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Milling machines


Rich Griff
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My birthday is in a few months...

 

In the past I have had access to machine shop equipment.

 

I have a lathe ( two actually ) but not a milling machine.

 

I have lots of jobs that would be easy on a milling machine...

 

Bmfa mag advert ( and threads on here ) has relit that fire and the milling jam jar is filling, but slowly.

 

Proxxon milling machines, anyone on here using one and are they any good ?

 

I only need to do light duty stuff, but with steel/cast iron/brass/bronze, as well as Ali.

 

Thanks

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1 hour ago, Rich Griff said:

Thanks robin, wilco....suspect I'm gunna need 5 jam jars !

Rich, sadly that's usually the case once you delve deeper!

If you buy a good used milling machine and look after it, you will probably get the majority of your money back when you sell. 
I recently helped a friend get a Centec 2A milling machine, which does horizontal and vertical milling, plus a Boxford AUD lathe.  He had just retired and having had access to lathes and mills throughout his working life, he wanted one of each at home.  The machines had been bought by an also recently retired chap taking up model engineering, who sadly died soon after getting them.  Neither machine was new by a long way (1960s/70s), but both were in excellent condition (except the mill needed a new traverse motor which we already knew).  My friend intends to fit digital readouts (DROs) to both machines, so the machine being metric or imperial isn't an issue.

By buying secondhand, there's a good chance you will get the machine plus all the tooling, which can add a lot on if you buy a new machine.  Plus, if you read about the Chinese ones, any attempt to improve them is generally attempting to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
If you join your local model engineering society you will most probably hear about estate sales and people selling to upgrade etc.  Beware when looking online, there are a lot of ex-factory machines around that have been 'serviced' with little more than a pot of paint, so don't go too much by first impressions.   Get someone who knows a worn machine when they see it to take a look, even if you have to pay them for their time.

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That 70 proxxon would easily do the first job, a 3mm screw sheared off ( not by me ) in a "tower" in a bike carb, quite recessed, so mig method ( 3 others removed, made washer to protect carb, weld washer to proud remains, weld tapered bolt to washer, as much heat as I dare, patience patience patience and a few please god's, they came out, well corroded in which is why they sheared ) not an option.

 

Machine not big enough to take a cylinder head ( twin 4t ) to machine a butchered ( again not by me ) valve guide so I can make driver/extracted.

 

Other milling jobs on a ( I think ) model De Winston stationery steam engine, ( De Winston, caernarfon, similar engine in Glyn Llifon, caernarfon area, fed dibna ).

 

Carb job has no room what so ever for any inaccuracy...

 

I can dream, which is ironic as the bike is a wet one, 400cc.

 

I will keep researching.

 

If allowed we may be going Guildford way this summer, seen a  Warco sign on that route, if still no mill, will call in.

 

Anyone like some RC boats, pm me.

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Wm18, £2k,academic for me whether it's plus vat, not checked.

 

Would need new shed to house that, meaning new house, meaning a lottery winner needed !

 

Your machine, CNC ?

 

Nice anyway.

 

I will struggle on with the lathes...listening to classic FM...

 

Need a stout bit of angle iron to mount carb, then mount in chuck, 4 jaw so can centralise dead on. No room for error.

 

Will also have to get a 2, and 4mm left hand drill else screw remains could end up being driven to the bottom of the hole.  Great risk of lh drill breaking if screw decides to unscrew.

 

Used end mill to remove the deeply recess float chamber screw, worked a treat with pillar drill.

 

Just this last troublesome screw to sort out on the carbs.

 

Superdreams, nightmares more like. 

 

Sorry about language...

Edited by Martin Harris - Moderator
Removed swear words - don’t be sorry, just don’t use them!
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I bit the bullet and bought a Draper Mini Mill 350W.  Forget the Proxon its a micro mill and its too small. Do your research as most mini Mills are from the same factory in China but price varies tremendously. Mine cost just under £700  delivered. Same machine possible with different name and colour over £1100 !!. So shop around.

Also be careful as some Chinese Internet sites offer these machines for £150 ish ! But you will pay nearly £500 shipping plus VAT.

Very pleased with performance so far . A little noisy due to geartrain but vibration free . Main construction is cast iron with good finish on the ways.

It weighs around 60 Kg so eat two shredded wheat before you unpack and lift onto bench. Delivered on a small pallet in a sturdy wooden case.

Like all budget machines don't expect the quality of the big names but for modelling and most auto part repairs its a capable little machine provided you don't overload it.

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Draper model no 34023 from Rapidonline.com  they are based in Colchester Essex. 

They were the best price , easy to deal with and quick delivery via courier. 

You can do a Google search for " bench top Mills " and you will see that most are the same machines with wildly differing prices. 

There is a new model out now with belt drive and brushless motor . Quieter running and more power but costs about £50 to £75 more.

Having said that the model I  have  seems to have plenty of power for what I'm doing .

Edited by Engine Doctor
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Take your love interest, night in ( bed of choosing), perhaps a tourist diversion, and it so happens that machine happens to end up in the boot. A handbag perhaps on the return trip, and love interest thinks you are right nice, with a mill.

Edited by Don Fry
Edited for gender neutral post
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2 hours ago, Don Fry said:

Take your love interest, night in ( bed of choosing), perhaps a tourist diversion, and it so happens that machine happens to end up in the boot. A handbag perhaps on the return trip, and love interest thinks you are right nice, with a mill.

I don't take my transmitter on shopping trips.        :classic_biggrin:

  • Haha 1
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17 hours ago, Engine Doctor said:

Draper model no 34023 from Rapidonline.com  they are based in Colchester Essex. 

They were the best price , easy to deal with and quick delivery via courier. 

You can do a Google search for " bench top Mills " and you will see that most are the same machines with wildly differing prices. 

There is a new model out now with belt drive and brushless motor . Quieter running and more power but costs about £50 to £75 more.

Having said that the model I  have  seems to have plenty of power for what I'm doing .

Hi ED,

I work for Raoidonline; glad we could be of service! If there is any part of the range we are missing, let me know and I will see if we can bring it in.

Graham

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