Cute little milling machine on eBay

Severely underpowered, small chuck, not easy to buy cheap mills for it, as it doesn't use collets.
For the same amount of money, you can get a fairly decent mini-mill that is more modern.
 
It's a fairly decent mill for light work, as I understand, but there is better.
However, parts are impossible to find for it nowadays, unlike some of the other older mills.
Actually, the Benchmaster is probably a little better than an import drill/mill in the same class, but as I said, parts are nowhere to be found, and for a little more $$, you can get an old Rockwell, Millrite, or Clausing...
 
I can second that (about the Mill-rites). Its a darn good compact mill, but scarce these days, well - good ones anyway. Frankly, and my fellow machinists will surely cast me out of the secret club, and hack off my hand so I cant ever give the secret machinsts handshake, but the asian mini-mills seem to be holding up pretty well with some initial work to them. One cannot beef about the price, either. ;)
 
As was stated, a little shopping can find a better mini mill with more easilly available tooling. Judging from the pictures though, it does look well lubricated.
 
Thanks for all the advice! I was afraid it would be a poor buy, but I never knew that they made a mill that small with a knee so I just had to ask :-)

Dan
 
I have one of those in my shop with a vertical and horizontal head. Really sturdy machine for the money (if you can get it cheap enough). Great thing about um is with a set of collets and a drawbar you can get a 1/2 inch bit to work great in it, along with 1/2 shanked flycutters and such...

The only thing that would be better is something in the R8 settup...

But if you are looking twords a taig or shearline or something of the sort, go for the benchmaster...

JMO

Alan Folts

alanfolts@hotmail.com
 
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