Grizzly Go 727 Horizontal/ Vertical Mill

harryhall

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I am looking real hard at the grizzly 727. I currently have a large grizzly lathe (the shop backbone) but, my mill is a small taig mill. I need a mediam size mill for general hobby work. I like the horizontal aspect of the 727 and it is robust for its size. Can anyone who has had experiance with this mill abvise me. How well does it cut steal and aluminum. Does it fly cut well? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
 
I don't have one of these, and all I know is what I found on the Grizzly website. If it were my decision, I'd be very concerned with the fact that this mill does not have a moveable spindle. The only vertical adjustment possible is by moving the table on its "knee." And that's pretty limited. Quoting from the web page: "Max. distance spindle to table: 6-½""

I don't know how important horizontal milling capability is for you. If it's not, may I suggest you consider the Grizzly G0758 ($865, still a bit limited at 9" max spindle to table), or the pricier G0704 ($1225), or the Little Machine Shop 3990 ($896) as possible alternatives. And as always, be aware that tooling, fixtures and goodies will probably cost you as much as the mill itself.
 
Thank you for your input. Yes, you are correct, there is very little working space under the spindle. I know from experiance that little working space relates to allot of agrevation during setup. My current mill is a taig mini mill. It is a great machin, but it is designed for small work. I must say that in it's class I think it is the best. The 727 seems to have a great deal of cast iron built around a small footprint. This may give it an edge in obtaining smooth and acurat finish work. But, still again, little work space. With horizontal cutters and a low proofile milling vise, or, mounting work with a spigot cut into stock may help things. GEEZE, what to do. The mills you sugested seem to be good machines. Yet, they are still limited. I guess if I decide to dedicate the funds the griz GO761 would be about as much machine as I can offord at this time. I think this machine would work very well with just about any project I tackle. MUST PONDER THIS SUBJECT MORE. Hope I dont get a migrain. The strain may be more than I can take!
 
I have to say that is a neat little mill but setup space would be a killer. I have something like the G0728 & I always ran into not having enough room. I ended up with something way bigger & so far I haven't ran into trouble with running out of room & there is still options for movement I haven't had to use. I live a big mill.

I understand not having the buck but if you can hang in until Black Friday/Cyber Monday you might find much more medicine for the same dollar. I got one heck of a deal through Enco so maybe MSC can do better also.

I learnt early on that you decide what the biggest you might ever have a use for is then consider something twice the size but buy as much as you can scrape up the money to get.
 
Hi
Not much help here
but
When you do a comparison of the X Y Z measurements, according to the lathesuk web site, the 727 is some what a clone of the old atlas horizontal mill. Maybe someone who has a atlas can confirm it, but I would think that if the atlas worked than the 727 will also. The 727 vertical attachment has me puzzled with what you would with it, but the atlas also had a vertical attachment so there is a use for it I guess. I would suggest that you consult some of the atlas horizontal mill users and see what they say its pros and cons are; who knows it might fit the bill for you. Myfordboys little mill is about the same size from what I can tell and he does some amazing builds with it:encourage:.
 
Hi iron man. Can you give a little more detatl on how your column extension was made.
 
I took a 6 inch heavy wall steel tube and cut it down to match the width of the mill. I had a piece of aluminum I put inside because it fit you would not have to do that. I capped the ends chucked it up and faced both sides. I drilled the stock holes and run longer bolts to sandwich it between the base and column. I then machined a 50 degree dove tail on a steel plate located the position drilled and pinned it then drilled and countersunk the Allen head stainless bolts and secured it to the block. I then made a longer lead screw with a steeper climb and then eventually I moved the lead screw to the center so it would lift more even.
 
I don't have a 727 but I have looked at it specs. The thing that bothers me most about it is that it doesn't have mandrels for the most commonly available milling cutters, it has, I believe, 5/8 and 3/4. Mandrels available for the Atlas horizontal mill, to which comparisons have been made earlier, are 7/8 and 1 inch. I also worry that it won't have the power at the low speeds needed by larger milling cutters in mild steel. These machines all advertise wattage, which does not equate to horsepower, and they advertise peak wattage, which does not equate to horsepower at the speed you need to use it. They typically lose power at low speeds, just where it's needed for a horizontal mill. The Atlas uses belts/gears for speed reduction, so save for the few percent loss through the powertrain you get a full 1/3 or 1/2 hp at the spindle. My take is if you really want a small horizontal mill, get an Atlas (you get power feed to boot).
 
I had an atlas mill I replaced it with the 727 and I would not go back. If your worried about the mandrel size if your like me you make the mandrel you need, if you cant your not being very creative. This mill out performs the atlas in so many ways and with some modifications that are not as possible on the atlas you can do some very nice work.
 
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