Which Mill to Complement my 1946 SouthBend 9"?

[Phil3]

I have asked elsewhere what would be a good mill to complement my SouthBend 9" with 4-1/2 foot bed. By "complement", I mean in terms of the size and accuracy of work being produced by both tools being roughly the same scale. The answers I have gotten ranged from the Sieg X2 or X3 to claims that the only way to go is with a one ton Bridgeport. I recognize mass and rigidity are important, but hard to believe that a 2000 lb. mill is scaled well to a 9" lathe. I hesitate a bit on the Asian mills because they might be a little "light" in performance, and secondarily, because of frequent reports of having to take the mill completely apart for cleaning and proper functioning. I want a high quality mill, but some reports leave me wondering. Appreciate any guidance or experiences.

Thanks.

- Phil

 

[snoopybird]

If you have the space, by all means go for a used BP. With so many machine shops closing, they are quite available and priced favorably in comparison to new Chi-com machines. They often have 1 1/2 hp motors (real horse power, not the dinky-ass metric horses of the Chi-com motors), so VFD is not to expensive a way of powering 3 phase motors and such a pleasure to use. Once apon a time, I had a Rong Fu RF31. After a year or so I gladly sold it for half what I'd paid. While the square column Asian mill/drills are a much needed improvement, I believe they still suffer from a quill that tilts just enough to make precision challenging.

I have a 9" SBL (converted to a 10K) and an 11" Logan. Within their design limits, they do their job well. For a mill, I now have an ancient (Spanish) Lagun powered by VFD, and, in spite of its age, it works very well. Don't be put off by the "worn out American iron" myth. I rescued my mill from the scrap yard, and with a new drive belt and a few hours work, it works great. I believe its a bit heavier than a BP, but its rigid, accurate, and repeatable. Remember, its easier to make small parts on a large machine than to make large parts on a small machine.

Check out Craig's list or even eBay. You'll find something.

Good hunting,
Johnny