Will it support my mill? Or should I quit being lazy and do it right?

MontanaLon

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So the HF mini knee mill I bought yesterday was on a stand but it was junk. 3/4" angle iron and 2x8's for a top. It wouldn't fit in the car so I left it there. Kind of regret leaving the 2x8's now but it was getting late, I was sweaty and had an hour drive ahead of me. So I knew going in I would have to build or buy a stand.

So today I was planning it out and I have some 4x4's in the garage along with some 2x4's and x8's and thread searching here and I think I came up with a solution that will work. Nothing special but while I am at it it will give me some more bench space just a little lower than what would be ideal. So I went out to the garage and while looking for the 2x's I know are out there somewhere I spy a crate I brought home from work probably 15 years ago. It was a shipping/display that came full of trailer balls. 2 feet square and 28.5 inches tall. The thing weighed close to a ton when it was full but after we sold all the balls weighs maybe 35 pounds.

Construction is 2x4 uprights at each corner with 1x4 sides and bottom. Bottom is supported by 2x4's. The thing is pretty stout and I don't have to build it.

Or should I just quit being lazy and do the 4x4 legged, 2x4 braced extra sized table, with 3/8" bolts all around?
 
If I were you I would make a custom stand complete with a chip pan. Below is a picture of my 1916 Seneca Falls machine on a stand I made over 20 years ago. It was originally mounted to a wooden table. Even though the table was made of 2x4's, 2x6's and had 4x4 legs all the joints loosened over the years. The current stand took less than a week to build and hasn't needed any improvements or repairs since it was built.

DSC00018A.jpg
 
Do it right the first time.
And do not waste time building c--p. And I can be grumpy too ---
If I were you I would make a custom stand complete with a chip pan. Below is a picture of my 1916 Seneca Falls machine on a stand I made over 20 years ago. It was originally mounted to a wooden table. Even though the table was made of 2x4's, 2x6's and had 4x4 legs all the joints loosened over the years. The current stand took less than a week to build and hasn't needed any improvements or repairs since it was built.

View attachment 298671
If that were in the budget I would do it in a heartbeat.
 
If I were you I would make a custom stand complete with a chip pan. Below is a picture of my 1916 Seneca Falls machine on a stand I made over 20 years ago. It was originally mounted to a wooden table. Even though the table was made of 2x4's, 2x6's and had 4x4 legs all the joints loosened over the years. The current stand took less than a week to build and hasn't needed any improvements or repairs since it was built.

View attachment 298671
I agree. My small lathe is also like this.
20190629_142635.jpg
 
So the HF mini knee mill I bought yesterday was on a stand but it was junk. 3/4" angle iron and 2x8's for a top. It wouldn't fit in the car so I left it there. Kind of regret leaving the 2x8's now but it was getting late, I was sweaty and had an hour drive ahead of me. So I knew going in I would have to build or buy a stand.

So today I was planning it out and I have some 4x4's in the garage along with some 2x4's and x8's and thread searching here and I think I came up with a solution that will work. Nothing special but while I am at it it will give me some more bench space just a little lower than what would be ideal. So I went out to the garage and while looking for the 2x's I know are out there somewhere I spy a crate I brought home from work probably 15 years ago. It was a shipping/display that came full of trailer balls. 2 feet square and 28.5 inches tall. The thing weighed close to a ton when it was full but after we sold all the balls weighs maybe 35 pounds.

Construction is 2x4 uprights at each corner with 1x4 sides and bottom. Bottom is supported by 2x4's. The thing is pretty stout and I don't have to build it.

Or should I just quit being lazy and do the 4x4 legged, 2x4 braced extra sized table, with 3/8" bolts all around?
Do it right, Mine is 4X4 legs & 2x6's solid no vibration, 6 years old.
 
Just my non-scientific observation that for light weight machines wood dampens and absorbs vibration better unless you overbuild the stand with heavy gauge metal. For heavier machines like your knee mill (heavier gauge) metal is the way to go though.
 
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