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Small mill
- Thread starter Garyt
- Start date
Hi Gary. What is your budget. Also what do you consider small. Some on here consider 3000lb mills to be small.
If you’re looking for a hobby size mill keep an eye on kijiji and be ready to pounce they go pretty quick. Also the market places. I have an rf30 clone and really like it, they go low-end of 850 to high end 2k, all in the last 4 or 5 months. about the same for the square mills.
If you’re looking for a hobby size mill keep an eye on kijiji and be ready to pounce they go pretty quick. Also the market places. I have an rf30 clone and really like it, they go low-end of 850 to high end 2k, all in the last 4 or 5 months. about the same for the square mills.
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
the smallest of my 3 mills is 2000 lbs....
Dabbler
ersatz engineer
On a more serious note:
I've had 5 knee mills over the years, and have been in quite a few shops of members all over Canada.
Even the smallest of tabletop mills takes about 3 feet wide of a bench, when you account for the movement of the table. There is nothing you can do above the mill, as you have to have access to the top of the quill.
Storage below is possible. Care must be taken to not get a lot of swarf into the drawers (I'm talkin' to you @DavidR8 !!
)
My smaller knee mill that I sold over a decade ago, took about 4 feet wide in the shop. It was perhaps a foot to 18" deeper than an RF45 tabletop mill.
As to poundage, I've moved lots of heavy stuff, and I'm always happy to help (I also have a lot of moving equipment). I've taken full sided lathes and mills into and out of basements, as well as garages...
Some Thoughts: what is it you want to do with it? Learning? Small steam engines?
- it is a lot easier to learn on a tight mill with wider ways and more mass. You will break small cutters far less often, and in general you can do nicer work easier. You can do small work on a big mill, but you cannot do larger work on a smaller mill without some serious accommodations.
That's why I sold my BB B048 8X32 mill: No ram for wider work, no nod for angled cuts. Its replacement was a Modern Tool PM945 clone. Same foot print, much wider capability. @ducdon has that same mill, and loves it. (That's my small mill BTW)
[last minute update] Bench top mills resale value varies (often poor prices), but you get far better coin for a floor standing knee mill...
I've had 5 knee mills over the years, and have been in quite a few shops of members all over Canada.
Even the smallest of tabletop mills takes about 3 feet wide of a bench, when you account for the movement of the table. There is nothing you can do above the mill, as you have to have access to the top of the quill.
Storage below is possible. Care must be taken to not get a lot of swarf into the drawers (I'm talkin' to you @DavidR8 !!
)My smaller knee mill that I sold over a decade ago, took about 4 feet wide in the shop. It was perhaps a foot to 18" deeper than an RF45 tabletop mill.
As to poundage, I've moved lots of heavy stuff, and I'm always happy to help (I also have a lot of moving equipment). I've taken full sided lathes and mills into and out of basements, as well as garages...
Some Thoughts: what is it you want to do with it? Learning? Small steam engines?
- it is a lot easier to learn on a tight mill with wider ways and more mass. You will break small cutters far less often, and in general you can do nicer work easier. You can do small work on a big mill, but you cannot do larger work on a smaller mill without some serious accommodations.
That's why I sold my BB B048 8X32 mill: No ram for wider work, no nod for angled cuts. Its replacement was a Modern Tool PM945 clone. Same foot print, much wider capability. @ducdon has that same mill, and loves it. (That's my small mill BTW)
[last minute update] Bench top mills resale value varies (often poor prices), but you get far better coin for a floor standing knee mill...
Gary - this is a problem for everyone, not just you. Although it's easier said than done, the advice that works best is as follows:
Do your research in advance. Learn about what you are looking for, what to look for, and have your finances lined up and, ready to go as cash in a war chest.
Get your moving kit and method all lined up and ready to go too. If you know you will need a trailer or hoist or gantry crane, have that lined up ahead of time too. At a minimum know who has what lifting equipment where.
Then watch the listings like a hawk. When you find something that might work, start the truck, grab your cash war chest, and hit the road yesterday. Give the machine a good going over on sight and be at the front of the line up.
