once in a while" category. My cousin and I have looked at Grizzly and seem decent for the money. My suggestion, find a used bridgeport, or even like a hydratel or cincinati. However, make sure you look it over very carefully and check ALL functions before buying. If they give you the,"we can't power that here" type bull, then get a good warranty or walk away. I've heard you can get these dinosaurs from auctions pretty reasonably. Also, replacement parts, I'm sure, are getting harder to find so don't think, "well this gears broke, but I can replace that. No biggy." Well it might be!

    bean.gifTo the rich, everything is a neccessity. To the poor, everything is a luxury
  • rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    You'll have to find somebody else with an old bridgeport to make you that gear. [:D]

    I had at one time an Enco C-N-C converted mill. Came with the electric stepper motors and electronic control box ect...all I had to do was hook up a desktop or laptop computer and load the software on and it worked just great for running out small parts for guns.

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  • TexasVetTexasVet Member Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I looked at several USA made lathes and milling machines before deciding on the Grizzly. Most of them were worn out, and after pricing some of the parts they weren't a good deal.

    Harbor Freight & Enco were too junky, and Smithy was too expensive.
    I needed one right away to build some parts and bought the Grizzly.

    Now, understand I'm not a good machnist and the stuff I build isn't perfect, so I'd accept something several thousandths off.

    There's a home machinist website that may be a good source :

    http://www.chaski.com/ubb/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=gendiscussion

    It's sort of like this one; they don't like Chinese machine tools much, but you might ask around and find a USA mill in good shape there.
  • MRBEANMRBEAN Member Posts: 562 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Now, understand I'm not a good machnist and the stuff I build isn't perfect, so I'd accept something several thousandths off.


    Wheew! I kinda held my breath when I started reading that sentence![:D]It amazes me sometimes when I think about what I learned in the tool and die shops I've been in, and the things I've worked on. Before I started, and even with my drafting experience, I barely knew anything. However, within a few months, I could run everything in the shop, except the big boring mills(CNC, 20' tall monsters), and take things to tenths of a thou in minutes. Man, I love technology![B)]

    bean.gifTo the rich, everything is a neccessity. To the poor, everything is a luxury
  • TexasVetTexasVet Member Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I made that statement/disclaimer because the little knowledge I have is self learned. Never worked in a machine shop, just had an old US Army Machinist manual someone gave me and got after it - trial & error. First milling job I did was to cut the sides of the 4 way tool post on my lathe to accept larger bit holders. I managed to do it without killing it, then took some 3/4" inch copper stock and built tapered tips for the spot welder. That was a trick, sharpening them like a pencil!

    After that I built numerous parts for the cars, and have also built by sight several tools I've seen in the Eastwood catalog.

    I have a drill press, so I don't use the 3 way as a drill, just as a mill and lathe -- mainly the lathe.
  • jjmitchell60jjmitchell60 Member Posts: 3,887
    edited November -1
    I know it sounds stupid BUT have you checked with TSC (Tractor Suppley company) store? I was in one today and low and behold they had a mill/drill/lathe machine on display for $799. It was a Clarke brand. I looked it over and it was quality workmanship. Only draw back that I saw was it only had about a 12 to 15 inch distance betwen centers on the lathe. I asked if they could order larger ones and they said yes. Might be worth your time if you have a TSC store near by to check with them. They will ship it to the store and you pick it up there. TSC has expanded their line of machinery by a lot. They had a lot of nice tool cabnets on sale as well.

    Education is nothing if common sense and manners are not in the curriculum!
  • dongizmodongizmo Member Posts: 14,477 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Did you look at the 6x26 knee mill? like this one: http://www.wttool.com/p/3004-0095?utm_id=10
    When you consider it comes with a stand the price is not so high, and it has the knee z axis instead of the round column.
    One of the best values in a mill and drill is this one:
    http://www.wttool.com/p/3006-0007?utm_id=10
    With the plastic extruded belt cover, it runs a lot quieter than the machines with metal covers.
    There are a few groups on yahoo you might want to check also,
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/6x26millingmachines/
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mill_drill
    BTW, I work for WT[:D]
    Don[:D]

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  • ElbestaElbesta Member Posts: 334 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for all the replies, I also looked at enco.
    I orderd the Geared Head Milling and Drilling Machine from Wholesale Tool. I have a small mill/drill that i have been using but it is slow cutting steel. I have a 20" and a 30" lathe so im not new to machinery, just looking for more options. Not many if any used mach in my area and with used you must run them to know what your getting.
    I also need to stay with single phase power.
    .


    http://wttool.com/p/3006-0075

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  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bobski
    bridgeports (made 10 miles from my home) are good machines, but they wear out too. chinese machines arent all that bad. honest.


    I have a friend who is probably the best toolmaker I could know. His lathe and mill are both Chinese and his older mill is a Bridgeport.

    The link is for a pretty large mill (18"x10" travel if memory serves) at $1000.

    I'm just saying that $1000 may be better spent on a used piece that is easily found than on the biggest/cheapest thing that can be found. That price is hard to believe for a mill of that capacity.

    york.bmp"No taxation without representation, Join the NRA"
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