Hobby Mil

[JerryShoots]

Grizzly offers a reasonably priced small milling machine. Reviews state that it's very precise when used correctly. I'd like to know if those of you that have "real" mils think it would have enough power to be used only for pistols. I'm not afraid to buy a big one but this thing would fit on my bench...ON MY BENCH!!!!!

Thank you in advance for any input folks

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689

Edited November 28, 2011 by JerryShoots

[Powder Finger]

Probably not enough depending on what you want to do.

plus in michigan you should be able to find a good used big mill reasonably priced.

[jriera]

I will recommend you to look at the G0619 or the G1006/7 .. more power (1 HP DC and 2 HP belt), heavier!! R8 collets, etc.

Those are the two I'm looking for myself for Christmas.

Second hand is always a good option if you can find a place to put it and a way to move it to your place.

Edited November 28, 2011 by jriera

[Matt Cheely]

If you can fit it, an old bridgeport can be had for $1000-1200 around here.

The biggest endmill I use on a regular basis is 3/8. You'll have enough power, it's a question of rigidity and accuracy.

[Toolguy]

What everyone else says, plus the travel of XY+Z is way too short.

[45PlottHound]

OK speaking as a former machinist and now a ballistics engineer, that machine can do almost all hand gun work. A Bridgeport would be nice. I have almost the exact machine and have done everything you would need from barrel fitting work to sight work on 1911s, XDms and so on. I do have 10 years as a tool and fixture guy, on a Bridgeport, I also have all the tools, dial indicators, micrometers and so on. The biggest limitation is the Z axis for depth, there is no real easy depth stop like the quill on a knee mill but you can over come it. If its what you have the room for its workable. The most important thing on a machine it keep it square, keep the tools rigid, and have a good vise!! You cant make anything correct if you cant cut this square. If you can find one they make ti in an R-8 spindle so it can use Bridgeport collets and it will also come with .050 per revolution handles. When you start machining you will find them much better than the .0625 per rev. A Bridgeport has .200 per rev, they both work well with .200 diameter edge finders.

FYI I have used 1.5" carbide shell mills in stainless on one of these, not easy but it can be done.

Have fun and learn all you can.

Edited November 29, 2011 by 45PlottHound

[JerryShoots]

Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'll get one of these for home and the simple tasks that come along more often. A used Bridgeport in a couple years would be a great thing to place in my dads shop building. I'm sure he would like having it around and I wouldn't mind driving over to visit it when jobs are too big for the little Grizzly. (not to mention if I time it right I can stay for mom's cooking hehe)

Any thoughts on what sort of vise I should consider for this machine? Personal favorites?

[technetium-99m]

That machine will do most any handgun related task you need.

I have made sight cuts, flat topped slides, cut cocking serrations, and made frame cuts for ramped barrels. As long as you use sharp cuttters and respect the size of the machine you will be fine.

[Guest]

I used to have an older ShopTask and it worked well, as long as I understood and worked within it's limitations and took my time. I've sure the same is true for the machine you are looking at. I have no doubt that a truly talented man could build a heck of a gun using only files and a drill press, so this is way beyond that!

If you could find a used mill/drill or bench unit that could save you a lot of money as they don't really hold their value, and you should expect to invest a fare amount of $$$ in measuring tools, vises, blocks, hold-downs, cutters, end mills, etc. I had more money invested in that stuff than the ShopTask cost new.

I used mine for pistol work, AR rifle stuff, and making brass tremolo bridge blocks for Fender Stratocasters.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I would get a bigger mill. That is little more than a toy. I would rather have a an old Bridgeport and work on it than a small mill that is not precise and won't cut crap. Take a look at Craigslist in your area and you will find machines for sale. I would also go to machine shops in your area and see if they have a machine they are not using and would sell. I would pay a little more and get alot more. Thanks, Eric

[Fireant]

When I was looking for a mill the best advice I got was to go ahead and get a bigger mill. I ended up with a 10X54 BP clone and am very happy. I was told several times that one phrase you will never hear is " I wish I had a smaller mill" but you always see people on the hobby forums wishing they had a larger mill. I have about the same money in a big mill with tooling as a new hobby sized mill and tooling would have been.

