I've been looking for sometime now for a budget mill ($1500~$1800) and I've come to the conclusion that a budget Mill will probably be all I could afford or utilize to maximum benefit. I know lots of folks, hobbists included tend to stay away from the round column Mills but I've been smitten by the Central Machinery 33686 Mill. Anybody have this mill and could offer any insights?
-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
Looking for a Budget Mill
- Thread starter Capt45
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2019
- Messages
- 41
I'm in your same shoes, but I still think $1500 is more than I can spend on such a machine right now. Every time I ask someone, they just say anything you buy will leave you wishing you had a bridgeport if space isn't too big of an issue. And I'll say that at $1500, you're getting very close to used bridgeport prices in my area.
TL
R - If I had $1500-$1800 I'd be looking at the cheapest used bridgeports near me, and see if someone asking $2500 would be willing to make a deal.
TL
R - If I had $1500-$1800 I'd be looking at the cheapest used bridgeports near me, and see if someone asking $2500 would be willing to make a deal.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,520
If you want a mill and that is your budget, then you are in Rong Fu territory. My RF31 is a Central-branded Taiwan unit that, once adjusted and tweaked, has proven to work well- within it's weight class. I'm looking forward to selling it after I get my big-kid mill installed, but I'll be letting go a machine whose quirks I know well. So, yeah- round column mills have their issues, but just look at how many of them have been made, millions? I'm not the only one who has learned to work around their issues and make good parts. If it suits your budget and your goals, it might be right for you.
The round column mills can do good work. You have to be willing to work around the issues though. They don't sound too bad overall really. I almost got one, someone snapped it up first. I ended up settling for a Bridgeport.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2016
- Messages
- 2,999
Those RF-31 style mills have been made since the 1980s under dozens of brand names, there are a lot of them out there so you can occasionally find a major bargain on one. It shouldn't be too hard to find one in the $800-1200 range, and I've seen them go for as little as $350. When I was shopping for a larger mill I considered one, but only if I could get it cheap. I had the benefit of already having a small Sherline mill, so I had less urgency than someone with no mill and could be very fussy.
These are larger, more powerful mills than I think many acknowledge. Their biggest drawback, the round column is less about capability and more about being more work and slower to set up a job. Lots of people on the forum have these mills and do good work with them.
I understand they make a pretty good drill press if your budget eventually grows and you get another mill. Buying used you are unlikely to lose money reselling if you buy wisely.
How small of a mill will work for you is another consideration. I see some of the PM-25 sized and smaller Grizzly / HF etc mills on CL in the $1000 and under price range fairly frequently. Used machines can be iffy, but with these mostly hobby class machines wear is much less of an issue than neglect / abuse. It is a lot easier for an inexperienced buyer to pick up on a poorly cared for machine, than a maintained but worn out machine.
These are larger, more powerful mills than I think many acknowledge. Their biggest drawback, the round column is less about capability and more about being more work and slower to set up a job. Lots of people on the forum have these mills and do good work with them.
I understand they make a pretty good drill press if your budget eventually grows and you get another mill. Buying used you are unlikely to lose money reselling if you buy wisely.
How small of a mill will work for you is another consideration. I see some of the PM-25 sized and smaller Grizzly / HF etc mills on CL in the $1000 and under price range fairly frequently. Used machines can be iffy, but with these mostly hobby class machines wear is much less of an issue than neglect / abuse. It is a lot easier for an inexperienced buyer to pick up on a poorly cared for machine, than a maintained but worn out machine.
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 26, 2019
- Messages
- 197
I picked a Taiwan RF-30 for 300.00 I tore it down and replaced all the bearings with angular contact bearings. Tightened the lead screw nuts cleaned and painted it. I have heard people call them drill presses but they are heavy and can take heavy cuts. The way I see it there is probably not much I can't do on this. Everyone thinks they are going to be manufacturing tanks or heavy armaments lol. I think a Bridgeport can be faster but if you learn machining and are just a hobby guy like me and are tight on room and money you can get by no problem.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2016
- Messages
- 602
If you can stretch the budget to around $1900, I think the PM-25 is an excellent machine. I am not biased though or anything...
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2012
- Messages
- 9,422
Capt45, can I ask what sort of projects you have in mind for this machine? If you have to do bigger stuff then something like a PM 25 might not be practical. On another thread, we were just discussing the amount of working room available on a PM 25 and it amounts to about 10". Fill that with a vise that is 3-4" tall and now you're looking at 6" of working room. Something to think about.
There are a few other considerations, mostly mass and rigidity. The bigger and more rigid, the better. An RF-30/31 weighs about 800#, heavier than three PM25's put together. Just the head alone is over 200#. I think most folks who pooh pooh these round column mills have never run one or even seen one in the flesh. It is a big machine to be sitting on a bench. It is pretty rigid for its size and is plenty capable for most hobby shops, I think.
The round column is an issue that is hardly ever a real issue. An RF-31 has a 3" diameter quill with 5" of travel. If you space the head to accommodate the longest tool you will use for your project you do not need to move the head at all. Look at the field and you will not find many with as big a quill or as much quill travel.
An RF machine can be made to run pretty accurately. As @Dudemanrod said, upgrading the spindle and drive sleeve bearings on an older machine can accurize the quill quite nicely. I'm not sure of his run out but mine is just under 0.0001", which is comparable or better than most new mills on the hobby market. Add the weight, mass, quill travel and low cost to that and it is a package that is tough to beat for the price.
Just food for thought.
There are a few other considerations, mostly mass and rigidity. The bigger and more rigid, the better. An RF-30/31 weighs about 800#, heavier than three PM25's put together. Just the head alone is over 200#. I think most folks who pooh pooh these round column mills have never run one or even seen one in the flesh. It is a big machine to be sitting on a bench. It is pretty rigid for its size and is plenty capable for most hobby shops, I think.
The round column is an issue that is hardly ever a real issue. An RF-31 has a 3" diameter quill with 5" of travel. If you space the head to accommodate the longest tool you will use for your project you do not need to move the head at all. Look at the field and you will not find many with as big a quill or as much quill travel.
An RF machine can be made to run pretty accurately. As @Dudemanrod said, upgrading the spindle and drive sleeve bearings on an older machine can accurize the quill quite nicely. I'm not sure of his run out but mine is just under 0.0001", which is comparable or better than most new mills on the hobby market. Add the weight, mass, quill travel and low cost to that and it is a package that is tough to beat for the price.
Just food for thought.