Machine advice for a friend

[Lew Hartswick]

He ask me to check for pro's and con's on any of the combination Mill / Lathes that
folks have used and/or had experience with. ( Note! I wouldn't buy one myself)
both he and I have used Bridgeports and good size lathes and I'm afraid he will be
unhappy with any combination machine, BUT he did ask so what is the news????
I looked at ENCO and the spindles are #3 Morse taper in both lathe and mill.
The Morse taper collets seem to be a scarce item. I've seen other company ads for
these but have never really looked at the details. (since I would not but one)
Are there any that use an R8 spindle for the mill? The "reach" of the mill head
looks AWFULLY short on two of the three in ENCO cat. Even the other looks short
to someone use to a Bridgeport.
So any ideas what to tell the friend? Thanks for any suggestions.
Would be GREAT to find one or more folks in nearby location with one to look at.
"Albuquerque NM"
...Lew...

 

[ninefinger]

I owned a 3-in-1 machine for around 6 years and just sold it this past December. Here is my take on it:

it had a MT3 spindle for the mill and lathe tail stock and MT4 in the spindle nose with a bolt on chuck. It was a poor mill and I bought a proper larger bench top mill about 2 years ago to make up for its shortcomings. The lathe portion is a mixed bag. You usually get a really large swing over the bed in these and a respectable swing over the cross slide (ie mine was 16" over the bed and I think 12 over the cross slide). But the lathe doesn't have the rigidity, motor power or gearing to work well at these diameters so I quickly got frustrated. This is because the large parts I could fit on the lathe I couldn't turn properly - ie too fast, not enough power and even at light cuts chatter to make your fillings fall out. Can't make a heavier cut cause that would stall it.

It has been said before but I'll say it again - don't get one unless you really can't, not ever find room for a bench top mill and a separate lathe. I would personally think a proper lathe (ie 10x24" or larger) and a small bench top mill would be a better purchase.

Mike

 

[pete]

Lew,
For those who have shops with a concrete floor, Weight normally isn't a consideration, Even though size may be an issue. It isn't much fun. But my shop foor isn't concrete, So I can well understand there are more issues than just size for different people and shops.

There's also more than one variety of the so called 3n1 machines. I've yet to operate the standard types like what are considered a 3n1 such as a Smithy. I started out with a Emco Compact 5 lathe with a rear lathe bed mounted mill. Size wise there's some large reductions in dimensions on part size your capable of milling. I then bought a Emco designed mill that uses the same milling head and coloum as that compact 5 lathe does. Much better for larger parts. But the same rigidity and depth of cut.

I then bought a 3/4 sized R-8 taper Bridgeport clone mill. Now were getting into some fairly heavy equipment that does cost far more, Takes up much more space, And weighs a lot more. (I do have a point to this.)

Larger mill? Well now I need a larger lathe. But I'm still restricted with the overall weight problem. I bought a Weiss built 11"x 27" lathe with power cross feed. This was the lightest weight lathe I could find with a seperate feed rod. More as a secondary mill and a convience than anything else, And because I saw what that Emco compact 5 lathe and mill combination could do. I also ordered a Weiss built R-8 taper mill that mounts directly to the rear of the lathe bed. The Weiss lathe has a built in cross slide already equipted with tee slots. Slack two nuts off and the top slide is removed. Having power feed on the lathe for both directions gives you a built in X,Y axis power feed while milling. For the size and weight restricted? There are more than one option for those 3n1 lathes.

Maybe another way to go for your buddy? It's not perfect. But nothing ever is. From what I've seen of the Smithy types at various dealers, I'd rather have what I do if I was forced to give up my larger mill. I'm not all that sure if this helps or not.

IMHO? I would not ever buy any mill that used a Morse taper that didn't come with some form of screw type ejection type system to force the MT loose from the taper. We both know tapping hard with a hammer for release quickly beats spindle bearings to death.

Pete

 

[Swede]

I had a Smithy, one of the early ones. The lathe part wasn't all that terrible as a home lathe, but the mill portion was useless and enormously frustrating to boot. Setup took forever, and there isn't enough Z to do much more than mill channels in parts clamped to the table. Want to use a vise, and drill a hole in even a modestly tall component? You can't.

I took the mill head off. Used the lathe for a couple of years, then sold the whole thing. It was one giant ball of regret.