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Anybody have one of these??
I have been authorized by the finance committe to buy one but not sure of which one. I can go to arounf 1000.00 if needed..

Thanks Gary

That means you are getting a mill-drill. Unfortunately, they are all round-column up to the one that costs $1500.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G0519
I think that one is the RF-45. The square column makes a big difference.

Mill-drills are generic. I would shop around and consider other brands. Harbor Freight sells essentially the same machine in red.

Used Bridgeports are going for around your price if you are patient. It is well worth looking for such a machine. They really aren't that much more difficult to deal with than a mill-drill. Putting hundreds of pounds on a stand is a trick, the Bridgeport doesn't need one.

Eric's comments are on target. I bought a dovetail column mill/drill from Wholesale Tool a couple years ago. I use it a LOT for lutherie.

I've never used a round column mill/drill, but it is my understanding that every time you reposition the head vertically, it has to be realigned to the table. That would be a pain, let me tell ya, cuz I move the head on mine a lot.

How large of a mill do you need? If you don't need a large one, there's a mini dovetail model that might fill your needs.

If you really need something bigger than the mini, I'd suggest you go and talk to your committee and see if they'll consider doubling the allocation. Reason being, not only can you get a decent dovetail column mill, but shipping will cost a chunk, plus you're gonna need a decent vise, and various cutting, hold-down, and measuring tools.

Regarding a stand, what I did was build one from pieces of 4x6 lumber, which I bolted together with 3/4" dia. bolts and nuts, and 1/2" dia. hex-head screws. I lifted the mill onto the stand with an engine hoist like this one, which I was able to rent.

Best,

Michael

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I have an enco mill drill and Being a machinist I can tell you that plan to to all your work without moving the head.
   If you do need to move the head this can be done using the mill's vise and clamping a block into it with a hole drilled in it . I use 3/8 and use a 3/8 drill blank. When I move the head I set the drill blank into the hole to align the head. Will keep you close enough for most of your work.
   The Mill's from Grizzly are fine. I would avoid the HF as I had a lathe from them I had to return. The runout was .010 in an inch. The other products are not much better. The quality at HF is iffy but it will work in a pinch. You get what you pay for.
   Older Machines and knee mills are around at reasonable prices. Ebay may not be a bad choice
     MSC and ENCO are other places as is Jet. I can mill to within .002 with my enco.
john hall

John Osthoff has a small Grizzly mill I believe...maybe he will chime in.

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http://cgi.ebay.com/Enco-Milling-Drilling-Machine-Mill-Mills -Drills_W0QQitemZ7549695933QQcategoryZ12584QQssPageNameZWDVW QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Check out this link. This is similar to mine and will do all you can want
Ebay

I have a small Grizzley mill. It is the gear head model. Works great! I only use if for the saddle slot and for drilling the pin holes. I have no complaints whatsoever. Don't know how it would do for really heavy applications in metal but that really is not ao concern anyway.

John

Hey Michael, I've been looking at this machine. What exactly is drilling capacity?
Are you pretty happy with yours?

Paul,

Welp, according to the specs, its drilling capacity is 1-3/4" (max). It's max end mill capacity is 1-1/4". Honestly, though, I'm not really sure what this means.

So far, I've used it to cut mild steel and aluminum, besides wood. It's no Bridgeport, but it does a decent job. The only complaint I have about it so far is the seal around the inner spindle is failing, and leaks a bit of oil. Not really a problem with milling metal, but it can be a big problem when milling wood. I have to keep a paper towel or shop rag handy to wipe the drips before they drop and hit the wood.

I've found it to be very useful for lutherie, although I could probably get by with one of the mini mills. I build classicals mostly. I use my mill for drilling the tuner holes, for cutting out the general outlines and saddle slots of bridges, for cutting the soundboard relief into the top of the Spanish heel-style heel block, and for cutting nut slots.

My last two builds, I've used mortise-and-tenon bolt-on necks, and I used the mill to machine both the mortise and tenons of the neck heels and heel blocks. Nice tight fits in both cases.

Best,

Michael

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Thanks Michael. I'm still confused as to what the drilling capacity measures.

The specs for drill capacity are way over-rated just like motor horsepower these days. Use to be that drilling capacity was more like how large a hole (diameter) could you expect to drill in mild steel in one pass. In my opinion, a 1/2" diameter from the solid is a pretty good load for a small vertical mill. It's not a question, so much, of horsepower but rather the thrust it takes to push the drill bit thru. The grind on the end of the bit makes a big diff also. Splitting the point will reduce the thrust requirement dramatically. Saying that a typical mill/drill can drill a 1 3/4" diameter hole is stretching the truth. Perhaps starting out with a 1/2" diameter then stepping up thru 3/4", 1" etc. might work but where do you find a 1 3/4" diameter twist drill bit that has a shank small enough to fit the mill. We've turned shanks down to, say, 1/2" diameter to fit a drill chuck but that sucker is going to want to slip, chatter, grunt and groan like a hog stuck under a gate. Producting a large diamter hole on a mill/drill might best be done with an adjustable boring head that can step the hole out incrementally. Then a 5" diameter hole, or larger, becomes feasable within reason.
Nelson

