Suggested items/accessories when purchasing a mill?

Yogi · 03-12-2004, 10:04 PM

Hey, currently working my butt off 60 hours a week to save up for a small mill and everything with it. Looking at picking up this mill: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33686 similar to Bladerunner's Sip 30 as far as I can tell.

Going to be using it for far more than waterblock making but it will be part of the project listing. Anyway just curious from people here (trust your opinions) what accessories I'll be looking at. I have a history of not thinking of the 'little' things and ending up spending alot more then I thought. Any list or anything of must have items and recommended items would be great.

So far for must have I'm thinking of course the mill, collet, nice set of 4-flute endmlls, better quality vise then is provided, and a circular vise for making those rounded cuts (correct me if I really wouldn't need it), oh and some form of lubrication system.

What else is recommended?

JFettig · 03-13-2004, 12:13 AM

Hey, first of all Here is a cheaper, I know nothing about it but it appears to be the same, check it out with caution: http://www.homier.com/itemdetail.asp?i=03988&c=11
-edit- the one at homier has a MT3 spindle and probabyl doesnt come with all the goodies.

What I have is: http://www.homier.com/itemdetail.asp?i=03947&c=11 and its serving me well and undergoing a cnc conversion, I would be considering that one right now if I didnt put tons of time and money into this conversion.

Expect to spent over $500 on 'stuff' tools, metal, etc.

For materials like copper I suggest 2 flute CARBIDE end mills, they will last you at least 10X longer. I get all mine from jtsmachine.com

The circular vice your talking about I beleve would be a rotary table, they could be really handy Im sure, I havent personally used one and would like to get ahold of one sometime, Basicly you wont be able to make circular cuts without one without a cnc, but you can do angled cuts if you have a vice that allows that. Just think of how much you would actually use it, and if maybe you could do other things instead. Also you need to find a way to mount your peice being cut to it, and in the right spot.

Just remember, machining is addicting! I bought a mill, lived with it for a while, then started on the cnc conversion, bought a lathe and now buying a bandsaw probably tomorow..... just be careful

Jon

dima y · 03-13-2004, 12:25 AM

the main trhing to look at when buying a mill is how much HP is the motor. 1.5 HP is good altough i would personally go for at least 2HP.

Basically its all a function of how much you want to spend and what you want to be able to do.

Yogi · 03-13-2004, 12:54 AM

$500 for accessories/stock is all? Havn't begun to add up the odds and ends since obviously I'm not sure exactly what bits I'd really need (hence the topic) but I was expecting another $800 or so min for the basics. Nice.

Think I'll stick with the plan for the Harbor Freight version. There's one right nearby so I can pick it up to save shipping (I have access to needed equipment to move a 700lb mill for free) and I think I'd much rather do the R8 then th MT3. So 2 flute eh? Interesting. Mostly I've heard 4 flute can do much of what 2 can but not the other way around. But I suppose having a nice set of both wouldn't be bad

As for the rotary table I was pretty sure it'd be the way to go for circular cuts since I'm not doing cnc this time around but I wanted to ask. Of course now I say "I don't need to make angled cuts" but I'm sure I will sooner or later.

I did look at that mini mill to begin with but upon seeing the other one I figured why not go for it, $400 isn't much and I'd probably end up kicking myself in the butt later on if I don't. So I'm saving for one of those unless anybody knows a sub $1000 mill easily available that's better? Dima y.. any with more than 2hp you can think of for say less then $1.3k?

As for the addiction and other tools, I've got a few bandsaws laying around

I'm eager to get the money though, searching around the area here for an apprenticeship program for Tool & Die.

ChrioN · 03-13-2004, 08:20 AM

1hp is well enough for doing waterblocks.

3 digital calipers are nice to have, if you mounth them on the axis you can easely see "were you are". I have one on the z-axis and now I can tell I couldn't be without it. Makes milling ALOT easier.

JFettig · 03-13-2004, 08:22 AM

Well then your on the right track for extra stuff, I said at least $500 and if you got $800 in mind your good to go.

A variety of end mills is always good, 2flute for roughing, slotting and whatever, It can handle a better chipload, 4flute make nicer finishes. A rotary table would be nice, you could even use that for angled cuts.

I would have chosen that larger mill myself if I had the cash for one, and if I could carry it down into my basement

Square/dovetail column mills are really nice, they are more rigid I guess from what I hear, They are going to be more expencive and I dont see any that arent gear driven and lower rpm. Theres a nice RF column gear driven mill at mscdirect for $1795-$1895 but Im sure thats out of the question.

