Mill/drill/lathe are they worth it?

Cody Hofsommer

Cody Hofsommer

Joined
Dec 2, 2011
Messages
913
I don't have a mill or lathe, and I'm sitting here recovering from surgery thinking about 2017's shop upgrade. Are these combos any good? I'm thinking for guards and small turned things. I know machinists laugh at them, but most of the things I would use it for would be quite small. The lathe seems to be pretty good, but it would use the mill more. Any one have one and like it, or hate it? Better off with stand alone tools?
 
Don't let 'em discourage you, Cody - any mill is better than no mill.
I think get one of each. I have a buddy there in Wisconsin who has the combo and said he wished he'd done it different.
 
Get separate tools.
As long as you aren't going to try to be a "real" machinist, the small tools work very well.
The Chinese tools are reasonably good, and Taig (USA) tools are very good.
Combo tools don't do much of anything well.
 
They are great hobbyshop tools.
Like anything, quality varies widely.
I have a 40 year old Maximat whats turned out tons of small stuff.
Its lightyears ahead of its Asian Discount Store counterparts.. Its pricetag reflects that.
 
As above the standalone machines are better

Stay away from the round column mills, those dovetail column small mills are miles ahead.
 
I don't know how much space you have, but if there's enough I advocate getting second hand, full size machine tools. I.e., a Bridgeport knee mill (or clone/peer) and a lathe of at least 13" swing x 36" c-c. You'll pay less most likely, and end up with more capability- plus, real machines are cool to have and learn about as well as some of them being pieces of American history.
You might have to drive as far as Minneapolis, looks like there's a fair bit of machining stuff on Craigslist over there...
 
i woudl get a mini mill and mini lather beforr egtting even a slightly bigger 3 inch 1 tool. my HF mini mill has been a trooper over the last 10 years (get the belt drive from LMS )
i have a 9" southbend C lathe that i picked up for a feww houdrasad bucks and i want to upgrade to at least a A model but really want a 10 or 13 inch A model. i have a bridgeporrt mill i use once and a while (when i need it i reallly need it) but the mini is jsut so handy for all the knife maker work and its a dam good drill press too
 
butcher_block said:
i woudl get a mini mill and mini lather beforr egtting even a slightly bigger 3 inch 1 tool. my HF mini mill has been a trooper over the last 10 years (get the belt drive from LMS )
i have a 9" southbend C lathe that i picked up for a feww houdrasad bucks and i want to upgrade to at least a A model but really want a 10 or 13 inch A model. i have a bridgeporrt mill i use once and a while (when i need it i reallly need it) but the mini is jsut so handy for all the knife maker work and its a dam good drill press too
Click to expand...

Butch will the HF mini mill handle folders?
 
yep clean it up and tram it out get good cutters. i have a cheap set of collets and they worked fine i should have upgraded my drill lchuck years ago but most the time i drill with the collet less the bits are really small
bigest thing i can think of is get a good (no need for pro) mill vice a set of collets really dont need any larger then 1/2" most any time nd like i said get the belt drive

when you get the mini mill take it apart and clean and debur gibs and ways that way you get the best contact and les "break in time"
 
I had a HF 3 in 1 for 5 days. The lathe chuck was off center by 3/16". The mill didn't have enough travel. Now I have separate and better tools.
 
Looks like I can get separate tools for about the same price as a combo, so I'll go that route. I'll have to watch craigslist for some secondhand stuff. Thanks for all the info
 
Hey Cody I've got a decent table top mill, and 2 stand alone lathes. You will
never look back.
Ken.
 
I agree with Salem. Get the absolute biggest you can fit in your shop. I've got a full sized knee mill and wouldn't trade it for 10 brand new bench top mills. ;)

I also have a 12x36 lathe, and I already feel like I've outgrown it. It gets the job done, but I certainly would like more power and rigidity, and couldn't imagine trying to use a smaller one.
 
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