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Jerry Adams
Now that I'm retired I bought a used 12 X 36 lathe to start refreshing my machining skills and am pondering a mill. The question is just how much of a mill do we need for gunsmithing? I've considered benchtop knee, square column, mill/drill, and full size. Just looked at a used Bridgeport series 1 that the guy wanted $1200 for but I would have to installl a phase converter and table drive. That would add $800 or more to the cost. Could buy something new from Grizzly for a little more. What table size is good enough? When I went to gunsmithing school I remember cutting flats on a half round/half octogon barrel with a good sized mill, but I have no intention of trying to do that now. Would just buy it already shaped from a barrel maker. I'd like to do some handgun work, cutting dovetails etc. Maybe the better question is, just what do you guys that have mills use it for? So far I can't think of anything that I'd like to do that would require a 2500 lb mill. I understand having extra capacity but you can overdo that too.
Thoughts anyone?
Thoughts anyone?