Round or Flat

[Mutley]

Is it better to go for a round post milling machine or a square one, also, is it handy to have a tilting head.

I dare say some of it is down to personnel preference, but being as i am new to this i thought i would ask.

Not going for a massive machine, as space is limited (see pic)

I will be making mainly small fittings for model boats, cars etc, some fishing reel repairs and anything else i can dream up.

All advice greatfully received.

 

[Noitoen]

The problem with round is when you need to raise or lower the headstock while machining a part, you have to re-centre.

 

[mklotz]

IMO, a tilting head is just an annoyance. It's just another degree of freedom that can become unknowingly misaligned. Most folks I know who have that capability use it only rarely.

For the smallish work we're doing it's always possible to provide whatever required angling of the part via angle plates or tilt tables.

I have a round column mill and, through careful planning, a bit of ingenuity with collets and self-made low-profile work holders, almost never have to readjust the head height during an operation. Still, if someone gave me a square column mill, I wouldn't kick it out of the Garaj Mahal.

However, as with all new machine purchases, you really need to consider what work you intend to do and buy the capabilities required to do that work.

No matter what you buy you will discover limitations and annoyances in it. Experience, both personal and the collective type found here, will allow you to work around those imperfections.

 

[Mainer]

Go for the square-column, so you can move the head up and down while working and not have to worry about alignment.

A tilting head is a seldom-used feature that one tends to avoid using because, once the head is set perpendicular, one does not want to mess it up. Still, I find that every couple of years it's handy to have. I wouldn't insist on having it though. As Marv says, for small stuff you can generally achieve the angle some other way.

 

[cfellows]

I have a round column mill virtually identical to the one pictured and it has served me very well.

However, all other things being equal, I would prefer the square column mill pictured because you can raise and lower the head without recentering the work. This is a pretty common problem for me when I'm drilling large holes, starting with a small, short center drill then working up to a long 1/2" or 3/4" drill. If I leave enough clearance to get a 1/2" drill bit into the chuck, I don't enough quill travel for a short center drill to reach the work.

The other thing that annoys me about my mill is that I can't get it very close to the wall of my shop because the motor sticks so far out in back.

As far as the tilting column, I've never missed it and doubt I would ever use it. As others have said, too much trouble getting it set back to 90 degrees.

Chuck

 

[Mutley]

Never noticed the bit about the motor being out the back, as i have limited space and the fact about the adjustment, fixed square sounds like the way to go.
Many thanks.
Jon

 

[baldrocker]

the motor sticks so far out in back.

Sorry Mutley dont want to hijack your thread
Chuck
How about mounting the mill in a corner facing out at a 45 degree angle
Just a thought.
BR

 

[chuck foster]

personally i would go with the square column mill because as others have stated the round column takes up to much room.

as far as the tilting head is concerned i think it is something that will never get used.

i have the round column type and it works very well but i'm thinking about moving up to a square column myself.

just my 2 cents

chuck

 

[Mutley]

If 2 cents saves me a few pounds sterling, then i will gladly refund you as for hijacking a thread, it is a small price to pay for advice. :bow:
Thanks again to all.

 

[cfellows]

Sorry Mutley dont want to hijack your thread
Chuck
How about mounting the mill in a corner facing out at a 45 degree angle
Just a thought.
BR

Aaah, Fung Shui in the shop! Unfortunately I have no available corners in my 2 car garage shop. Maybe in my next shop...

Chuck

 

[kvom]

I believe the round column is more useful for being able to machine larger workpieces than for tilting the head.

 

[Loose nut]

I recently upgraded my round column for a square dovetailed model and it is wwaaayyyyy better.

Along with the ability to raise and lower the head for tool changing, it allows you to keep the quill as close in as possible when milling , fine adjustments only, and then raising and lowering the head for other adjustments. On these light machines it is really important to keep the quill tight in the head (they tend to get a bit loose if they are used to much with it extended, the quill gets sloppy) to minimize vibration and get a good finish. They are also much more rigid then the round column type since the head isn't allowed to twist side ways. This also helps with the finish.

That being said if you can get a round column at a really good price they can still do good work, you just have to learn how to deal with them.

P.S. the Sieg's are good but if you think you might be doing some bigger work and have the room, look at the RF 45 type,that's mine, (HF45, ZX45, etc.) they are the big brother to the X3's. They have a much greater capacity.

 

[Richard1]

I had one of the round column mills for many years and found that it was very annoying when you had to move the head up or down as it swiveled but also I found that changing speeds was a problem as there were 3, 4 step cone pulleys such that the motor drove an idler and the idler drove the quill. Often to change speeds you would have to take off both belts and move them as you would want a step on the idler that was the other side of the other drive belt. I don't know about the square column mills as I upgraded to a Bridgeport and all these problems went away.

Richard.

 

[deverett]

My Emco FB2 has a round column, but it also has a key down the column to hold alignment.

However, it does not like deep cuts or heavy feed rates. If I go too deep, the column flexes to try and reduce the load. I have now learnt how much I can cut in different materials.

I think a square headed column would be a lot more rigid.

I'm not going to change the FB2, because I am fortunate enough to have a Thiel 158 for any heavy work.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[Kermit]

Lathemaster has a milling machine it sells which is a square column. I'm planning on getting it next year, BUT

they have a NEW milling machine now, smaller than the original one I'm planning on.

Have a looksee http://www.lathemaster.com/


pops up on the first page,
Kermit

 

[Mutley]

That looks very similar to the picture i posted in post one, the square column one i posted is the one i will be going for, as the consensus of opinion on here seems to lean in favour of the square, reading the comments, it seems to make sense.