Mill Suggestions?

[zhyla]

That's a good point, and I didn't notice that when reading the description.

Model G0758 has a "Spindle elevation DRO". Is this basically the same thing as a Z-axis DRO? (Just only taking into account spindle movement)

I will need to bore bearing pockets, so being able to accurately bore to depth is important.

What is the difference between the "Spindle elevation DRO" feature on the G0758 and the "DRO on spindle" feature on the G0704?

See the three-handled crank on the side of the G0704 mill's head? That's the "drill" part of a mill/drill. It lets you use it like a drill press. When you move the crank the spindle goes up and down and the spindle readout on both models will increment.

The crank at the top of the machine in the back is the Z axis adjustment. It moves the head up and down. A real DRO setup will have a linear encoder that tracks the position of the head and updates when you turn that crank.

I'm not qualified to give advice on machining things but my gut says for precise boring you're going to want to lock the spindle (so the drill press handle won't spin) and use the Z axis. For tiny bearings maybe it doesn't matter, but with the spindle extended its far less rigid.

Of course you can do everything without DRO, it just takes skill. I haven't developed this skill in the year I've owned the mill and because of this I can't do much with it. If I weren't planning a CNC conversion I would get a cheap DRO for it.

 

[javand]

Yeah there's a junky semi-DRO (basically a digital caliper scale monkeyed into the housing) on the spindle of those. Which is basically useless for most of the processes I use my mill for personally.


Quill depth or Z axis (knee) on full sized mills is the 1 axis that's neglected on most DRO setups, in favor of X and Y (table and saddle feed).

I handled one of these mills the other day that another knifemaker bought. It seems like a decent little mill if you've got limited space, but it's a bench mill on a sheet metal stand. Let's not pretend it's otherwise.


Probably do everything you'll ever need to do for pocket knives that you don't need a surface grinder for. Although I know great pocket knife makers (like Don) that do everything on an HF, Rong Fu, or Sherline type mills.


Moving those grizzy mills is not going to be a whole lot easier than moving a bridgeport or one of the shorter import clones IMHO. The two piece nature of them makes them more top heavy, and less conducive to the way I move machines, of which I've got half a dozen that weigh over a ton, with no forklift.

You can probably move that thing around bolted to the stand with an engine hoist though. Still loading a bridgeport onto a small trailer with ramp is easy as pie with a come-a-long or a chain hoist, a digging bar or crow bar, and a few pieces of round bar or pipe. I've moved numerous machines with the smallest U-haul ramp trailer this way, before I got a trailer. Still rent one when I don't want to haul the big trailer. For $30 a day, it's a no-brainer.


I'd see what your local options are, at least weigh that in.

 

[zhyla]

I've moved mine fully assembled and bolted to the stand with the help of a friend, no big deal (for strong 30-something's). It only weighs 250 lbs. I had to disassemble it to move it myself.