New Mill

[black85vette]

woohoo1 woohoo1 woohoo1

I was planning on asking for a mill for Christmas, but spotted one on eBay and decided to act on it. Found an X2 for $350 including the shipping. Looks like it is in OK shape. Talked to the seller on the phone and was able to ask some questions before deciding. Figuring I can't get hurt too bad at that price. Plus that lets me go ahead and budget for a rotary table and the belt conversion now.

I have been going back and forth between the X2 or going bigger and heavier but finally decided to go smaller for now since space is limited.

 

[cfellows]

So you're the lucky devil that got that! I've had an automatic search on EBay for something like that for months. I saw it in my email this morning, but the it had already sold when I went to look at it.

Congratulations on your win. Looks like you got a great buy!

Chuck

 

[black85vette]

So you're the lucky devil that got that! I've had an automatic search on EBay for something like that for months. I saw it in my email this morning, but the it had already sold when I went to look at it. Chuck

Opps. Sorry!

I had been searching ebay and craigslist for some time. I didn't have an automatic search but just happened to be doing a search and this one popped up. I knew it would not last long. Ended up buying it within hours of it being posted. Even violated one of my own rules when I did it first and then told my wife. :hDe:

 

[Troutsqueezer]

You're going to like it a lot and you don't even have to clean all the red shipping grease off it. After 4 months I'm still finding places on mine where there are gobs of red grease.

Being a novice, I had no idea that I would be spending more on the tooling for this than I spent on the machine itself. A rotary table is up next for me too. They are kind of expensive. I'm wondering how good that HF 4" RT is, the one that sells for about 100 bucks. I'm sure its not as good as those sold at LMS.

I lucked out when buying my milling machine from HF. Since it was a special order, I had to wait a couple of weeks. When it came in, they sold it to someone who just walked in the door and asked for one. I was not happy about that and complained to the mgr. When another arrived a week later they refunded me 30% off the original price so I would be happy. I was. $560-$168=$392.

-T

 

[black85vette]

When another arrived a week later they refunded me 30% off the original price so I would be happy. I was. $560-$168=$392.

SWEET deal! Thm:

 

[cfellows]

Opps. Sorry!

I had been searching ebay and craigslist for some time. I didn't have an automatic search but just happened to be doing a search and this one popped up. I knew it would not last long. Ended up buying it within hours of it being posted. Even violated one of my own rules when I did it first and then told my wife. :hDe:

No Problem... I aready have a large mill/drill and was kind of looking for a Sieg X1. Now I've switched gears and am looking for a good price on a 7 x 12 minilathe...

Chuck

 

[black85vette]

Mill got here last night. Had to go out and get it unpacked and set on the bench. Holy cow! This thing was filthy. Looks to have been used in an automotive shop. Covered in grease and oil. Got it cleaned up some and then started checking it out. Holy cow! Don't know how they even used it. The gibbs were so far out of adjustment that the whole table pivoted and the bottom gib had slid out of position and was binding pretty bad. Tore it down cleaned up everything with a file, smoothed out the ways and gibs. Put it all back together and adjusted it and it is now smooth and tight. Hmmmmm, come to think of it this is just like setting up a NEW one. :big:

Now out to make some chips today.

 

[deere_x475guy]

Hey congrats blackvette...when are we going to see some pics?..

 

[CMS]

Yea!!! What he said!!! Lets see what ya have to hide!!!

 

[black85vette]

OK. But it is pretty much a generic X2. Here it is after some cleanup. Mounted my vise on it and made a few test cuts. Everything is good so far.

 

[cfellows]

May be generic, but that was still a nice catch!

Chuck

 

[ksouers]

Yep, that's an X2, all right ;D

Sorry, couldn't resist...

Did it come with any tooling?

 

[black85vette]

No tooling but I already had end mills and a vise. Just had to get a couple of R8 holders.

 

[Deanofid]

Congratulations, Vette!
Doesn't matter if it's like others of the same make. This one's yours!
Neat.

