Need to get an upright mill for my farm shop…HELP!

[Ezra_Walker]

Here’s the dope. I got all excited to make my own bearings, reface pins and create basic heavy steel stuff for my heavy equipment repair needs. So I got on Griz-site and ordered a lathe that has so far worked perfectly. But now I need to produce more complex parts in our wind and solar farm and for building farm implement attachments since heavy metal prices have gone crazy. Here’s the skinny. It has to chip steel (not fast or deep but lots of it) and I would prefer metal gears…unless I don’t? I did a lot of research for the lathe but frankly I could use some help finding a good small mill. A bench top is fine but it has to be able to handle REAL work…and (please don’t laugh…too hard…)I’ve only got about a thousand bucks.
Facing, shaping, slotting and shaping mild steel, stainless, aluminum in fairly large pieces (up to 18” long, 1” thick or 1/4” walled tubing etc. gear making would be nice but that’s probably not going to happen in my budget.
Can anyone recommend a mill new or used that would do the basic tasks here on the farm?

 

[pontiac428]

Making bearings and facing pins are heavy duty tasks (hardened metals, alloy steels). It sounds to me like you should shop for 3-5 horsepower machines. That won't be a new machine purchase for under $1k, but a used machine with more grunt than precision that is suitable for you may easily be found at that price! Look at Hendy, South Bend, Prentice, and other 1940s-1980s standard-thread machines out there. You will probably be happy with six rotational speeds and a handful of threads for farm/industrial equipment maintenance. Fine and dandy for rebuilding pumps, hydraulic rams, etc., but you need not pay for 256 thread ranges (yeah, my lathe cuts 256 pitches without changing a gear), you don't need $2,000 chucks or $500 live centers. You can buy used in good condition to meet all your needs at a fraction of those costs, often at swap meets and definitely online. So start looking for an older midrange powerhouse, it'll have a lot more capability than a weak 3/4 horse import lathe with plastic gears at the same price.

 

[pontiac428]

Edit: Here's another hot tip. You're in a sweet spot location for lathes. There are a lot of retirees who set up shops between Spokane and Calispell. I see great deals on equipment in that area on the regular, so search wide!

 

[markba633csi]

I would say it sounds like your needs are so close to Bridgeport-scale work you might as well get a Bridgeport. I don't know if a benchtop Chinese machine would do what you need it to do. It would help if you could describe the types/sizes of parts you want to make in more detail.

I sometimes see the less popular round-ram Bridgies for sale in the range of 1500$ or even less. You might luck out on one of those. They came in a variety of table sizes 42", 36" and 32"- You can do almost anything (within reason) on a Bridgeport or clone. They are popular for a reason.
-Mark
PS what model of Grizzly lathe did you get?

 

[Nutfarmer]

I have a small farm shop and it has been a big help keeping things running. A bench mill would be too small for what I do. I have been happy with the Bridge Port clone I have. If you look around sometime a good used mill will show up at a reasonable price.

 

[pontiac428]

Ahh, a mill.. I think I saw that before I started talking about lathes for some reason. You know you will also need a lathe. Maybe even before a mill, but I digress.

 

[7milesup]

Ahh, a mill.. I think I saw that before I started talking about lathes for some reason. You know you will also need a lathe. Maybe even before a mill, but I digress.

He has a lathe. Needs a mill.

I would say that a benchtop mill for working in steel with the parameters @Ezra_Walker has outlined will not work. Maybe he could find something that will work but with only a $1000 budget it is going to be really tough.

"It has to chip steel (not fast or deep but lots of it)" and, "but it has to be able to handle REAL work facing, shaping, slotting and shaping mild steel, stainless, aluminum in fairly large pieces (up to 18” long, 1” thick or 1/4” walled tubing, etc. gear making would be nice but that’s probably not going to happen in my budget."

