Microlux X2 Mill, Anybody Have One Of These?

Steve Austin

Registered
Registered
Joined
Jun 14, 2015
Messages
15
I'm in the market for a mini mill. I've read hundreds of reviews and comparisons on the versions available. My choices are either the LMS Hitorque 3990 or the microlux r8 (84630) sold by micro-mark. There doesn't seem to be any talk about the microlux. Does anybody have one of these mills or purchased from micro-mark before? I'm thinking x-mas in July.
 
I guess that ones not a big seller. I suppose I will go with the LMS 3990 as it has a lot positive feedback.
 
I've bought a lot of "stuff" from LMS but not a full machine. They all come from the same place but I expect LMS holds them to higher standards on its made to contract machines. The only drawback is cost of shipping. Horrible Fright will ship a mill for $21.00 instead of $150.00 to $200.00. I wish they had a better shipping cost like Grizzle does. LMS gets my vote on a lot of things ( just placed a order today) but there should be a better shipping price from them on machines. I guess they aren't big enough to get a discount rate from FedEx or UPS on heavy ground shipments.
 
There freight is a bit excessive $145 without a lift gate. I have no experience with mills but reviews seem to say that the solid column mills are the way to go. LMS is the only place I can find that sells the mini-mill with a solid column. They have 2 choices, the 3990 and the X2D. The X2D is$300 cheaper, has a smaller motor and gears instead of the belt drive. Add in the belt conversion and its now only $145 cheaper. Is the extra torque from the bigger motor worth it?
 
I share your pain on the extra money. I was going to buy the same 3990 and the shipping turned me off. I whimped out and bought a HF X2 for $599.00 less a 20% coupon add in the $21.00 shipping and tax and I was totaled out at about $525.00. Should be ok for my use. If money isn't a issue for you I'm sure the 3990 is a better machine. The Brushless motor is AWESOME. Quieter and smoother and probably will last longer. Once again if money isn't a issue the 3990 is a better machine. Money was a issue for me and $525.00 all done is a difference. The price difference with no 20% off plus the shipping seems to have doubled the price.
If I was buying for more serious use or planned to add CNC I would have had a different look at the price. You may ask your self the question I had to deal with. How are you going to use it? Will the projects you plan to do tax the motor and the less ridged column? HF is not top of the line but they are all SEIG machines. I expect LMS requires a higher standard then HF from SEIG. I recently bought a almost new HF 7x10 lathe for a whopping $180.00. I have had some real junk from HF but the SEIG machines are some of their better efforts. My good experience on the lathe opened the door for the mill. If you can swing the bucks the LMS 3990 is best of breed. If I had the extra money I'd like to have a 5K CNC mill! What ever you buy remember unless you have a lot of tooling on hand or have access to friends in the trade you will need to drop several hundred $ on tooling or the machine is just a drill press. Odds are with the 3990 and minimal tooling you are going to be around $1500.00 out of pocket real soon. Nothing wrong with that if you need it, want it and can afford it.
 
Unfortunately I have no idea how taxing the work will be. I would like to make some of the engines I see plans for on the web and whatever else pops into my head. Mainly aluminum and brass but I'm sure some steel will get on there at some point.
Unlike you, I went with the Sherline 4400 lathe because of the HF stigma. Not a bad machine but nowhere near rigid enough. .025" cut in aluminum is taxing on it. I good tolerances on it but it takes a lot of time and effort. I have already planned on getting one of the tooling packages from LMS that are $300 to $400. They have a good selection of what's needed to get started making chips.
All that said, money is always an issue. I hate to over spend because I am ignorant on the subject and get caught up in the bells and whistles. I have nothing to compare to, no friends in the hobby just YouTube and what I read on the web. Your responses are helpful and appreciated. If you would, please describe the work you do with yours and are you happy it?
 