Dean

 

[woodknack]

Thats the same one my dad has That i use. Id like to get him auto feed for it and belt drive. I already broke one set of gears.. ;D

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Looks just like mine with minor differences. Crankwheels for one. I suspect the cap on the motor actually belongs in front of the motor...on the spindle?

Takes a little bit to get it adjusted...there's some great threads here on that.

I've enjoyed it a lot. I'd like to trade up from my mini-lathe someday but have had no thoughts of doing that with the mini-mill. Not that it doesn't have it's problems...still.

 

[black85vette]

Looks just like mine with minor differences. Crankwheels for one. I suspect the cap on the motor actually belongs in front of the motor...on the spindle?

Takes a little bit to get it adjusted...there's some great threads here on that.

I've enjoyed it a lot. I'd like to trade up from my mini-lathe someday but have had no thoughts of doing that with the mini-mill. Not that it doesn't have it's problems...still.

Zee; one of the factors that influenced my decision was how many of these were used by members here. Having that kind of first hand knowledge available is a big deal. Yes the cap should be over the spindle. The crank wheel on the end of the table has a different handle because the original got bent in shipment. I made a longer one out of aluminum. (nice having a lathe isn't it?) I plan to do the modification to stiffen the upright piece, maybe the airspring, and sometime add the DROs. All in good time and not all at once.

What do you find to be a problem on the mill? I have already done the initial set up adjustments. Might need some fine tuning. For now it is just getting to know what it will do and how hard it can be pushed.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Keep in mind I'm very much a newbie to machining in the first place and I'm still learning how to use the mill.

My biggest problem has been in moving the head up and down. Still figuring out backlash. The head has a tendency to drop.

This Christmas I hope to tear the machine down for cleaning and adjustment. When the Y is not locked down and I crank in X...the table rotates back and forth as I turn the wheel. I don't mean it rotates in one direction when I crank in -X and in the other direction when I crank in +X. But pressure on the crank wheel goes +/-Y. I think the issue is the nut that the lead screw goes through. I haven't figured out how to adjust that. [EDIT: Is probably the gibs. But the nut needs work too.]

I've not confirmed with my mill...but there have been a couple of threads on how well the head moves squarely up and down. Not just a matter of tram. The problem seems that the head moves left and right as it moves up and down.

Lately though it seems that I'm getting better at 'knowing' the machine.

The only other thing I can think of (for now) is that sometimes I need more Z room. Especially if I want to drill and then ream. There's no room for the bigger reamers. At some point I'll have to chop them down.

Overall though...as nothing more than hobbyist...I'm pretty happy with it. It seems like I'd have to expend quite a bit more to get something better...that day may come...but as an intro...it's been great.

 

[lathe nut]

I got one form Harbor Freight, got them down to 250.00 It was clean not grease only a slight bit of oil, was not like the 7X10 that I got years ago, must have been a quart of grease on it, I have not used the mill yet took it apart, adjusted and oiled, did get a light a HF today, think someone has posted here about one, its neat and will fit great around the spindle, looking forward to get some tips on them, Lathe Nut

 

[black85vette]

My biggest problem has been in moving the head up and down. Still figuring out backlash. The head has a tendency to drop.

I did notice the head drop down some but just locked it anytime I was cutting and it seemed to be OK with that. I did have some trouble with a plunge cut. When coming straight down into the work piece it started jumping and chattering. Did that even with the X and Y locked. Not sure what is up with that. I will have to try it again.

I've not confirmed with my mill...but there have been a couple of threads on how well the head moves squarely up and down. Not just a matter of tram.

I followed a couple of those threads and plan on doing the entire alignment on it soon.

It seems like I'd have to expend quite a bit more to get something better...that day may come...but as an intro...

Yes indeed. I have always been willing to jump in at a lower cost and go from there. Some interests did not go very far and I was happy not to have over-spent up front.