Chainreaction
New Member
I don't think you can go wrong with that mill Dan, there are actual groups dedicated to this mill known as the X2.
Mill/Lathe
- Thread starter Dan
- Start date
Davezilla
New Member
That HF mini mill you posted a link for is a good one, small, but good, and there are a LOT of upgrades available for it, not sure if the 25% couppons will apply to this, but I think the 20's will. The other thing with the mill is that omst HF stores don't keep them in stock so they have to be ordered then they ship it to the nearest store to you where you can pick it up. I was told that there's like a 4 to 6 week wait for one once paid for over here too.
Davezilla
New Member
I know the feeling, I called each store here in San Antonio to see if anyone kept one in stock but they told me since it's not a quick selling item it's order only. Then they told me about the wait and I got the same idea to buy the Grizzly brand from a machine shop supply place over here but it costs about $200 more and it's the same exact unit, just a different brand name on it.
I've also decided to just save up and get the bigger one since it's gonna be kept at the shop instead of here at home in my garage, but depending on how much business I get after the holidays I might just go ahead and order the small one and see if they'll ship it straight to my shop, most places will offer discounted shipping when it's going to a business instead of residential, but the guy I talked to at HF when I bought the lathe told me they'll only ship to the closest store and they'd call me when it arrives.... Grrrr...
I've also decided to just save up and get the bigger one since it's gonna be kept at the shop instead of here at home in my garage, but depending on how much business I get after the holidays I might just go ahead and order the small one and see if they'll ship it straight to my shop, most places will offer discounted shipping when it's going to a business instead of residential, but the guy I talked to at HF when I bought the lathe told me they'll only ship to the closest store and they'd call me when it arrives.... Grrrr...
Davezilla
New Member
Lol... Reminds me of when I was working on military aircraft.. order a tiny gasket or nut and it's in a 12"x12" box, inside that box is a ton of foam then another 6"x6" box, inside... yup... more foam... Then inside that box a 2x2" box... then What?!!?? no foam??? ... they substituted the foam for that brown wrapping paper, wrapped up in the paper is a small plastic bag with... you guessed it... 1 1/4" nut with 10/32 threads... no silver plating, no hi temp coating, just a plain old gold irridate coated nut.... Just imagine if ya had to order 100 of them to get an engine assembled...
Dan
Staff
LOL, ayup
The X2 mill, Fly. https://www.google.com/search?q=X2+...&sa=X&ei=DaavVK3kJdbmoAT9qoIw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw
also got a mill vice and a set of collets for it. The setup/teardown to switch between mill and lathe on my 3-in-one was just to (too?) time consuming. Did that more than make chips. no LOL,
Dan
Staff
Awesome and TY Fly!
ordered a set of telescoping gauges, bore head & bars last night. Have the collets and vise for it. (just in)
Am glad I didn't know how much machines really cost with the tools for tools. Honestly. It might have dissuaded me. And this is just to much fun.
Don't get me wrong. There are days I am pulling my hair out struggling with some sort of puzzle. But that just makes getting it right, all right.
ordered a set of telescoping gauges, bore head & bars last night. Have the collets and vise for it. (just in)
Am glad I didn't know how much machines really cost with the tools for tools. Honestly. It might have dissuaded me. And this is just to much fun.
Don't get me wrong. There are days I am pulling my hair out struggling with some sort of puzzle. But that just makes getting it right, all right.
DaveC
Member
That's one of the best things about it, it does take a while to get all the right stuff so it's spread out over time. Even those experienced machinists I pointed you guys towards still get jazzed about a new machine or a part they have been trying for years to get suddenly turns up because someone watched one of their videos. Like one guy just got a collet or taper 50J to fit a horizontal mill or something like that, it's huge. Now he's looking for parts to go in it, the search is never ending. Wait until you start wanting taper shaft drill bits
Intrepid Wheelwoman
New Member
I've just purchased one of these mini drills out of China for drilling wee holes in printed circuit boards. Freehand drilling with a Dremel to do this gets old very fast I can tell you 
I've also discovered that tiny tungsten carbide drill bits are easy to find at a cheap price from China as well. When I was still doing a lot of model making buying tiny drills at model shop prices was expensive. The Chinese are basically selling their drills for 1/10th the price and they're tungsten carbide and not HSS which is a major bonus
I've also discovered that tiny tungsten carbide drill bits are easy to find at a cheap price from China as well. When I was still doing a lot of model making buying tiny drills at model shop prices was expensive. The Chinese are basically selling their drills for 1/10th the price and they're tungsten carbide and not HSS which is a major bonus
mapbike
Well-Known Member
I've just purchased one of these mini drills out of China for drilling wee holes in printed circuit boards. Freehand drilling with a Dremel to do this gets old very fast I can tell you
I've also discovered that tiny tungsten carbide drill bits are easy to find at a cheap price from China as well. When I was still doing a lot of model making buying tiny drills at model shop prices was expensive. The Chinese are basically selling their drills for 1/10th the price and they're tungsten carbide and not HSS which is a major bonus
Nice looking mini drill press there I.Wheelwoman, I dont have a use for one like that myself since all the junk I work with and on requires brute type tools, but that is a nice looking tool.
Chainreaction
New Member
I had all sorts of issues with chatter and stuff coming loose on my 3 in 1 mill/lathe. I got it with a 3" vice which weighs about 25lbs. I figured it might be the vice causing me a lot of grief so I looked around for an upgrade, the only thing I could find that could possibly fit and that I could afford was a 6" vice that weighed about 100lbs and cost $190. It didn't bolt on either, had to make a skirt clamping device. Man does it make a difference though, nice smooth operations now. The tooling never ends, next I need a bigger lathe chuck, then DRO. I need to raise the tower up an inch too. For what I'm doing now I can live with a 3 in 1. When its time to grow I'll find an old bridgeport.