Not a lathe...mill?

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Florida Marine

Florida Marine

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Joined
May 16, 2011
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403
Location
Jennings, FL
Anyone have one?

I used the HF 25% off from New Years and the 6.99 flat rate. 494 to the door for the mini mill.

Not pen related, but I figure some of you must have a mill if you have the metal lathe.

Lathe will be next...need one long enough for barrels since I got the mill for my gun smithing...

Wife got me a kit to make my own AR lowers from 80% castings, so my black gun collection should start growing. Going to need a bigger safe.

Sean
 
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I have the Grizzly mini mill. If you own a metal lathe then at some point you'll realize that you need a mill, the two seem to go hand in hand.

One tip..If you can afford it get the belt drive conversion kit from LMS. TRUST ME on this, if you use your mill you WILL stall it out, if you stall it out you WILL break some gears. The belt drive allows the belt to "slip" therefore saving the headstock gears.
 
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I have one of the Grizzly mills. Like most of the small metal working lathes / mills from Grizzly / HF / Enco, it is a rebranded Seig. I get equal use from both my mill and metal lathe.
 
rherrell said:
I have the Grizzly mini mill. If you own a metal lathe then at some point you'll realize that you need a mill, the two seem to go hand in hand.

Ain't that the truth. I also found when I got a bigger lathe then I needed a bigger mill too. It's a vicious cycle. So, after the new Southbend gets there, how long before you start looking for a bigger mill Rick?

One tip..If you can afford it get the belt drive conversion kit from LMS. TRUST ME on this, if you use your mill you WILL stall it out, if you stall it out you WILL break some gears. The belt drive allows the belt to "slip" therefore saving the headstock gears.

When I had my mini mill they didn't have the belt drive kit. But I did buy the repair kit for the gear drive that they sold. Fortunately I never had to use it. I also understand the belt drive is smoother and will give you better surface finish. Do you find that to be true Rick?
Click to expand...

Mike
 
I think if I had more money and more space, then perhaps I'd get a mill too, but to be honest, I have got by perfectly well with a vertical slide on my lathe.
 
I have the Grizzly Mini mill. It's a vicious cycle!!! The worst part of the mill is cranking the handwheel! Some time ago I got a DRO setup for the mill. It makes it so much easier to drill holes to a precise depth, and mill slots to a set amount.

If you are going to drill on the mill use caution. The mill doesn't have a high enough lift on the head to hold a large and long drill bit, the pen vice and blank. The air-spring conversion kit is a good idea too. It will add about an inch on height on the mill head. In the past, I have actually shortened the shank and drill bit length on some of the cheapo large drill bits.

Last thing, promise; Check out and join the GrizHFMiniMill group on YAHOO. Lots of good info there.

+1 on the belt conversion!
 
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bluwolf said:
rherrell said:
I have the Grizzly mini mill. If you own a metal lathe then at some point you'll realize that you need a mill, the two seem to go hand in hand.

Ain't that the truth. I also found when I got a bigger lathe then I needed a bigger mill too. It's a vicious cycle. So, after the new Southbend gets there, how long before you start looking for a bigger mill Rick? As long as it takes to build a bigger shop!:biggrin:

One tip..If you can afford it get the belt drive conversion kit from LMS. TRUST ME on this, if you use your mill you WILL stall it out, if you stall it out you WILL break some gears. The belt drive allows the belt to "slip" therefore saving the headstock gears.

When I had my mini mill they didn't have the belt drive kit. But I did buy the repair kit for the gear drive that they sold. Fortunately I never had to use it. I also understand the belt drive is smoother and will give you better surface finish. Do you find that to be true Rick? I did alot of research BEFORE I bought the mill so as soon as I got it I installed the belt drive and the air lift kit. I never used it without the belt drive so I can't speak as to the better finish, but I wouldn't doubt it.
Click to expand...

Mike
Click to expand...

I highly recommend the lift kit too.
 