Not meaning to hijack this thread, but... I know nothing about milling machines, but i do know that I have to replace my crappy old drill press soon. Will a mill like the dovetail mini mentioned by Michael do everything a drill press would do, As well as basic milling functions?
I'm looking to kill two birds with one stone if possible.
Dan'l

Dan'l--A friend of mine has one of the mini's that's been converted to CNC. He's had a little trouble with durability with an example being a plastic gear in the spindle drive. It's not a heavy duty machine by any means but, on the other hand, they are tremendously versatile with the positioning and light milling capability. One thing to look at before buying either a mill or a drill is the throat depth sometimes referred to "swing".   Throat depth would be the maximum distance a hole can be drilled from the edge of a large workpiece. Swing, as I understand it, is twice this distance like on a lathe where it is the diameter than can be chucked and still clear the ways.
All things considered, the mini is quite a bit for the money if you're not wanting to any heavy drilling in metal. IMHO.
Nelson

Don is right (now there's a change ) ... I do have the mini mill from grizzly.

I think I only paid about $400 though. It is not a very rigid machine so it is not great for metal. It is nice on bridges and I use it for slotheads. (no jigs needed)

A little underpowered etc and the last time I used it, it was acting up with the speed control circuitry. It seemed to get better after I cleaned up the electronics, but I have not used the machine much lately.

Overall a handy little machine but limited.

I might be tempted to spend a little more on a "good" drill press (One with a lock to hold the spindle depth) and a cross table. For light cutting, that might do the trick.

I would love to have a bridgeport but $$$, (I used to be pretty good with them.)

I guess it comes down to what do you want your machine to do. My mini mill is handy, has a small footprint, and isn't costing me anything, so I don't feel like I need to be using it everyday. Fixtures here and there, a slot head or 3 a year and batches of bridges make it a worthwhile dust magnet.

john, do you also have a drill press? My cheapo drill press has finally taken a dive and I want to get something new. I was looking at these mini mills as they offer a lot more than just you up and down drilling. Any thoughts?

Paul,

This mini mill is not a drill press and I think you would be disappointed if that is what you had instead of a drill press. Yea I do have a drill press, but not a very good one. That is a tool that I should not have skimped as much as I did.

Since the back column on the mini mill is so close to the spindle you would not get much depth either. (Throat?)

Although drill presses are not meant for stress along the horizontal, I know quite a number of guys who do the saddle slot on a drill press. If my drill press had a way of locking the "Z" axis, I probably would have not gone out and bought the mini mill and reserved some of my small milling jobs for the drill press.

[QUOTE=Daniel M] Will a mill like the dovetail mini mentioned by Michael do everything a drill press would do, As well as basic milling functions?
I'm looking to kill two birds with one stone if possible.
Dan'l[/QUOTE]

Dan'l, I'm inclined to say 'yes'. My dovetail column mill can do just about anything that one can do with a medium-sized drill press. It doesn't have the vertical clearance that a taller drill press (like a floor model) has, however. I think the max vertical clearance on my mill is about 15" or so.

Having said all that, though, I find that there are certain tasks I perform on my drill press and certain ones I perform on my mill. Mostly this is because once I've gone to all the trouble of aligning my mill's vise, I don't like to move it. Whereas with my drill press, I don't keep a vise bolted down on it cuz much of the stuff I use it for doesn't need a vise. But if I need to use a vise on the drill press, I usually just lay one atop the table, and if necessary clamp it down.

Best,

Michael

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     Mills Mill drilll and Drill presses. What a selection. I use bridgeports all day and from the other posts I am not alone.
     My best advice is to get the best tool you can afford. You may be surprised at the availability of used mills in your area.
      An enco mill drill will do all you would ever need in the basic shop. A bridgport of any other full sized mill will take up alot of room and they weight may be a concern. My mill drill is about 700 lbs.
       Drill pressed don't make very good mills even with the milling tables but the tables are great for hole spacing and even light slotting.
       The mini mill from grizzly is okay but it isn't a production tool. If you want to work metal you need at least a mill drill in my opinion. I found my mill used for 650. I added a power feed ( $285 ) and digital readout ( $500 ) .
        I am lucky enough to live near a grizzly (Muncy) Pa and I explored them as I allmost got one of thiers till this mill drill fell into my lap. Grizzly has a nice mill drill and that will do alot ,plenty of power and the tables have adjustable gibs.
    Good luck in your search.
john hall

[QUOTE=tippie53]      Grizzly has a nice mill drill and that will do alot ,plenty of power and the tables have adjustable gibs.
    Good luck in your search.
john hall[/QUOTE]

Hi John...
Which one from Grizzly do you recommend...

Thanks Gary

Hi Gary,

I don't presume to speak for John, but this Grizzly mill/drill is a capabable unit.

I still like this one better, though.

Best,

Michael

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