There is a Bolton Tools 2hp benchtop mill listed on FB market in Katy for $2k. I have the same exact mill and have had no issues with it, fair warning though Boltons customer service and parts availability seem to be total crap.
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New shop. Now I need a lathe and milling machine
- Thread starter EastTexCowboy
- Start date
I've got some stuff but it's more for fabricating where precision is not even a word. I know I need much better outside mics. And some better indicators. I'm thinking if I get to play with all his toys I'll figure out which ones I like and use the most.
I've seen some deals on ebay and will probably go that route, but nothing as good as a set like that for $300. I don't mind buying used. I just get impatient and go buy new sometimes. But stuff like this adds up to a lot of money in a hurry. Buying good used stuff and being able to afford more of it is always a good plan.
I've already pulled the trigger but appreciate the heads up.
I am also in NW Houston and the power bill for my 1200sq small business is $350 a month
You won't find those deals on ebay, it's craigslist or FB marketplace. There's been a bunch of them up here lately, at least 5 sets have gone up for sale all $300-$400. I bought one of the Mitutoyo 0-6 six mic sets. The 6-12 inch sets are also springing up around the same price, though they have one 12" frame and the anvils for the smaller sizes.
That said, I doubt you are turning cannons right. It could be a couple of mics is all you need for gunsmithing, maybe 0-1 and 1-2. If that is the case and it were me, I'd go super high accuracy Mitutoyo electronic mics. I have 3 of them covering 0 to 3 inches. Anything I do over 3 inches in diameter won't need more than .001 accuracy.
out of curiostiy why the 1440gt instead of the 1440-2sm? I am also in the market so a 20% price increase is signifcant. I can only assume the difference between Chinese made and Taiwan?Well, I pulled the trigger on the PM 1440GT and the PM 949TV along with a bunch of accessories. $31k but I figure worse case scenario when I get too old to use it I can get a lot of my money back. I'm blaming y'all for encouraging me, just so you know.
And because you're in the city you don't have many good options for solar due to all their regulations. Out here I was able to build my own solar setup offgrid. When I add the system going on this new shop to the existing system I'll have 26kw of panels, 150 kwh of batteries and three 12kw inverters. Running both shops and the house my power bill will be $100 to $150 per month. Of course I've invested quite a bit of money and a ton of sweat equity, but I'm satisfied with the results.
I never find anything like that on either of those around here. I've looked for at least a year for lathes, mills, mics, tooling, and I've never ran across anything I would want. I have ran across some stuff on ebay that was a fair deal. Not a steal, but way less than buying new. It's just a matter of checking all time until you find what you want.
Most of what I'll be doing is stuff for the equipment here on the ranch, repair stuff, upgrades, etc. Most of it will certainly not require a high level of precision. But the high precision equipment will still make low precision parts. The opposite isn't true. There's some things on my excavator I need to take care of and some of the parts are going to have fairly tight tolerances, but I expect that to be the exception, not the rule. Of course I'll do some projects just for the hell of it, and probably some work for friends. Just about everyone I know has equipment and there's always something. For me, one of the driving forces was I get tired of not being able to find some small part that has me shut down, or having to wait weeks to get it and pay 5 to 10 times what it's worth.
I don't know if I'm up for making a final drive splined shaft for the excavator but eventually I'll get there. Those things are about an inch in diameter, six inches long, and cost $1,100. Just because you can't get it anywhere else. Pisses me off. So I go spend over $100k for a shop and the equipment and it may not make financial sense but it satisfies my need to be more independent.
Sorry for the rant. I get off on tangents.
For me it was all based on reviews and talking to people. The cost difference is definitely China vs Taiwan and the quality of the machine. When I was talking to the guy in sales I mentioned that the tariffs were probably going to kill their market for Chinese machines. He told me they hardly sell any of those anymore and have been moving towards the Taiwanese machines for the last several years. So I felt like it was one of those buy once, cry once situations. I don't like wasting money but I don't mind investing it in something of good quality. I am not trashing the Chinese machines because a lot of people have and love them, and I'm nowhere near qualified enough to advise. I'm just stating my thought process and what was right for me.
This makes perfect sense and I think I've seen a couple of YT videos addressing that very thing. I don't know how much I'll use the tilt and nod but if I see the need and the only thing stopping me is buying the stuff to easily get it back to square again I'll do it. I've seen some elaborate setups on the vise to get various pitches or angles. Now it makes sense why they were doing so. They didn't want to mess with their setup on the head.