1-2hp would be really nice, Im on a 3/4hp motor and its serving me really well, I thought about getting a 2.5hp motor for it for a while but I can stick with what I got, I am working on converting my spindle to belt drive and max RPM of 9000

Jon

03-12-2004, 10:04 PM	#1
Yogi Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 26	Suggested items/accessories when purchasing a mill? Hey, currently working my butt off 60 hours a week to save up for a small mill and everything with it. Looking at picking up this mill: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33686 similar to Bladerunner's Sip 30 as far as I can tell. Going to be using it for far more than waterblock making but it will be part of the project listing. Anyway just curious from people here (trust your opinions) what accessories I'll be looking at. I have a history of not thinking of the 'little' things and ending up spending alot more then I thought. Any list or anything of must have items and recommended items would be great. So far for must have I'm thinking of course the mill, collet, nice set of 4-flute endmlls, better quality vise then is provided, and a circular vise for making those rounded cuts (correct me if I really wouldn't need it), oh and some form of lubrication system. What else is recommended?

03-13-2004, 12:13 AM	#2
JFettig Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Willmar MN/Fargo ND Posts: 504	Hey, first of all Here is a cheaper, I know nothing about it but it appears to be the same, check it out with caution: http://www.homier.com/itemdetail.asp?i=03988&c=11 -edit- the one at homier has a MT3 spindle and probabyl doesnt come with all the goodies. What I have is: http://www.homier.com/itemdetail.asp?i=03947&c=11 and its serving me well and undergoing a cnc conversion, I would be considering that one right now if I didnt put tons of time and money into this conversion. Expect to spent over $500 on 'stuff' tools, metal, etc. For materials like copper I suggest 2 flute CARBIDE end mills, they will last you at least 10X longer. I get all mine from jtsmachine.com The circular vice your talking about I beleve would be a rotary table, they could be really handy Im sure, I havent personally used one and would like to get ahold of one sometime, Basicly you wont be able to make circular cuts without one without a cnc, but you can do angled cuts if you have a vice that allows that. Just think of how much you would actually use it, and if maybe you could do other things instead. Also you need to find a way to mount your peice being cut to it, and in the right spot. Just remember, machining is addicting! I bought a mill, lived with it for a while, then started on the cnc conversion, bought a lathe and now buying a bandsaw probably tomorow..... just be careful Jon

03-13-2004, 12:25 AM	#3
dima y Cooling Savant Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: palo alto, CA Posts: 164	the main trhing to look at when buying a mill is how much HP is the motor. 1.5 HP is good altough i would personally go for at least 2HP. Basically its all a function of how much you want to spend and what you want to be able to do.

03-13-2004, 12:54 AM	#4
Yogi Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Texas Posts: 26	$500 for accessories/stock is all? Havn't begun to add up the odds and ends since obviously I'm not sure exactly what bits I'd really need (hence the topic) but I was expecting another $800 or so min for the basics. Nice. Think I'll stick with the plan for the Harbor Freight version. There's one right nearby so I can pick it up to save shipping (I have access to needed equipment to move a 700lb mill for free) and I think I'd much rather do the R8 then th MT3. So 2 flute eh? Interesting. Mostly I've heard 4 flute can do much of what 2 can but not the other way around. But I suppose having a nice set of both wouldn't be bad As for the rotary table I was pretty sure it'd be the way to go for circular cuts since I'm not doing cnc this time around but I wanted to ask. Of course now I say "I don't need to make angled cuts" but I'm sure I will sooner or later. I did look at that mini mill to begin with but upon seeing the other one I figured why not go for it, $400 isn't much and I'd probably end up kicking myself in the butt later on if I don't. So I'm saving for one of those unless anybody knows a sub $1000 mill easily available that's better? Dima y.. any with more than 2hp you can think of for say less then $1.3k? As for the addiction and other tools, I've got a few bandsaws laying around I'm eager to get the money though, searching around the area here for an apprenticeship program for Tool & Die.

03-13-2004, 08:20 AM	#5
ChrioN Cooling Savant Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Sweden Posts: 318	1hp is well enough for doing waterblocks. 3 digital calipers are nice to have, if you mounth them on the axis you can easely see "were you are". I have one on the z-axis and now I can tell I couldn't be without it. Makes milling ALOT easier.

03-13-2004, 08:22 AM	#6
JFettig Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Willmar MN/Fargo ND Posts: 504	Well then your on the right track for extra stuff, I said at least $500 and if you got $800 in mind your good to go. A variety of end mills is always good, 2flute for roughing, slotting and whatever, It can handle a better chipload, 4flute make nicer finishes. A rotary table would be nice, you could even use that for angled cuts. I would have chosen that larger mill myself if I had the cash for one, and if I could carry it down into my basement Square/dovetail column mills are really nice, they are more rigid I guess from what I hear, They are going to be more expencive and I dont see any that arent gear driven and lower rpm. Theres a nice RF column gear driven mill at mscdirect for $1795-$1895 but Im sure thats out of the question. 1-2hp would be really nice, Im on a 3/4hp motor and its serving me really well, I thought about getting a 2.5hp motor for it for a while but I can stick with what I got, I am working on converting my spindle to belt drive and max RPM of 9000 Jon

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