Ain't that the truth. I also found when I got a bigger lathe then I needed a bigger mill too. It's a vicious cycle. So, after the new Southbend gets there, how long before you start looking for a bigger mill Rick? As long as it takes to build a bigger shop!:biggrin:

Huh?:confused: Your shop is measured in acreage not square feet now. How much bigger would it need to get?:biggrin:

Mike
 
Good to know I have some folks here to bug with questions... Will go to that yahoo group also.

Can't wait til it arrives, gonna build a new bench for it since my current gun smithing bench is too small to have this and still build there. Lucky to have a huge basement shop here, not sure what I will do when we move again.
 
(Lucky to have a huge basement shop here, not sure what I will do when we move again.[/quote]

You could do what a friend of mine did, when he was in that same situation, he bought a 20acre block, went for a holiday to Japan and brought back a small factory to put on it.
He's now lost in it, for the moment, 3 cars, a Rolls Royce V12 Merlin engine, 10 motor bikes, a work bench and a lathe.
Kryn
 
well...sadly I own THREE houses, my house here in VA the only one I am not underwater on, the house in NC, well - gonna own that one for awhile. The house in FL, its destroyed from a flood and not worth re-investing the insurance money into at this time.

So no 20 acre lots any time soon for me. I am hosed if I had to move back to NC, since my shop there was a two car garage that shared space with my two motorcycles...and now I have a Bronco to add to that mess.

I am a hot mess right now!
 
i have a sieg mini mill, though in hindsight i would rather have a larger machine.. though i would say the same with the mini lathe... mind you i was spoiled working on the industrial machines back in my teen years.. they will do me for now... though seem to spend alot of my time tightening and adjusting screws all over it... the bed has a habbit of working itself loose.
 
BradG said:
i have a sieg mini mill, though in hindsight i would rather have a larger machine.. though i would say the same with the mini lathe... mind you i was spoiled working on the industrial machines back in my teen years.. they will do me for now... though seem to spend alot of my time tightening and adjusting screws all over it... the bed has a habbit of working itself loose.
Click to expand...

yeah, "final house" and I will get more real tools - I hope to gun smith when i retire, so this is a start
 
BradG said:
... though seem to spend alot of my time tightening and adjusting screws all over it... the bed has a habbit of working itself loose.
Click to expand...

Brad, that's one of the nicest things about the bigger lathe I have (pretty much the one that you're looking at). Other than the obvious, more work envelope, more rigid setups; everything sits still and stays adjusted. After the initial set up nothing has moved and I've had mine for two years now. I check now and again, but I've had to adjust nothing. Especially after working on the bigger machines you'll appreciate what it's capable of. And you don't need an aircraft hangar to house it:biggrin:

Mike
 
bluwolf said:
BradG said:
... though seem to spend alot of my time tightening and adjusting screws all over it... the bed has a habbit of working itself loose.
Click to expand...

Brad, that's one of the nicest things about the bigger lathe I have (pretty much the one that you're looking at). Other than the obvious, more work envelope, more rigid setups; everything sits still and stays adjusted. After the initial set up nothing has moved and I've had mine for two years now. I check now and again, but I've had to adjust nothing. Especially after working on the bigger machines you'll appreciate what it's capable of. And you don't need an aircraft hangar to house it:biggrin:

Mike
Click to expand...

thats my issue mike :biggrin: i have that voice in the back of my head constantly telling me my real lathe didnt used to do that... i will haveone... though im going to move home first. i dont fancy shifting the lathe for the fun of it
 
84659_R.jpg

Here's what Santa Left on Tree this year
Thank you Santa Baby
 
nsfr1206 said:
And I'd like too know more about the 80 percent AR
Click to expand...

https://www.tacticalmachining.com/

My wife got me (with a strong hint) the $195.00 kit with the lower. They gave me the bullet dodger discount, so not sure what she paid. She is also from the same area in FL so they hooked her up.

I build AK's from kits bending my own receivers, so this is the next step.

1911's are next.

UPDATED the URL, was not working for me at least...
 
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