HF Cheap Mill

medit8

medit8

Joined
Apr 25, 2002
Messages
181
I have been thinking about getting Harbor Freight's cheapest mill ($259 to $299)
http://tinyurl.com/z3f3p
just for one use - to make guard slots. I've gotten pretty good at drilling holes and then filing them to size, but my arthritic hands aren't handling it well at all. Does anyone have experience with this mill, and if so, how hard would it be to set up and use for slots?
Thanks,
Bob
 
Bob
I use one. It should be entirely adequate for your use. You will need a clamp block set or a good small milling vise.
The next most expensive model is much better than the cheap model.
Bill
 
Bill,
I appreciate your letting me know that this inexpensive mill will be able to make the slots for guards. I hope to be able to learn to use a mill on this one, and then I'll progress to a more upscale one. I have a machinest's vise now (a HF one http://tinyurl.com/yb5fjd ) that I think might work, and if not I'll get a vise specific to milling.
Thanks,
Bob
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

moving-van.jpg
 
One thing you might also consider...
This little milling-machine uses an MT2 spindle taper. R8 is the most common and is what you are most likely to find on any larger milling machine you may buy in the future. If you get the HF milling machine that's the next-larger in their lineup you will have an advantage as it is designed for R8 tooling. Since you're going to have to buy collets or end-mill holders regardless of which machine you get, it might be better to start out with an R8 machine so you don't have to buy new tooling when you upgrade machines in the future. I say this because tooling is expensive and you don't want to have to buy any of it twice if you don't have to. ;)

-Ben M.
 
Ben,
Thanks for your advise. I see exactly what you are pointing to, and know your thinking is right. But, as the only thing I'll be doing with the mill is making slots, the $200 difference might sway me to get the cheaper one to start and use the 200 towards upgrading to a KMG from my 2x72 Griz sooner than later. Relative to the cheap mill, I expect that I'll continue exclusively using 90% 3/16" stock and 10% 1/8", so the investment in new collets/end mills would be minimal when I do upgrade. Anyway, I am really intrigued by the idea of starting off my milling with the better version (which I guess I should have done with belt sanders), so maybe by Xmas I'll just go ahead and get the more versital one. Thanks again for your input.
Bob
 
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