DPRG mailing list archives: [DPRG] re: micro

Sat Dec 15 15:10:34 CST 2007

The rule of thumb is to buy something bigger than what you need because it won't be long until you will wish you spent the little extra because you will then be struggling to do the larger parts.

Yes, tooling will become your biggest investment, but this can be obtained on an as need basis.

One thing to take a serious look at is the type of spindle.  The R-8 spindle is far more common than the MT#3 spindle.  Different companies sells the same mill with either the R-8 spindle taper or the MT#3 spindle taper .  One of the reasons to consider this is the availability of tools (more for the R-8).  The other thing to consider is that the far majority of other mills larger in size use the R-8 spindle taper.  Thus if you upgrade down the road, much of the tooling will be transferable.

Pete

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: steve at txtulip.com 
  To: dpa at io.isem.smu.edu ; dprglist at dprg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2007 11:50 AM
  Subject: Re: [DPRG] re: micro - mini mill advice

  Hi Thanks for the reply,
     These are the two I am considering. I ACTUALLY wanted a CNC but as was mentioned, the additional tools needed, (dividing head and such..) will add substantially to the final price of having an actual useful tool. So CNC will be a pipe dream until I can work through adding the stepper motors and electronics. 

  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47158
  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44991

   Weight wise, 105 vs 150 lbs could be a challenge but I intend to take the head off whenever I move it and that should be a rare occurrence once I get it set up. Your comments about your grizzly are very useful. I'm leaning to the bigger model  now, which, as it happens, is very similar to grizzly.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: dpa <dpa at io.isem.smu.edu>
  To: dprglist at dprg.org
  Sent: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 12:36 pm
  Subject: [DPRG] re: micro - mini mill advice

steve wrote:

> Hi all,
> ?? I've been given the go ahead to buy a small milling machine and I'm 
wondering
> if I should go with a Micro or Mini? version. (This took a LOT of whining by 
the
> way) I guess the big difference I'm seeing is the power of the motor 1/5 hp VS 
4/5 hp)
> and slightly bigger dimensions with a Mini. Either will do what I intend for 
the
> moment. (Gear Cutting mostly) but does anyone have any thoughts one way or the 
other?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Steve

How much do you want to spend?  How heavy a machine are you willing to deal with 
(i.e.,
50lbs, 100lbs, 500lbs, 1500lbs ? )

I have a Grizzly G8689 <http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G8689&site=grizzly>
that I'm pretty happy with but I had to do a number of mods.  Also for building 
the jBot
robot it was not quite big enough to mill the 5x20 inch chassis plates and we 
had to use a
big Bridgeport.  But for all the small parts it was fine.  Dandy, infact.   
Mostly aluminum
<http://www.geology.smu.edu/~dpa-www/robo/jbot/aut_2510x.jpg> and some nylon
<http://www.geology.smu.edu/~dpa-www/robo/jbot/aut_2546x.jpg> and some steel 
fiddley bits.

Generally bigger is better if you have the $$ and the space and can handle the 
weight.

Do you have any particular machines in mind?

my $.02

dpa

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