School me on vertical mills,milling machines

[GLTHFJ60]

A Bridgeport is better for sure, but more $$ overall. The rotary phase converter you need to run it will be an added cost above the machine cost.

 

[Pick]

My two cents. Get a Bridgeport. There is a reason they are so popular. You can make anything on one. The more you get into metal working, the larger, heavier, more rigid, and more capacity you will need/want. I stall the BP all the time on steel, so I am looking for a VMC. Get a lathe and you're unstopable.

That 6-jaw chuck fabrication video was AWESOME... thanks for sharing!! I wish I was smart enough to be a machinist

 

[CruizerHound]

Let me know when you decide to get rid of the Bridgeport; shipping has always been the major sticking point for all my finds...

I'll let you know... It's going to be a while.

For me community support is huge. Mud is a perfect example. There is a big following for Precision Matthews machines. Some people really like them while others can't see past the faults. It's an import that is made to hit a price point, not make parts for a nuclear submarine.

A poor carpenter blames his tools.

 

[NCFJ]

A poor carpenter blames his tools.

I've not head that phrase in years. Used it on job sites for many years.

 

[Malleus]

Not. hijack at all. @CruizerHound How soon would you be getting rid of the Bridgeport? I think that would be too much machine for me. If I need to do bigger stuff, I know where @GLTHFJ60 lives, LOLOL. And @Malleus isnt a world away either.

Im trying to stay away from a round column mill, just because of the issues people have keeping them in alignment. I dont think I would need a tilting head for angled drilling, and understand the pros and cons of both.


These are what I'm leaning towards. Black Friday deal would have it sitting in my driveway for a little over 1800. it made by sieg, to a slightly different spec than their other branded products (grain of salt taken, big grains of salt on the margarita glass.)

Microlux R8 mega package

Quality Tools & Supplies for Hobbys, DIY & Crafts – Micro-Mark Tools

We offer precision tools and supplies for all your hobby projects. Shop high-quality tools for model making, woodworking, painting, crafting and more!

www.micromark.com

Also, same mill without the tooling bundle.

Miniature Milling Machine | MicroLux R8 Benchtop Small Mill | Micro-Mark

Get precision milling with the R8 500W Miniature Milling Machine. Compact, powerful, and perfect for hobbyists and professionals. Shop now at Micro-Mark!

www.micromark.com

And this from little machine shop. has dro built in. would also need tooling.

Others in the running. Same machine, optioned differently. Both would need tooling as well. LMS has Sieg build to their specifications, and they supposedly assemble and make sure they are operable and square.

With DRO

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Without DRO

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Two of LMS's smaller machines, more in line with the Sherline products.
MT2

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And a scratch/dent/demo of the same unit, in er-16. Price on this is 700

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LMS's tooling bundles are a little higher quality (at least in appearance).

I spent my apprenticeship in a machine shop that made the first US made ER collets; I know them well. They were originally designed to be used in ISO toolholders and they are very solid. We used to refit Bridgeports to use the ISO 30 and ER32 system. I think we may have had as many as 15 mills in the shop and none had R8 spindles; the shop made wind tunnel test models for the USAF, so that'll tell you how good the system is.

However, ER16 is too small to use in an ISO toolholder; Johnny is correct - this variant of the original ER32 was designed for workholding. Any machine with an R8 spindle will be easier to get cheap used tooling for; this was the original Bridgeport standard. I would not mill with an ER collet of any size unless it was in an ISO toolholder (just my 2¢, I know it's done all the time, but I was taught not to, so I wouldn't).

I would not buy a mill with a MT2 Spindle, even if you're just making miniature model parts; it's just too small to be stable.

Sieg has a very good reputation; you can see one in action here at 6:35; this is also a fairly good example of the use of ER collets for workholding. This guy is a self taught clockmaker in Australia, and he's taught himself very well (I think he teaches part time at a local community college).

HTH

 

[Malleus]

Now it becomes the decision on which R8 machine. The Microlux or the LMS. R8 offerings. The microlux optioned one has the feed, but the optioned LMS has DRO and an interlocked head.


And to just get stupid, the reserve was just lifted on that Bridgeport here in Greensboro. That would be my luck, I buy one of these, and then end up with the winning big on that monster. LOL

If I had to choose between powerfeed and DRO, it wouldn't be the DRO.

 

[stevezero]

If I had to choose between powerfeed and DRO, it wouldn't be the DRO.

That is the direction I'm leaning towards as well.

Although my deceased friend's wife still had his sherline mill, lathe, and computer with all his jigs, tooling, 3d printer drawings and cnc router drawings....That may actually be what I end up with, since i could recoup the minimill,,errr minimal investment making products to sell.

I can always go larger down the road, selling this stuff to go bigger.

We shall see.

 

[stevezero]

I've gone ahead and ordered the microlux R8 unit, and it should arrive by end of week. an extra 20% off on everything iced that cake. I'll be spending a bunch of time clearing out the garage to make adequate space for it.

I probably should have gone with the non-dro LMS HiTotrque, 3990, but I'll see what this one is capable of .

 

[JohnVee]

I probably should have gone with the non-dro LMS HiTotrque, 3990,

Don’t let it hear you say that.

 

[stevezero]

Don’t let it hear you say that.

I'm gonna be checking every inch of it as the pieces come out of the boxes. If something doesn't look kosher, it's going back. LOL