I got started collecting machine tools for home use out of frustration. Before I retired I worked as a Aviation Composites Technician and the facility I worked in had a machine shop. So I got to see how some things were done and what was used and how. I also had access to the occasional professional favor for personal projects. After retiring I have missed the daily access to knowledge being able to get .020 took off of this or that. Recently I had a part I needed .019 took off the I. D. I took it to a local machine shop and the guy gave me a price of $25.00 to do it and ask me to leave it with him for a week. Ok fair enough. After checking back for 3 weeks he still hadn't done it so I picked it up and went to another shop. That guy wanted $65.00 to do the 5 minute job. Time to buy some tools... Another project that helped me make the decision to get a home setup was a old Sears band saw I have that just won't die. The blades guides died years ago and Sears wanted something in the $40.00 range for 4 plastic blocks that were a bad design to start with and I knew wouldn't last. I cobbled together a fix out of what I had and could do with basic hands tools. Now I can do a proper repair. As for the HF stuff I'm the first to be skeptical but everything in the lathe and mill is Seig which is everybody's product more or less. Different name and color same design. Keep in mind I got the Lathe for under $200.00 but it proved to be a good small tool for the money. LMS has parts and its a proven design more or less.
I have noticed HF does improve their quality on some things over time and the Chicom stuff is better than it was.... I recently went looking on Craig's list for a local buy on a big drill press. I found a local company that bought out closing business and they had listed some American branded drill presses. Ok I thought I can score some old solid American Iron. Went to look and it was all brand name old stuff made in Taiwan and they wanted the same price as a new HF press. The HF press I bought turned out to be a better machine all around and new for less.
The HF lathe was a big step up from a old Unimat watchmakers lathe I have. .005 is a deep cut for it! You can choke it down with a scotch brite pad! After working around top of the line equipment I know my limited skills and equipment budget are something I 'll just have to work around. If I had the room and the money I'd be working on a 15 or 20 k budget to get what I'd really want. Since I don't have the room for it the lack of funds is less of a issue. No place to put it solves the money issue.
 
I just spent the last couple of hours going through this site rereading the threads on the mini mill. There are too many to count and all say the same thing. Good work can be done, deep cuts will be trouble, tram often and replace gears with the belt drive. Since it doesn't sound like the 3990 is twice the mill I can't see paying twice as much for it. I think the next time I get a 20% off coupon I will order the HF. That leaves more money for tooling and the other things on my wish list. I guess I will have to build that work bench now.
 
I can't say you would be wrong because its what I did. Do I still want the LMS brushless? Yes. But the logic to buy the HF with the $21.00 shipping on a 20% off coupon wins.
They do come from the same place...
Think about it this way the HF is 85% the machine for 50% the price. Still a good deal. Here is your coupon online code for July --- 36865845
http://www.harborfreight.com/20off-...medium=aff&utm_campaign=wts-coupons&hftref=cj

I have a shipment for LMS arriving tomorrow with the air spring kit, R8 collets and the clamp kit. I recently got the LMS Kurt style 3" vise and parallels.
All of that stuff is about what I saved buying the HF. Had I bought the LMS machine I would still need it all but the air spring.
The work bench is done. and I have a 1" aircraft ply mounting plate cut and drilled to mount the mill on.
 
I went through this exact exercise when looking for a mill last year. The 3990 with shipping was $1000 so I decided to step up to a PM-25MV, I am a woodworker and knew I would want the additional capacity. If I had not done that I think I would have gone with the HF mill and had money for tooling etc. LMS sells all of the upgrades and replacement parts. There are tons of modifications you can do yourself if you find you need it.

Knowing what kind of projects you plan on completing will define what machine you buy. As far as starter kit goes I would purchase the essentials such as hold down kit, a couple different size endmills, a vice, calipers, set of good drills, a machinist square, edgfinder and foe from there. I purchased the LMS starter set and found out the endmills are junk and lasted two seconds. I have since purchased high quality endmills as I need them and my results are much better. eBay and Craigslist are great sources for tooling.
 
Back
Top