Milling Machine

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a milling machine. I'm not intending on buying new (but may consider a Taig, but maybe a bit wee) and would like a vertical machine.

I want it to be kind of 'midi' size which seems to be a bit of a problem from what i can gather. The Harrison machine looks tempting but i'm not sure how easy it would be to move or if there is any height issues i'd need to be aware of. I like the Bridgeports and have used a Chinese knock off at work before which was great but just too big for my single garage.

Any suggestion on a suitable machine?

cheers

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Graeme Barton 1 on 24/03/2016 19:43:05:

Any suggestion on a suitable machine?

cheers

.

I predict that this will be a well scribed thread with many contributions.

But first most will require to know what you intend to do with the machine and if there is an intended budget you need to work to.

Nick

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Hi,

Budget around the £1000-£1500

Well obviously i'd use it to make more tools………..

Sorry, i'd be making stuff for motorbikes, possibly a home made CNC machine , something like that done by 5Bears or ZealCNC. Various projects around the home, i'm also interested in woodwork so maybe mount a router on it which is where the larger bed size would be useful.

Graeme

[HollowpointParticipant @hollowpoint]

I'm on the lookout for something similar. My list shortlist in no particular order:

Warco gh major

Warco vmc

Boxford vm30

Tom senior

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Graeme Barton 1 on 24/03/2016 19:58:16:

Hi,

Budget around the £1000-£1500

.

At the top end of that scale these :- **LINK** are highly regarded by their owners.

Not too big yet large enough to do anything required upon a motorbike.

I have a VM30 and while I am very pleased with it at times the lack of a quill can reduce it's flexability.

Nick

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Is that a Boxford VM30? Looks like a good sturdy machine. If it is I’d like to ask a few questions

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Nick_G on 24/03/2016 20:20:49:

… at times the lack of a quill can reduce it's flexability.

.

and thus it is stiffer

MichaelG.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Graeme Barton 1 on 24/03/2016 20:28:50:
Is that a Boxford VM30? Looks like a good sturdy machine. If it is I'd like to ask a few questions

.

It is.

I have no idea of your location. But if you are handy distance from Warrington you are more than welcome to have a play with it.

What do you want to know.??

Yes Michael, you are correct. For a machine of it's size it is nice and ridgid.

Nick

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

I’m up in Auld Reekie so not super easy but thanks for the offer.. How easy was the machine to manoeuvre into position? Even if I could break it down getting the head back on may be a problem. How much Y-axis clearance do you have once a vice is mounted. It would probably blow my original budget but looks good. How much of an issue is the lack of quill feed? Can you get around this in practice? I’m guessing drilling small holes would be out but what are the other implications? Besides money it looks like the only major stumbling block.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

Graeme.

Just to avoid a misunderstanding. I have a Boxford VM30 – But they are not the one I sent you in the initial link. I mention this because you then made a ref to "blowing your budget" which the link would.

A good VM30 would not.

Can we make sure we are both driving down the same road.

Nick

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Gotcha, we’re both on the same page, Boxford not Seig. I would be looking at a 2nd hand Boxford and when they do come up( not super common) they can be quite expensive

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

My Sharp MkII is a little lighter than a VM30 but is also quill-less. I've actually found no problems in drilling small holes, down a to 1/16" anyway, just using the the table raising wheel. Not quite as easy as using a quill but definitely do-able. If I need a lot of holes then I do tend to spot in the mill and then drill elsewhere.

Rod

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Hmm never heard of a Sharp, need to look into it

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

My take on it.

Get as big as you can get in, bed and travels wise. Pay particular attention to Z hight or daylight. you soon run out of it with a vise on and say a boring bar.

 

Forget the Taigs, Mini Mills etc not saying they are bad but you have specified bike work and having grown a workshop initially round repairing racing bikes believe me been there done that, got the tee shirt and been sick all over it.

 

You need a machine with tilting head AND a quill. Forget the remarks about rigidity most of the time you will be sneaking up on sizes, not ploughing the north 40.

 

Classic case, cylinder heads, guides and seats. By the time you have got your tilting table on the bed, head on it, boring head fitted you have lost it. No daylight and you have to wait for next years British summertime to get the job done.

 

I grew up on small machines and gradually traded up until I got something suitable. Knowing what I know now I should have borrowed the money and bought what I wanted first off. I could have done more faster and cheaper thus paying it back and saving loads of work and hassle.

It's a lesson I learn well and has stood me in good stead.

