Got a mill for christmas

[abunaitoo]

Had to dig around for spare cash, but got enough together to buy a used metal mill.
It a small table top Grizzly G8689. Came with a belt drive(replaced broken plastic gear drive) and some collets.
Mounted it on a spare tool box.
One last tool I'm wanting is a TIG welder.
Maybe next year.
183131
Web site picture.

[Mk42gunner]

I didn't know there was any such thing as spare cash.

I have been thinking about a mil also, but then I think, "That would be an awful expensive front sight."

Robert

[Morgan61]

I always wanted one of those and a lathe for home use but then I'd also need a good set of OD. Mic's, blade Mic's, height gauge, plug gauges............
Mk42gunners right, "That would be an awful expensive front sight."

[marvelshooter]

"That would be an awful expensive front sight."

Making it yourself: "Priceless".

[foesgth]

Getting a mill is a bad thing, I know. You will no longer have any spare cash but, you will make some neat stuff.
Check out the following:

http://www.cdcotools.com/
http://www.mscdirect.com
http://www.grizzly.com/
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Info/store.php

(http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Info/store.php)

[runfiverun]

it can't be any worse than swaging.
the first bullet costs like 1500$ or so.
unless you want a jacket wrapped around that core which you need a 150$ mold to make.

[Hogtamer]

How you grind corn in that? Sorry, I'm a cook!

[MaryB]

I was thinking malt mill for crushing barley for brewing lol

[abunaitoo]

I have an old Craftsman lathe already. Got it for a great price. Guy just wanted to get rid of it.
It's a small hobby mill.

[Tackleberry41]

I have looked at those mini mills before. Would love to have one. Started out with a the little mini lathe, upgraded to a 36 in when a guy I knew was selling his. Barely used, as he paid $2800 new, but never bought any new bits for the cutters that came with it. When they wore out, he quit using it. I got it for $800.

[root]

Sweet.

I have a similar setup Atlas th48 lathe and a PM-25MV mill.

Forget any spare cash now. it's all going out in tooling and steel stock.

Ya the 1st part you make is expensive but just like anything else it gets cheaper as you go.

Also there are a lot of parts and things that you can make faster then can be shipped.
I find that GREAT!

Rich

[kingstrider]

Awesome find, congrats! I scored a used mini mill a couple months ago as well from a guy moving out west. He bought it the year before and used it to drill a couple holes in plywood of all things before sitting it in the corner of the garage. Other than a little dust it was like new and less than half the cost of a new one. I wish it came with tooling though, I'll likely spend 2-3x as much as the mill over the years with additional tooling!

[country gent]

In reality those little mini lathes and mills will do alot for the reloader, gunsmith, tinkerer and home machinist. Our most used lathes in the shop were the 2 Hardringe 8x24. We had one table top mill for floor work but most of the mills were Bridgepoprts siries 2 J heads. That table top mill will do alot. Stock up on 1/8 - 3/8" end mills 4 flute center cutting perferably High Speed steel cobalts. arbide is nice but in reality is seldom needed. A good vise and indexer or rotary table for it. A set of strap clamps and studs most can be done with it.

[gwpercle]

How you grind corn in that? Sorry, I'm a cook!

I was thinking grist or syrup mill ! I cook a little too !
Foodies , especially if you from Louisiana, think about food a lot.

[KCSO]

Now before yu hear from the Bridgeport fans about how that won't do squat... I have had and used one for over 20 years as a second mill and for small jobs, but in a pinch I have completely revamped a 1911 with this little honey. Take your time and learn to use it and it will do any gun work you need done. You have by the way started down a long endless road to being tool poor...check upit little Machine Shop for all the goodies!

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Now before you hear from the Bridgeport fans about how that won't do squat...

In the world of milling machines Bridgeports are toys

[Leslie Sapp]

One last tool
There's no such thing. Each one you acquire breeds the need for the next one.

[lead chucker]

I recently got me a mini mill and love it. It also makes a great drill press. I made some nice core molds with mine.

[Loudy13]

I often day dream about the stuff I could make with some nice milling equipment...2 problems no skill and no mill.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like machine shop tools are like leverguns; if you let a couple hang around pretty soon you look up and there's a whole bunch of them. Not going to start down that road. Oops, forgot about my drill press. Does an arbor press count? Surely not a bench grinder? How about a mitre saw? May be too late already, lol.
I think I'm pretty safe actually. Not smart enough to run a mill or a lathe and too lazy to learn.

[30Carbine]

Sounds like machine shop tools are like leverguns; if you let a couple hang around pretty soon you look up and there's a whole bunch of them. Not going to start down that road. Oops, forgot about my drill press. Does an arbor press count? Surely not a bench grinder? How about a mitre saw? May be too late already, lol.
I think I'm pretty safe actually. Not smart enough to run a mill or a lathe and too lazy to learn.


How true how true my brother is on his way Tuesday to pick up my new tool (toy) with his low boy. A M4L/140 meuser 40"x275" lathe I just bought 2 day ago the crane guy there will load it Thursday morning not cheap. Now I just got to get ahold of the roof guys to rip the roof off the shop and another crane at my end also not cheap.
The wife said its getting out of hand I told her now I can do drive shafts hehehe. Don't ask y but the price was ok. You are going to love that mill and they will reproduce quickly.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Had to dig around for spare cash, but got enough together to buy a used metal mill.
It a small table top Grizzly G8689. Came with a belt drive(replaced broken plastic gear drive) and some collets.
Mounted it on a spare tool box.
One last tool I'm wanting is a TIG welder.
Maybe next year.
183131
Web site picture.
abunaitoo, have you used this yet? what do you think?

There was a older (as like 15 years old) Speedway Mill, just like this one the local swap, the guy suggested a price of $400, but was open to offers. I think I could use one of these, but won't spend $400...maybe I'll offer him a swap?

[abunaitoo]

Haven't had any time to play with it yet.

[lup]

What projects are on your agenda if you had a tig welder?

[labdwakin]

I ended up getting a Grizzly 8x40 vertical Mill with a 6" bridgeport vise (kind of oversized for this little mill but works), set of toeclamps and hold downs, and a full set of collets and an old South Bend 13x72 lathe with a bunch of cutter stock and quick change tool holders as well as the old style tool holders and a bunch of other stuff with it... $1100 for all of it... felt like I did okay. Cutting chips is a sickness... and it's very very true... there will never be a last tool until they throw dirt in your face.

[OeldeWolf]

I am saving up for, and looking for, a metal lathe, a mill, and a wood lathe. My fiance knows I acquire and use tools, and has no problem with my wants. She says she wants a larger house anyways! :)

[Houndog]

Sadly, the machine tool is the cheap part! All the accessories you will buy (just HAVE TO HAVE XYZ) is the expensive part and it NEVER ends!

[smokeywolf]

Sadly, the machine tool is the cheap part! All the accessories you will buy (just HAVE TO HAVE XYZ) is the expensive part and it NEVER ends!

Truer words were never spoken.

I have a 17"/25" X 40" WEBB gap-bed engine lathe and a Bridgeport Series I 9" X 48" mill. The lathe is about a 1980 build, the mill is a 1985 model. Both are very low-hour machines. The amount of tooling I've accumulated is easily worth double what the machines are worth.