 

[pontiac428]

For steel and especially hard steel, the limitations of round column bench top machines become crystal clear. Square (geared) head bench mills and "baby knee" mills like the small Clausings are more rigid in side-side deflection, but won't be fast in steel and won't have much room on the table.

BP clones are more plentiful and are easily found in better condition than BP genuine at the same price. I don't have stellar opinions of the clapped-out Bridgeport brand knee mills that are out there. Finding a clean one is like finding a '55 Chevy coupe that's never been repainted. They may exist in fairy tales, but most have gone through dozens of owners and their concept of "repairs". Even if they've been cared for, they're old, used, and the tolerances have opened up long since your interest began.

Some excellent BP clones are Lagun (I'm biased), Wells-Index, Acra, Sharp, Acer, Atrump... any of these machines made from the 1980s-up are liable to be better than any Bridgeport you're gonna find on the west coast equipment market. They don't carry the automatic premium that comes with the Bridgeport name and can be found built tighter with better components and bearings than your wobbly and tired BP J-head.

 

[BROCKWOOD]

Fresh post from a fresh starter, so my input might be of use? I started out knowing I needed a small mill for small parts - didn't know nuttin bout nuttin. So, for a little more, I bought a benchtop combo. I know, I know (NOW) the millions of views on why NOT to go that route. Cannot argue against their logic either. But it got me started (& I still use it). Soon after getting comfortable with using it (Safety 1st ALWAYS), I learned that for my needs, I would have to step up to a real mill. Oh, I did my homework on this too. Admittedly, this was still in the same 'blind way' I'd used when I bought the combo.

It could very easily be argued that there are a million Bridgeport & clone users that will disagree (also) on my choices & why, at least, for the next part of my short story. But it is mine to tell...

Still, on my own, with absolutely zero outside input, I poured hours into what was available for what I was willing to spend. I saw two types of big enough mills for an East Texas farm boy to handle whatever broke. From the l'il combo, it was clear to me that vertical height under the cutter head was very important. What if I wanted to put a 440 block or Minneapolis Moline casting on it? Now table capabilities became my focus. So, the 2 types (to my virgin way of thinking) were the pull a handle / wheel to lower a cutter & raise the table to accomplish the same task. Why do I make that distinction? If it lowers the quill to make a cut (everyone can operate a drill press) it's easy! BuT, now, the table weight capability goes way down & X, Y, Z feed motors are hung on the end of each axis. So, now I'm limited to small 4cyl engines that might fit under the cutter & small axis feed ability.

OR

Heavy Metal! The other half of my version of 2 types. This is the raise the table to make a cut style.
Downfall? Considered by many to be an UN-natural approach to the task.
Benefits? Horizontal & Vertical capability all in 1 mill. X, Y & Z feeds centralized in 1 beefy motor on a heavy duty table & knee. These are the old American Iron bought you by Kearney & Trecker, Van Norman etc. There are, of course old European imports, such as LaGun, Deckel etc.

My choice, coming in at 4800 lbs, was Van Norman. Buy in was low, but if a part breaks, my only solution is to make a replacement myself. I bought it to make / repair parts, so....... OK, gotta use my combo for that.

Naturally, I've been looking at what I want in a big boy lathe as a next step. :-o

Mine is a left-handed Cajun approach. Since my start, I've joined a few Forums & learned tons of info I need. Ezra, on the hand came here 1st! Wise choice!!!

Enjoy the search. Everyone's input helps you to make a wise decision - & this site is the most comfortable, knowledgeable & helpful you'll find!

My combo & mill for reference:

 

[tjb]

I have done a boatload of work making replacement parts for some farmer friends in my area. In my opinion, the advice you're getting for your operation is spot-on. I have a 3-HP Vectrax mill that I bought used in very good (actually, 'great') condition that has been fine for almost every project I've come across. But there have been one or two occasions I've had to tell the guys I can't do that on my machine. You might need to pony up more cash, but based on my experience you need a full size mill. Anything less and I suspect you'll be buying it twice.

Regards