Edited By John Stevenson on 24/03/2016 21:45:15

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Hi John,
Thanks for the input, given my space constraints what would you recommend?

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by Graeme Barton 1 on 24/03/2016 21:35:14:
Gotcha, we're both on the same page, Boxford not Seig. I would be looking at a 2nd hand Boxford and when they do come up( not super common) they can be quite expensive

.

Yes they 'can' be. Just depends how greedy the seller is and if it's on an auction site how many people are after it.

I paid £550 for mine. It was on 'that' auction site but I actually phoned the seller and haggled a deal which if the seller is willing to do I find is usually positive. Both for the purchaser and the seller will then realise he is talking to a serious punter and not a time waster.

It was also a 3 phase machine so I had to buy in inverter (£220) and the motor as it turned was not dual voltage so I had to also buy another motor. I think that was a £100 ish, so not a disaster.

The machine was grubby but cleaned up well and is without any significant wear.

The lack of a quill is 'get-around-able' but I wish it had one.! But as Michael correctly pointed out it does have a positive side. – If they had a quill they would be very sought after and this would reflect in a higher demanded price.

There is an excellent article as usual on this site **LINK** about them which will tell you much you need to know.

When I got mine delivered I did make a little vid on an iphone which I will link should you be interested.

 

.

Add a few extra quid for tooling as ISO / BT 30 taper tooling is sometimes little more expensive that MT2 / 3 or the R8 variants.

 

An ER 32 collet set up goes well with them.

 

 Edit :- Having read John's reply (posted while I was typing) He is IMHO totally correct. (he has an annoying habit of usually being so   . ) That the biggest machine you can squeeze in would be your best option.

Nick

 

Edited By Nick_G on 24/03/2016 22:08:13

[VicParticipant @vic]

A very versatile machine if you can find one is the Elliott Omnimill. The Harrison is also a nice machine.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Rod,

I also have a Sharp mill. Think its excellent. Other makes of machine with a worn quill difficult to correct but an up `n` down knee-table like the Sharp, just tighten the slide.

Graeme,

There have been prev. threads about various difficulties with new mills, mainly the light weight bench type.

1) Avoid the ones with plastic drive gears. Only use a mill with either Steel/C.I. gears or belts.

2) Watch out for motor wattage – the small mills have puny motors. Big cut = stalled cutter = stalled motor = burnt-out, if drive system doesnt fail, like stripped plastic/nylon gears.

John

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 24/03/2016 20:33:52:

Posted by Nick_G on 24/03/2016 20:20:49:

… at times the lack of a quill can reduce it's flexability.

.

and thus it is stiffer

MichaelG.

.

For the avoidance of doubt … This ^^^ remark was flippant [see the smiley thing]; although many a true word is spoken in jest.

Of course a quill can be useful; but it is only one of many factors to be considered.

MichaelG.

[ANDY CAWLEYParticipant @andycawley24921]

A Centec could fill your bill. Sorry the photo is sideways, it seems to have gon this way on up loading!

This is my machine showing it with the additional riser block which not only increases the head clearance but permits the use of the horizontal spindle without having to remove the vertical head.

Edited By ANDY CAWLEY on 25/03/2016 07:22:42

Sorry this photo is on its side too. It could be an iPad problem. 

Nick, this machine could be for sale, if you are interested please pm me.

Edited By ANDY CAWLEY on 25/03/2016 07:26:12

Edited By ANDY CAWLEY on 25/03/2016 07:27:35

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

Posted by ANDY CAWLEY on 25/03/2016 07:17:26:

A Centec could fill your bill.

.

Graeme. A crackingly well designed, versatile and well made machine for a small workshop if it's a good one.

Nick

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

I am with John on this. Get as big as you can, I do mainly bike stuff and would not be without my Bridgeport turret mill which has a 4" spacer in it. A pair of crank cases on a tilting table plus a boring head soon swallow up daylight.

[Graeme Barton 1Participant @graemebarton1]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Nick – i'll need to wait until i get home again to watch the youtube video you attached but it sounds interesting.

I know bigger is better but getting it into position is a problem for me.

Does anyone know the dimmension/weight of the smallest machine that Bridgeport produced?

Graeme

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

They did do one with a 36" table but hard to find.

One good thing with Bridgeport's is they take to pieces easily in 6 or 7 big lumps.

Nothing a fit person with a 1 tonne garage crane can't move on his own but obviously this doesn't cover steps and gravel drives etc.

Everyone seems to look at the overall machine.

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