Smithy 3in1 Mill/Drill/Lathe

[akraven]

There is a Yahoo group for Smithy machines run by a machinist who owns one but is not associated with the company. Lots of good info and many impressive projects completed. Also they tolerate "rookie" questions very very well.

 

[Jd1a]

Have a link to the group?

 

[akraven]

You could Google "Yahoo groups Smithy machines" or click this link
Yahoo! Groups

Lots of really knowledgeable machining people that is not just related to Smithy or any other 3-in-1's.

 

[David Devuono]

I have one that looks identical but through a different company. Fun reading the poorly interpeted chinese manual. Anyway I have had it for at least 10 years and well over a 1000 hours. I like that it will drive the table (not at the same time) on both axis and used this to make heat sinks out of blocks of aluminum. It has a very large swing over the bed which is handy and would require a massive lathe to match. You will need a cast steel block option to raise the work high enough to use the Mill. I never did figure out the threading part of it with all the gear pieces etc. enjoy.

 

[safetysteve54]

I've owned/used a Smithy Granite 1340 for about 6 years now. It is just about ideal for me. Sure larger, better, more costly & seperate machines would be even better, but for a reasonable price it does everything I've asked it to do. Mine easily holds .001 +/- tolerance. It is a little frustrating when the machine you need is not the one currently set-up, but switch over does not take more than a few minutes. It is advertised and sold as a "bench-top" machine so no, you can't turn and mill large items, but for the things it was designed to do it does them well. Size-wise I push mine to the limits and have to take it slowly, but it has handled it. I've been very pleased with mine!

 

[GManBart]

My father hates his, and wishes he'd bit the bullet and gone with a reconditioned higher quality machine instead.