Looking for a Mill/drill any ideas?

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oldcars

New member
I am not a gunsmith , but I am getting more into working on my own guns and would like to buy a small Milling machine. I don't have much machine shop experience besides some classes in high school 15 years ago, but I am into all types of firearms and antique cars/hot rods so I think a small mill would be of some use in my home shop. I have located an old South bend lathe I am trying to buy, but a mill is proving more difficult. I want something like the combo mill/drill press type of thing I have seen, and I think that will be big enough for my uses,mostly cutting dovetails for sights, modifying small parts, making mounts from aluminum, etc. plus, I could use it for a regular drill press to replace my old worn out one. I have no idea what brand, type, size etc. to look for. It needs to be single phase. I don't mind buying used, or imported as long as it's not junk. alas, I am also on a budget so price is a large concern.

What is the best bang-for-the-buck machine out there?
 
I know this doesn’t help but you sound just like me. I used to cut pump shafts and made a few hobby parts/tools on a very good very old lathe and mill where I worked. They gave the lathe to another department that allowed someone to take it home (read have it for free). I was livid! Last time a saw the mill (25 years ago) it was rusting a basement. Your tax dollars at work. I’ve always wanted a good lathe and end mill in my shop/garage. I just can’t justify the cost but every time I want to make something I start looking then realize I'm just dreaming. :(

God luck on your quest, hope it works out for you.
 
If you are only going to be doing small stuff, a Taig or one of the $500-$600 Harbor Freight or Grizzly mills will work.

Bigger is better with mills. Stay away from round column mill/drills. They are not precise.
 
Bill is right you do not need much, for now I have to coerce the machinist in another unit at work for all my needs. Around tax season I am looking into one of these used, remember all new machine tools are made on used machine tools....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-x-21-Mill-Drill/G0619

Shop used expecially if its for hobby use. The tooling you buy will be double what you would pay for a new mill, and used mills often come with tooling.

I would not get rid of my press, tools are like guns, one day you may need it when it counts. Id rather have to much than wish I had more.
 
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Old Cars

I have the Grizzly 0619 Mill and the Travers Tool C-4 lathe. Both are made by Sieg in Singapore. Only difference is Grizzly is green and Travers tool is red.

Absolutly agree with quepasakimosabe that you will put 2 or 3 times the cost of the mill in tooling. Good luck finding a used one.

Check out http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Reviews/Reviews.htm for reviews on these products.

The Grizzly 0619 is the Sieg SX-3. The SX-4 is now out and If I didn't have a mill I would look very closely at that one. Not much bigger but 3X the weight and MORE POWER.
 
I taught shop classes for a while before I fully retired :)
Grizzly is good , you don't need a bridgeport. if you were doing it for a living maybe that would be different.
I use my lathe's "I have three laBlonds" a lot more.
I go to my lathe 25 times to every time to my milling machine. Get tooling off of E-bay some times it cheap. That's the only time I use those gun haters.
Enco has mill-drills a friend has has one he likes it.
Good luck!
edward5759
 
If you buy a Chinese machine tool the first thing is to take it apart and clean out the sand left over from the casting. Next step would be to replace the bearings with good ones. I would replace the motor and so will you after it burns out. Quality control isn't a strong point with Chinese manufacturing. Neither is their metal hardening skills...but, that's another story.
 
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