a new small Milling Machine. I want to be able to drill accurate holes and to do small, accurate milling as necessity dictates. The machine will be strictly a hobby, little used, machine.
Of those I have seen, the one sold by "The Little Machine Shop" with it's starter kit looks the most inviting of all. It is a bit more pricey than the others but is presented well.
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of these machines?
Thanks,
Pete Wass
not knowing what you budgit is, I can only guess. Your probably looking at a Bridgeport or a Bridgeport clone. They are all made in Asia if that matters. I like the one from Willis Machine better than any of the others. They have a much better way setup that a Bridgeport design, and are fairly easy to rebuild if you run accross a good used one. I'd just get one with the step pulleys instead of the variable speed head (think it's the "J" head). The Bridgeport design is junk on a good day, and most simply copied that design. The Southwest Trac is another good machine, but think they are over priced for what you get. Still better than a Bridgeport. I'be be looking at a table that's no more than 42" unless your planing on doing the head on a race car. The long over hang from the longer tables tends to wear the bear surfaces in the saddle rapidly. Some clones have a CNC attachment (Proto trac etc.). These are really nice once you learn the ins and outs. Lead Screw International sells a very nice ball screw kit for Bridgeports, and I can recommend this as I've installed a couple dozen of them over the years. I'd at least set the machine up for scales. I like the Anilam, but others like others. I just find the Anilam to be straiter and slightly more accurate.
if shopping for a used machine I'd be looking at these things:
* loosed the quill bore to where you came raise and lower the spindle quill without too much pressure. Put a one tenth indicator on the quill with it about half way down. and see how much you can come it. A thousandth is about what a new machine should be, and .004" is about it for very accurate reaming. The bores seem to wear rapidly when the guys try to run them with the bore clamped.
* crank the table to one side about twelve to fourteen inches. Put the indicator on the saddle and the wand on the table side. Try to move the table sideways. Should not see much more than .0025". If you do see a lot of movement it maybe from loose gibs or the gibs are work out. Do the samething on the opposite direction of travel. Now with the indicator riding on top of the table; try to lift the table. This will show wear on the top of the dove tail in the saddle (assuming the gibs are tight). Also check the saddle itself for slop with the knee. If the knee has the chrome plated ways, you can't fix it very easilly. I have done a few by send the chrome plated stuff out for stripping, and then rescrapping them. The factory tollarence for the ways was .001", and a compound error of about .0025". I've seen new machines with .005" compound error! The Willis machine uses much larger (bearing area) hard steel ways with Turcite. They ways are setup for a .001" crush fit on the Turcite. Makes a much better machine for accuracey.
* Bridports use an ABEC 5 bearing setup in the spindle. If you rebuild the head use ABEC 7's. Their lead screws are prone to wear due to built in lube problems. The Southwest machines are easier to rebuild, but uses the J head, and draw bar. The Willis quill is much larger and built much stronger. Uses #40 taper tool holders instead of the Bridgeport junk (well known for accuracey issues). Has bigger bearings, and seems like it has knob retention tool holders as an option.
But alas none of the Bridgeports or clones will ever be as accurate is a good knee mill that is scraped square.
gary
