Too cheap of a mill for slots?

[Cord]

The machinist that I had been using for a decade caught the cancer and sadly has passed on. I致e tried another guy with less than favorable results. His work just isn稚 to the quality that I need. I mean, this still isn稚 rocket science. The other the mrs asked how much a mill would cost? My response was 鍍housands? Well, I got to checking CL and there is a Jet16 on it for $425 asking. It has a M3, which I guess isn稚 good for true machining. I know that this isn稚 a good unit. That said, I知 not a machinist. I致e never used a mill or a lathe. Ultimately, my goal is cut slots, grooves, etc. knowing this, should I go cheap, or should I hold out for something better?

 

[ruffdog]

Being that you were looking at the glorified drill press that is 3ph, this would be WAY better for $1500

1993 Lagun Vertical Mill- Original owner - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

 

[Cord]

Ok, then why not these units? Remember, I have no clue what I知 looking at.

Cincinnati Vertical Milling machine - tools - by owner - sale

Exacto Vertical Mill - business/commercial - by owner - sale

 

[fried1765]

The machinist that I had been using for a decade caught the cancer and sadly has passed on. I致e tried another guy with less than favorable results. His work just isn稚 to the quality that I need. I mean, this still isn稚 rocket science. The other the mrs asked how much a mill would cost? My response was 鍍housands? Well, I got to checking CL and there is a Jet16 on it for $425 asking. It has a M3, which I guess isn稚 good for true machining. I know that this isn稚 a good unit. That said, I知 not a machinist. I致e never used a mill or a lathe. Ultimately, my goal is cut slots, grooves, etc. knowing this, should I go cheap, or should I hold out for something better?

Jet Tools = basic junk!
You might try Grizzly for reasonable cost import stuff.
Quality used equipment is the best idea.

 

[Cord]

Jet Tools = basic junk!
You might try Grizzly for reasonable cost import stuff.
Quality used equipment is the best idea.

You do realize that JPW makes many of the Grizzly tools, right?

 

[ruffdog]

Any machine you buy needs tooling to allow you to hold cutters and the work. A set of collets, end mill holders, vise(s), stud/t-nut set, drill chuck(s), milling cutters, and drills. You need a dial indicator so you can sweep the table to square up the head. Some understanding of conventional/climb milling, speeds and feeds, and how to deal with slop in the feed screws will help too.

 

[jmc]

Sounds like the CL find might be a mill drill, which are very common. Shop around and you might find one with an R8 collet instead of the #3 Morse Taper. R8 is the standard for the Bridgeport Mill(and its clones) and there is a lot of tooling available For R8. If you buy used, it's a good time to bargain for any tooling, like a vise or spindle tooling.

If you're slotting large sheets, make sure that mill drill table is big enough to clamp it down.

With a mill drill, if you have to raise or lower the head on a piece, you lose your x-y position.

Educated guess here- everyone with a mill drill wishes it were a Bridgeport style vertical mill. It's like a garden tractor vs a compact tractor.

 

[Andito]

Ok, then why not these units? Remember, I have no clue what I知 looking at.

Cincinnati Vertical Milling machine - tools - by owner - sale

Exacto Vertical Mill - business/commercial - by owner - sale

Both those units look decent. The Cincinnati has a good name behind them and that appears to be an older machine that would be a tough, strong built machine. The exacto may not be as well known but has power quill and table feed.
As Ruffdog suggested, you will spend twice as much money on tooling. If you can get a machine that comes with tooling, vise, cutters etc you may find it to be a better deal. Another suggestion I’d make for you is to have a look at local community/trade colleges to see if they offer a “introduction to machine shop” course. It would be extremely beneficial to help you get a grasp on safe operation of machine shop tools.

 

[metalbender]

My two bits worth. Stay away from the round column mill drills, period. Been down that road, she's a bumpy one. The ideal would surely be a BP or clone, but reality sets in and unless there is an abundance of metal shops around for used used equipment, not going to find one. Mine is a square column Grizzly bench model. Fairly heavy, around 700 lbs, will do most jobs. And yes, the tooling quickly doubles the mill purchase price. Once set up, worth every penny though. Need to fix or build something, no problem. Lathes make square things round, mills make round things square.

 

[Fallon]

Plan on paying as much in tooling again as you spend on a mill (or lathe). Cutters, end mills, vice, calipers, indicators... lots of stuff you end up needing that rarely comes with the machine.