Ordered X3 today...

[Oldnbroek]

Hey Y'all,
After checking Grizzly's stock and finding that almost all of their small mills are backordered until July sometime, I decided to order the only machine (X3) they had in stock. I was kinda hoping they'd have a SX3 or 0704, but after reading about the x3 vs. SX3 and so on, I decided that I can live with a non-tilting head. I tap all the time at work on our Lagun, and it doesn't reverse instantly (but it does have a spindle brake...) so I can live without that, too. Grizz says that the machine should be here in three to five days, so I have more studying to do. Thank you all for the information to consider; It has really helped!

Best regards,

Mike

 

[Oldnbroek]

Well, I picked the machine up from the UPS freight terminal yesterday, and have it sitting on my bench in the basement as I write this. Pickup was easy, getting it into the basement was a real pain! It took myself and three strong twenty-something boys to get it from the tailgate to the bench. It does have a bit of mass for its size.
Got some of the cosmolene off the ways and lubed everything, ran the machine for the 'spindle break-in procedure' and got it as level as I could for now. I'm pretty happy! I'll write more after sundown...

 

[Oldnbroek]

Hey All,

I like it. Better and better all the time. I've cut some pretty accurate slots and bolt circle patterns and such with it, and so far it has been spot on. About the only thing I'm not too wild about is the drill chuck, and I may be able to adjust some of that out as well. Oh, and the graduated sleeves for axis measurement are stiff as all get out! I'll have to play with that. There's a bent steel 'spring' under each wheel that restrains the movement of the sleeve... I'll grind and polish.
About the only thing it needs is a set of Y axis way covers and Y axis oiler ports... The ways have no wipers or other protection, and I already have a good sized scratch running down one of them... I would assume that means they're not hardened, and looking at the mill marks, not ground, either. Still. It does good stuff so far. Got a nice cross hatch going on a fly cut, and have made some long cuts without too much deviation from one end to the other. Oh, and forget climb cutting anything. Not gonna happen. I didn't expect that it would, and surface finish is really nice going conventional, so no biggie.
Carbides are the cat's meow! Not that this machine will ever 'hog' anything, but it'll march right through a fairly good sized cut on cold rolled. I used it to make a tool holder for my lathe which holds a 1/4" bit on one end and a 5/16ths on the other. Deep slots. Basically I squared up a piece of scrap to 1/2" square 4 inches long, then slotted the length .250 wide and .245 deep, then slotted half the length out to .313w x .307 deep... Now both bits are right on center, and I can use the cheeep sizes... ;D
At any rate, when I told it to take another .010, that's what it did, in X, Y, or Z. Or .002, or .001...No surprises, no drama. I kinda like the fact that the 'Z' scale is in .0005 graduations. Yeah, it takes TWO turns of the wheel to get .100, but I'm used to it. The Lagun at work takes 1-1/3... It's seems more accurate that way.
Anyhow, Just though I'd tell Y'all what was going on with it. I'll make something useful soon...
Hope you all had a good 4th!

Mike