I just looked that machine up on the net. Very interesting- it looks a lot like the Grizzly G0704 that I am considering. Since I live within a day's driving distance of Grizzly's Eastern location, I could drive out there and pick one up at their facility if I settle on that model. By the way, I can content myself with a machine like these that can take say, maybe a .200" cut in mild steel if need be. Yes, I might have to make more passes to get the project to size but I have time. Thanks for posting about the capabilities of you machine- that is the kind of helpful info I was hoping for.
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Which Milling Machine To Buy?
- Thread starter Curtis
- Start date
I just looked that machine up on the net. Very interesting- it looks a lot like the Grizzly G0704 that I am considering. Since I live within a day's driving distance of Grizzly's Eastern location, I could drive out there and pick one up at their facility if I settle on that model. By the way, I can content myself with a machine like these that can take say, maybe a .200" cut in mild steel if need be. Yes, I might have to make more passes to get the project to size but I have time. Thanks for posting about the capabilities of you machine- that is the kind of helpful info I was hoping for.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2013
- Messages
- 4,063
Just a suggestion, but with machines like this that are limited mass/rigidity wise, good quality end mills are your friend. I use course and fine roughers for any significant stock removal then finish with a regular end mill. These machines are capable of some impressive work as long as you stay within their work envelop and don't try to push it like a full sized mill ( a story comes to mind about someone trying to use a 3/4" end mill in one of these thing...
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- Joined
- May 7, 2014
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Yeah - I was that guy too... So new not too long ago! I thought that all these Mfr. Ads w/ huge end-mills and advertised carbide 1.5" DOCs with R8 small mill collet sets that come up to 7/8" LOL... Ohh how I've learned. +1 on the roughers!
On a more serious note- You'll play w/ Feeds and speeds to hit the sweet spots of the machine and cutters you like. I've put 1045 thru my 3:1 shopmaster CNC mill and it seems more about feeds and speed setup w/ the smaller end mills. The PM25 and precision matthews/Quality machines are highly regarded here in HM from what I have read. I do not think you would go wrong with either!
On a more serious note- You'll play w/ Feeds and speeds to hit the sweet spots of the machine and cutters you like. I've put 1045 thru my 3:1 shopmaster CNC mill and it seems more about feeds and speed setup w/ the smaller end mills. The PM25 and precision matthews/Quality machines are highly regarded here in HM from what I have read. I do not think you would go wrong with either!
Just a suggestion, but with machines like this that are limited mass/rigidity wise, good quality end mills are your friend. I use course and fine roughers for any significant stock removal then finish with a regular end mill. These machines are capable of some impressive work as long as you stay within their work envelop and don't try to push it like a full sized mill ( a story comes to mind about someone trying to use a 3/4" end mill in one of these thing...
Thank you Bill, as a matter of fact I just found that out after receiving an order that I placed from MSC for some special carbide end mills that are AlCrN coated as well as two slow helix 1/8" carbide drills (also coated) which I got out of frustration with trying to drill through aluminum bronze. The performance of the drills has to be seen to be appreciated, and the coated carbide end mills are equally amazing- and on a tiny Taig mill no less!
So it looks like no one owns one of the round-column "Rong-Fu" type mill-drills like the Harbor Freight mill that I linked to in the OP? I was hoping someone could shed some light on their experience with it if they owned one of these machines. The two attractive features of the HF are the relatively big table and the 18 inch spindle to table distance it has. Oh well, maybe it is just too outdated in design or something such that no one here has one.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2014
- Messages
- 234
I would give it a couple days. I'm sure someone will chime in. Good luck
I would look at the Rusnok benchtop mill. Been around for years, well made and solid as a rock. I have two of them, and use them to make parts for live steam engines.
The mill easily comes apart for transport downstairs into a cellar.
Rusnok mills are still made by Electro-Mechano: http://www.electro-mechano.com. Quite expensive, but in my opinion well worth the cost. Sometimes a Rusnok turns up on eBay, and is quickly snapped up.
John Nathan
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2012
- Messages
- 70
sounds like your answering your own questions LOL.
Answering my own question? How so? In my OP I was asking for opinions and information on two specific mills, which you can see in my OP are a Harbor Freight option and a Grizzly G0704, both of which are relatively light machines. I was not asking whether I should buy a one ton Bridgeport. This seems to be the type of response one can expect from a person who does not read the original post for comprehension. So what is there to laugh about?