[45PlottHound]

Vise wise you cannot go wrong with Kurt or Chick. They both make small versions of their angle lock vises. They are pricey though, but an be found used for a good price. If not then a the old reliable tool makers vise, a little more to setup and use due to the screw lock, but these are usually ground to tenths and are very stable.

[tk2]

I have the Harbor Freight version of what you are looking at. I got it on sale, and with a coupon, I paid just under $300 for it. It paid for itself with the first gun I built with it. It has done everything I needed to do with it. Tri-tops, slide serations, slide lightening, sight cuts. It has been alot of fun. It would be nice to have a bigger Mill, but I just don't use it enough to justify the cost, and this one does what I need it to do.

Here are a couple of the guns I built with it.

[Loves2Shoot]

I think name say it all, hobby, so if you are buying it for hobby use, it should be fine.

The thing that I think people over look when buying machines is the machine cost is just a fraction of the investment for machining. Good tools make it easier to do good work quickly, but if you have lots of time and don't need to do precise work, you can get by with very little.

[technetium-99m]

For all the posters saying that a used BP is anywhere close to a benchtop in price are you also factoring in the cost of transporting the machine and/or a phase converter?

You will never be able to turn a profit doing gunwork with the small machines. But you will be able to do quality handgun work for yourself.

[Matt Cheely]

For all the posters saying that a used BP is anywhere close to a benchtop in price are you also factoring in the cost of transporting the machine and/or a phase converter?

$100 will get you a static phase converter, buddy with a forklift is free. I've even pushed one around on a concrete floor with a ATV and a 2x4.

[45PlottHound]

I agree totally. I have worked on 50 - 60 year old Bridgeports, one didn't even have a Y axis gib in it! If you don't have good tools to setup the machine you won't make very good parts either. If you don't know how to tram a head on a Bridgeport you won't get good parts either. Holes need to align and of the head isn't square all the holes won't line up. Over the years of being a machinist I have accumulated 2 tool chests full of tools, I'd hate to find out how much money I have spent. But it allows you to do very good work. Most people are not going to invest that much into equipment as a hobby. The average guy I know has Harbor Freight calipers not Starrett or Mitutoyo, good for reference but I wouldn't make any parts with them. A lot of people also don't realize that the average person may not have room for a full size machine. Has anyone here had to take the ram, head, and table off a Bridgeport to fit the base through a door into a basement? Those parts are not lite and tend to be awkward to move. I don't think I could knock the draw bar loose in my basement if I had to, and garages are for cars !

[technetium-99m]

Well slap me silly. I didn't know a static converter could be had so cheapley.

Last I looked purchasing a used BP had me around 2k to get it to my place and running. Then my wife told me the living room was not an acceptable place for a mill. Ill look again when I can build a shop.

[technetium-99m]

There are pictures here of a member and buddies carrying a BP into a basement.

[jid2]

I don't have room for a Bridgeport size machine in my garage that needs to have cars in it. But I wanted a machine as big and strong as I could fit in the space I had. I went with a large "benchtop" machine, it's square column and has a 9x32" table. It can handle some pretty serious material. It is also a very popular variant for CNC conversions for the hardcore DIY types. My machine is commonly called a Rong-Fu 45 type machine or RF45 clone. They can be had from lots of companies. Under $2K new. Yes you can find Bridgeports for that money - but it's more about the size than the money for people who end up with machines like mine.

CNCzone.com has a great section for hobby machines - just be careful or you'll end up on a CNC conversion journey. My machine is currently being used to build its own CNC conversion parts. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop_machines/

Here are some photos of my machine in the corner of my garage, it weights about 1000 lbs. I have some plastic that I can pull down to keep chips in the corner. And yeah - tooling will end up costing more than the machine at some point. Just depends on how many times you want to order tools "when you need them", versus getting them up front.

My 1st installment of tooling, this got me close - but I still made some orders after this. Measuring and setup is important.

Edited December 1, 2011 by jid2

[jid2]

Here are some in-use photos. The CAD model of the CNC conversion parts etc. All in all this is the perfect machine for my needs and available space. And there are guys out there making some very nice stuff on this type of machine. At the hobby level though.

Edited December 1, 2011 by jid2