- Joined
- Mar 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,167
As a counterpoint I haven't had any issues with mine, plastic gears or no, and I have taken reasonably heavy interrupted cuts in mild steel using the Tormach insert fly-cutter set to a 1.5" diameter...
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Mini Mills and Surface Grinder
- Thread starter William Schrade
- Start date
As a counterpoint I haven't had any issues with mine, plastic gears or no, and I have taken reasonably heavy interrupted cuts in mild steel using the Tormach insert fly-cutter set to a 1.5" diameter...
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
- Messages
- 6,212
i have both a mini and a bridgeport mini was all i had for about 8 years and i fragged the grears a few years ago using end mills way too big for it. did the belt convert. worth every penny for noise reduction alone. after i got the BP i thought i woudl not do much milling on the mini any more but both tools have different uses (mini gets more use as a drill and as a fly cutter for wood scales ) BP gets all the heavy work. told a friend id i had a good drill press i woudl sell him mu mini but more and more i think i woudl have a hard time letting it go even if i had a nice drill press
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2009
- Messages
- 7,310
Yet.... Those gears will crash when least expected. All it takes is to forget to lock the head one time and BAM!....
Guess how the rest of us found out
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,167
Yet.... Those gears will crash when least expected. All it takes is to forget to lock the head one time and BAM!....
Guess how the rest of us found out
Fair enough!
In the new year I will likely be buying another one of those mills in order to convert it to CNC. During that process I will definitely make sure to convert it to belt drive!
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2004
- Messages
- 6,212
only drawback of the belt convert is you loose alitle Tq. but if you are using the right size endmills for the mini its jsut fine. all us bone head ham fisted knife making monkeys that try to use bigger then 1/2 inch mill bits are jsut asking for problems
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2011
- Messages
- 1,448
I purchased a LMS mini mill and I have been very happy with it. I say buy what you can afford and focus on knife making.
I have a day job and make knives as a hobby/gun money. So I don't have the time to tinker with an old bridgeport. Now, when I go into knife making full time, I will be buying a larger mill.
Plus less time tinkering= more time learning how to use the mill and making fixtures
Nick
I have a day job and make knives as a hobby/gun money. So I don't have the time to tinker with an old bridgeport. Now, when I go into knife making full time, I will be buying a larger mill.
Plus less time tinkering= more time learning how to use the mill and making fixtures
Nick