warco wm18 versus chester century

[Mike guitarParticipant @mikeguitar]

Hi, I'm getting round to buying a milling machine after wasting years of my life thinking about it. I've read all the web relative advice and taking my age (approaching the big 70) and My wife's increasing frustration into consideration and the fact that machine tools requiring a crane to get them in situ leave me fazed. Hence I'm looking at either the WarcoWM18 or the ChesterCentury I've studies both specs but just know I'm going to get sensible advice on this forum. thanks in anticipation

[Mike guitarParticipant @mikeguitar]

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Well, I have the Chester machine. I can only say that Chester were brilliant at sorting out a simple fault with the machine and they were not obliged to as I was not the original purchaser.

For a small Mill I have found it to be quite versatile and I fitted a simple DRO system bought from Arceuro and it was worth the effort. Mine didn't have a stand and so I made one and after looking at the stands "in the flesh" so to speak I wouldn't have bought one as they are just a big cupboard. They weigh in at 165 kilos or thereabouts so they are no lightweight but I happen to have a very handy son who is built like the proverbial Brick outhouse and a prospective Son in Law the same (I think they make them bigger nowadays) so with a bit of "guidence" they put it in place for me.

I will be buying another Mill to go alongside this one and the Chester 626 is probably going to be it. Here is a pic of mine, taken just yesterday:

[Mike guitarParticipant @mikeguitar]

Hi and thanks oompa, I will also make a cabinet for Mill bought cabinet for the lathe but will def build for the Mill, my sons live a few hundred miles from here but suspect their respective wives wouldn't let them help anyway……..sign of the times maybe……I've got an engine crane to help me lift it on to it's stand, thanks for your comments

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