If you do all your research AFTER you find a listing, it's gunna be too late. You need to do all that stuff ahead of time.
There are quick check lists posted elsewhere on this forum that you can use when you get there to evaluate the machine.
Bottom line - you must be FAST and FIRST.
slow-poke
Ultra Member
Any mill is fantastic compared to no mill. I started with a LC30 bench top mill and it was great as a starter mill. That being said I will second Dabbler's comments about a small knee mill, that's what I have graduated to and really like it.
Keep in mind you will purchase tooling and it may or may not be compatible with your second mill. Putting that money towards a slightly better mill might be a better choice. I would aim for something that uses R8 vs. MT3.
Keep in mind you will purchase tooling and it may or may not be compatible with your second mill. Putting that money towards a slightly better mill might be a better choice. I would aim for something that uses R8 vs. MT3.
This is great advice too. My first mill was a drill press and an x-y table. The drill press had side bearings and the chuck had a retainer collar so it worked.. My second mill was a mill/drill with an MT3 spindle. I got LOTS of tooling with it, but it was still very hard to find the other stuff I needed. I work with heavy farm equipment so rigidity was an issue. Eventually I upgraded to a full size knee mill with an R8 spindle. I wish I did that first, but life isn't like that. All this is just to say that I'd aim for R8 on my second mill if I knew then what I know now.
I think @Dabbler's earlier comment is also very important. Even a bench mill is gunna be bigger than you think. Mills need a lot of room. The weight aside, a floor based knee mill might not be the monster in your shop that you would otherwise assume it might be. I think the table size is the best indicator of the room needed, not the head or knee design.
I guess after reading all the hints I don't really know what I want. My lathe is a old 9 inch southbend in, I think, pretty good shape. That would be the companion machine.
I started with a mini lathe and the southbend fell into my lap, so I understand the don't go too small but there is still the cost and shop room to consider.
I will continue to watch.
Gary
I started with a mini lathe and the southbend fell into my lap, so I understand the don't go too small but there is still the cost and shop room to consider.
I will continue to watch.
Gary
140mower
Don
I'm going to play devils advocate here and suggest that you try and match the table size to the between centers of your lathe fairly well and don't be afraid of mt3 spindle as it can share things back and forth quite nicely. Don't go too big as you will want to leave room for things like a shaper, tool grinder, die filer...etc.
BaitMaster
Ultra Member
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This looks like something you might be interested in? Heck, if I didn’t want a big one I would likely jump to get rid of my round column….
Coming from a round column mill to a square column mill is really a treat. Even though I modded the heck out of my round column mill so that I could raise and lower the head without losing position I wouldn't go back to one.Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds
Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.
This looks like something you might be interested in? Heck, if I didn’t want a big one I would likely jump to get rid of my round column….
BaitMaster
Ultra Member
I haven’t moved the head on my mill in months. Lol. I would like a nice knee mill eventually. With the power down feed….. and tilting….. But I want a lot of other stuff too which is a big problem. It’s all a problem. I have a problem.
140mower
Don
That's what we are here for..... Just so you know, you are not alone and it's okay to want more tools, and I swear each and every one of us does solemnly swear to help you fulfill those desires and support you when the time comes to justify an upgrade or two.....
.....We got yer back jack!
Problem with mills, is that your always looking for a different one. I have an rf30 clone and its been really good for about 20 years, having said that. I would love a square column mill and a knee mill is on the nearly never gonna happen list. Unless of course I get a great deal, which is why everyone is saying have the money ready. The means to move the mill and pounce when you see one.
Gary Is there a reason your looking at 300lb's. My rf30 is around 600lbs all together. I separated it to move it and although the main base is heavy in the 200lb range it is doable with two people and a cart and ratchet straps. Also do not fear the 3 phase issue. If you find a 3 phase mill, about 120 bucks for a vfd off amazon and your good to go.
Gary Is there a reason your looking at 300lb's. My rf30 is around 600lbs all together. I separated it to move it and although the main base is heavy in the 200lb range it is doable with two people and a cart and ratchet straps. Also do not fear the 3 phase issue. If you find a 3 phase mill, about 120 bucks for a vfd off amazon and your good to go.