Drill Press or Drill/Mill ?

[Shield Arc]

When I was tooling up my shop, I wanted a really good drill press. It was suggested to me to spend a little more and get a mill. At that time 10 + years ago a Grizzly mill was not all that much more than a good drill press, it's all the tooling that goes with the mill that will floor you!

 

[sandman2234]

When I was tooling up my shop, I wanted a really good drill press. It was suggested to me to spend a little more and get a mill. At that time 10 + years ago a Grizzly mill was not all that much more than a good drill press, it's all the tooling that goes with the mill that will floor you!

Yea, if you can't afford the mill, you durn sure can't afford the tooling!!!(just saying that the tooling is going to be ongoing expense, instead of a single outright purchase.
David from jax

 

[jake98]

I ordered the mill, and one of these to go with it: H5939 18 pc. R-8 Boring Head Set (I think it goes with it..:laughing also a 2 piece vise that looks like junk, and a clamping set. Gotta start somewhere...

 

[sandman2234]

I ordered the mill, and one of these to go with it: H5939 18 pc. R-8 Boring Head Set (I think it goes with it..:laughing also a 2 piece vise that looks like junk, and a clamping set. Gotta start somewhere...

Apparently we were unable to talk you out of it, so I guess the next thing to do is to support you. Might want to order some of those square toolsteel pieces like is pictured in the round bar in your boring head picture. You will need the correct size, and if you really feel rich, order a few with carbide inserts welded on the ends. Carbide makes up for something your mill is also going to be lacking in, (just noticed it) which is speed. (or rather too much of it). While speed is great when you need it, larger diameter tooling like something you might hang out an inch or so outside that boring head, is going to burn up toolsteel bits in a hurry. Carbide inserted ones will take a LOT MORE HEAT, which will build up fast with your mill only having a 150rpm minimum speed.( Bridgeports have 80rpm min speed).
Find a speed and feed chart on the net and start figuring out how to determine how fast to run a drill bit or a bit in the boring head.
David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

got a picture of the two piece vise? (or a link to it?)
David from jax

 

[Artisan]

You can pick up a full size knee mill for $1300 and up on EBAY. There is a company called RELIABLE TOOLS that sells on Ebay, it is a stand up company, they liquidate large companies. They package it up and ship it to you. A knee mill is NOT hard to operate. A little instruction and your off and running.

If you learn how to draw in CAD you simply draw your parts, send the file to a local water jet cutter and get your parts mailed to you. I learned how to draw in CAD and it is a whole new world now. I can make darn near anything, then weld it up! I used ot be one of the guys that kept saying " I don't have the skills to weld" and "I can't draw on a computer" ...

I bought a freakin welder and got some software and learned myself to do it, a pro at it? NOPE, but my welds hold and I can draw almost anything in 2D, THAT is power....

 

[mjncad]

If you go the mill/drill route, get a square column unit. A buddy has a round column Grizzly and if he screws up his Z-axis setup, the round column also twists that part of his setup out of whack too when he corrects the Z-axis foul up.

 

[Doppelgangar]

A Mill is very handy and can do things a lathe can not do.

Here is my Mill with feeds in all directions.

Its old accurate and is both cross and verticle

Here is some rollers that I made on the mill.

 

[LD1]

I ordered the mill, and one of these to go with it: H5939 18 pc. R-8 Boring Head Set (I think it goes with it..:laughing also a 2 piece vise that looks like junk, and a clamping set. Gotta start somewhere...

On a positive note, that is a pretty good price for a boring head with carbide tipped bars:thumbsup:

 

[jake98]

Apparently we were unable to talk you out of it, so I guess the next thing to do is to support you.
got a picture of the two piece vise? (or a link to it?)

yeah, I'm like a donkey, thanks for the advice just the same...
H2992 2 pc. Milling Vise - 6"

You can pick up a full size knee mill for $1300 and up on EBAY. There is a company called RELIABLE TOOLS that sells on Ebay, it is a stand up company, they liquidate large companies. They package it up and ship it to you. A knee mill is NOT hard to operate. A little instruction and your off and running.

If you learn how to draw in CAD you simply draw your parts, send the file to a local water jet cutter and get your parts mailed to you. I learned how to draw in CAD and it is a whole new world now. I can make darn near anything, then weld it up! I used ot be one of the guys that kept saying " I don't have the skills to weld" and "I can't draw on a computer" ...

I bought a freakin welder and got some software and learned myself to do it, a pro at it? NOPE, but my welds hold and I can draw almost anything in 2D, THAT is power....

I used to use Ceneric Cadd for my construction projects until Autodesk bought it and killed it, about 20 yrs. ago. would like to find something like that again. What are you using?

A Mill is very handy and can do things a lathe can not do.

Here is my Mill with feeds in all directions.
Its old accurate and is both cross and verticle
Here is some rollers that I made on the mill.

That's good to hear right about now. Those rollers look great, they for a tube bender?

On a positive note, that is a pretty good price for a boring head with carbide tipped bars:thumbsup:

That's good to hear too, Grizzly seems to be fairly priced from what I can tell, most of my woodworking machines are from them. Never had any disappointments worth mentioning. I bought this mill primarily for the drilling capability but will be reading up on milling now... thanks to all. :thumbsup: