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Cheap milling machines?

Lilith

Plastic
Joined
Dec 23, 2007
Location
MD USA
I saw a milling machine on Ebay for $80. What are the things I should look for in milling machines and what do you suppose would be the reason to charge only $80 on a milling machine. I think the brand was Edison or something. ><
 
The reason that they are charging $80 for the machine is because most likely it is worth $60.
There are no free rides in the world of buying milling machines or lathes. You will get what you pay for if you are lucky.
For mills.......They should weigh at least 1800 lbs, and this is a case where more weight is better. A Bridgeport is really a bit of a light weight at 2400 lbs.
Milling is a fairly brutal exercise and requires physical weight in the machine to dampen the vibrations produced by the operation. Otherwise, you get poor results and chattering and this will sour you quickly on milling..........pg
 
lilith,

Tell piniongear to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Show a pic without telling where it is, to keep others from bidding on it.

I don't know what a lilith is, but if you are a young lady who wishes to try the machining thing, go for it.

Best if for 80 bucks it is small enough for a young lady to wrassle into her shop. Ain't no reason you can't be as good as the best here. Depends on you.

If you can make something with an 80 buck, likely light machine, somebody puts you on a Bridgeport, you will probably knock their eyes out.

If they change your mind, indoctrinate you to the point you HAVE to have a 2 ton machine, let me know the address. I will buy it for my son in law and his 11 year old son.

Cheers,

George

Reread PG's post.

OF COURSE, if you are going to hog metal, you want MUCHO iron.

If you are a hobbyist, or want to learn, you do not need two tons of iron.

Watchmakers make do with lathes that would be pushing it to attain 50 pounds. I would defy PG to match them in accuracy.

He may say that is way different. Why is that? You are still turning steel, no?

Why is a little SB9A such a sancrosant model of the BEST ever? Only a couple hundred pounds. Don't really make much sense.

What you buy is what you THINK you need. If it is not the right thing, you sell it and buy what you NOW think you need, and tomorrow, you might need a little bigger machine.

It is hard to ask such a question on a machining board. Everybody with junk will tell you what they wish they had bought, instead of a Chinee tool. No one admits that they HAVE any of them. Well, the guy that blew the aluminum pipe into his Ford fender did. Why the other guy was allowed to ask him how he liked the HF saw passed the censors, I don't know.

It comes down to make do with what you have. If you have artistic skills, you would be able to make turned objects on the drill press, with files and abrasives.

Professionals and wannabees here should not lean you in any direction.

Cheers,

George
 
Without pics or more details it's tough to say, could have been an old horizontal monster?

My neighbour intercepted a couple Cinnci horizontals that were on their way to a scrap dumpster this past summer at a local steel mill, likely have done decades duty for them. Yes they have some "issues" but he's hoping to make one out of two, some peoples work and projects don't require amazing accuracy. That and on company takeovers or tax depriciation it's just easier to be gone with them.

Good luck with your search a good knee mill probably is the most versatile and even if worn with backlash so long as it's predictable it can still function for years until the bug calls for something more.;)
 
Wow George! I have not met you yet, but you sound like a really nice fellow. Let me help you get the knot out of your panties.

Tell piniongear to stick it where the sun don't shine.
I can only say I wish you could have simply said you disagree with me.

If you can make something with an 80 buck, likely light machine, somebody puts you on a Bridgeport, you will probably knock their eyes out.
You lost me there.......Huh?

.Cheers,
George
Reread PG's post.


OF COURSE, if you are going to hog metal, you want MUCHO iron.
Well I assume hogging metal is what we do when we are in front of a metal working machine. At least that is my personal experience.

If you are a hobbyist, or want to learn, you do not need two tons of iron.
OK, hold it there George! I disagree with you. If a beginner starts with a piece of imported crap that weighs less than a bag of cement about all he/she will learn is this ain't gonna work. It is no fun and I give up will be the result. The money spent ($80 in this case) for the piece of garbage is money that has just been thrown in the trashcan. No wait, throwing it in the trashcan would be a lot more fun than trying to operate such a piece of crap.

Watchmakers make do with lathes that would be pushing it to attain 50 pounds. I would defy PG to match them in accuracy.
Well George, I do not do watch making myself, so I cannot comment on a watch making lathe. But I am sure that they are very accurate because I have not yet seen a badly made watch. So, we finally agree on something!

He may say that is way different. Why is that? You are still turning steel, no?
Turning down a stick pin takes a different piece of equipment than turning down a 1 1/2 inch diameter bar of 4130 steel.

Why is a little SB9A such a sancrosant model of the BEST ever? Only a couple hundred pounds. Don't really make much sense.
You have stumped me again George. Are you for a South Bend or against a South Bend? By the way, an SB9A with a cabinet is around 600 lbs with everything on it.

What you buy is what you THINK you need. If it is not the right thing, you sell it and buy what you NOW think you need, and tomorrow, you might need a little bigger machine.
Well George, most of us have all made that same mistake (Buying what you think you need) and then discovering our error.
That trashcan is beginning to fill up isn't it?
Perhaps I missed the point........I thought the poster was asking for opinion and advice. Guess I got side tracked, sorry.

It is hard to ask such a question on a machining board. Everybody with junk will tell you what they wish they had bought, instead of a Chinee tool. No one admits that they HAVE any of them. Well, the guy that blew the aluminum pipe into his Ford fender did. Why the other guy was allowed to ask him how he liked the HF saw passed the censors, I don't know.
I have nothing that was made in Japan, much less China or Taiwan in my shop, and it will always be that way because I buy what I like not what I have to make do with.
What.....? I am confused again......Censors should control a person asking a question regarding how someone likes a tool that was in his photo? You lost me there George.

It comes down to make do with what you have. If you have artistic skills, you would be able to make turned objects on the drill press, with files and abrasives.
Like Jesus turned water into wine?

Professionals and wannabees here should not lean you in any direction.

Cheers,
George[/quote]

Whew, what relief! Since I am neither a professional nor a wannabe I guess you were not talking to me George.
Glad we got that knot untied, and Happy New Year to you!.....pg
:D
 
well said gear.sombody was in a bad mood.hangover??????
back to the cheap(very) mill,pictures would help,if you do not have the knowledge to decide get or find somebody that does to look at it.
I spent 4500 for a B.port,I wanted to hit the floor running,I have over 30 years of machining practice.Mostly,I think I did ok on the purchase.
Yep,get somebody with knowledge to look at it.
Happy & Healthy New year to you all.
GW
 
Cheap Milling Machine

piniongear is correct in his statement concerning a milling machine. You do need the mass to be able to mill or even drill something without having chatter. The heavier the better. One could mill on a small mill, with very lite cuts. I could also walk to New York from North Carolina but I prefer to drive or take a plane. Piniongear was just making a statement if one was going to buy a milling machine,which one would someone buy.
 
no law saying someone couldn't be selling a perfectly good machine for 80 bucks, if you don't know what it is you might think that is a lot of money for something you can't move.
 
Hi Lilith,
Welcome to the Practical Machinist's web board.
Truth is, it's probably hard to say much about what kind of milling machine you might need without knowing a bit more about how you plan to use it. If you're working on small clocks and watches or small models, you'd probably be quite comfortable with something smaller. Some talented folks have built all kinds of things with the Sherline lathe and milling machine for example.
On the other hand if your're into full size antique car engines, you're going to want something really heavy.
I searched ebay for the Edison machine you mentioned and found it I think here: http://cgi.ebay.com/EDISON-10-X-44-...2320276QQihZ004QQcategoryZ12584QQcmdZViewItem
This looks a lot like an Asian Bridgeport clone.
If you're not familar with Bridgeports, surf over to here: http://www.lathes.co.uk/bridgeport/
You'll get a short history of this very popular brand (still made incidentally) and begin to see why they're so popular. While you're at it, surf around the www.lathes website and look for other milling machines. Tony's machine tool archive is incredible.

Some thoughts about this message board:

1) For manufacturing and metalworking, it is the best, bar none. But it does have a professional/manufacturing slant so I have found it always best to do some homework before asking a question that is as specific as you can make it. It also helps to use the search function to see if anyone has ever asked the same question before.

2) If you were to post a question like "what's better, asian machines or american/European ones?" it will tend to generate more heat than light. If you asked: "I need to make replica's of 1910 cast iron Franklin pistons for a living, what are my options?" and give us some pictures to stare at, we will like you.

3) The best thing you can give us is a window into what you are trying to do. What are you trying to make?

4) I only comment on completed auctions of any kind or my own auctions, in which case I'll post a note in the commerce section of this board.

Cheers, Charles Morrill
 
Realistically, you don't need a 2400 lb mill if the biggest thing you're milling is a golf putter out of T6. Will it take you longer to mill than the heavy mill? Sure, but it will get the job done if you take your time and not try and hog out more than the machine is telling you is too much.

Are they good learning tools? You bet. If you only had the attitude that it's gotta be ultimate stiffness/weight or don't even try then you'd probably never find out if you like this stuff to begin with. So on that basis I think piniongear is a bit off-base. Other than that, yeah he's right - bigger is better if you really need to mill something bigger and harder. If you don't need to do that then even those mini-mills can put out quite decent stuff too - again patience and technique being the key to get there. And a DRO on one will give you a turbo boost on the learning curve that will definitely make your experience much more 'enjoyable'. In fact I will go so far as to say whatever you do get a DRO - especially on the lighter less expensive mills.

Bottomline: it all depends on what you plan to do with it. That 3,000 lb mill will chatter too btw and don't let anyone lead you to believe it's only the 100lb Micromark rig that will. They all chatter and it's all relative to how much and what material you're milling. Buy what you can afford. Then adjust to bigger/more expensive when you know it's your cup of tea later or if what you make helps pay for it.

chipcatcher
 
This post reminds me of a time before I bought my first lathe, some 28 years ago. I was building a boat lift and needed four pulley sheaves, for SS cable going to each corner of the boat. Yep, made them out of some 3" brass stock, sliced with a hand hacksaw and mounted on a 1/2 inch bolt and nut that I chucked in a Sears & Roebuck drill press. Cut the groove, using a round bastard file.:D Still have and use the drill press. I used those sheaves for 22 years, then gave them to my neighbor for his new boat lift. I changed the design of the lift for a bigger boat and didn't need them any more.:rolleyes: Does this mean I have artistic skills?
 
To answer the question "why would they only charge $80?"

Its Reliable Tool. Almost all their auctions start at 99 cents. Many things will not be bid up to anywhere near their full value till hours or minutes before the auction ends.
 
PG,

Sorry if you didn't like my response. It still remains, some people do not NEED what you and the majority, here, think is the best and the most.

When one is looking at an 80 buck mill, I would normally think it is a Micro or Mini-mill, normally 4 to 500 bucks, new. If you have small stuff in mind to make, they will do the job, slower than the ton and a half BPorts and clones, but they will do it, if you can do it.

If you can't do it, you could be given a 100 grand machine and still make scrap.

The initial question was a bit premature, anyhow. It was an 80 buck current bid, from, I would assume, one of them 99 cent opening bids Reliable is known for. Final bid, if this is the one, was 2270 bucks, from the link Waumbek posted.

Had she gotten this bid for 80 bucks, and it was scrap, she would have gotten a bargain, as scrap steel is about 270 per ton.

Oh, BTW, I should have said "I disagree with you." Sorry to get YOUR panties in an uproar.

I have nothing against SB lathes. Have 2 of my own, and a larger multi machine "out there" in the cold garage. Summer machines. Gets cold, I go to the basement and play with the Chinese mini mill and lathe. Low enough on the bench down there that I can sit down on a normal height chair to run them. Much easier on my back.

Do I need anything bigger, I go out there and turn it in the cold assed garage, come winter. No fun, for me.

No one knows what machine is proper for anyone till they know what that person wants to do with it. A hobbyist who is making miniature replicas does not need a 3000 pound BP.

It is supposed to be a given that you can make small parts on a large machine. By the same token, you can not make large parts on a small machine. That is true.

Once upon a time, I was reassigned from a 56 inch VTL, on which I could do mucho work, to a newly installed 64 inch, I think, may have been larger, memory fades.

It was not easier to make small stuff on the larger machine. Small stuff means maybe 30 inch diameter.

I could make them, but I could not make them and make my daily wage, which was a percentage over the time studied rate for the job, no matter what tricks I could use.

Basically, you make small stuff, you should have a small machine, admittedly the BEST small machine you can afford, but a Chinese mill, or Taiwanese or a Sherline or Taig, for miniature machinists.

I know the OP said 80 bucks, but that was just ridiculous. The bid was at that when she saw it, "Oh, Oh, should I buy this 80 buck mill?" She should have waited to see what range it ran to before she posted.

Greg,

Hangover at midnight? Getting a buzz on, OK. Nasty old man with a noon post, blame it on a hangover. Picture in the link, had I had a chance to bid another 5 and win, would have driven out to pick it up.

Chipcatcher,

You gotta be an old fart. You make sense. I like the little machines I bought. Take light cuts, takes a little longer, but, disabled-retired, I got lots of time. Actually, the longer it takes me to do something, the better I like it. Kills more of my evenings. No schedule to my work. Don't touch it for 3 days, no client yammering at me. Everything I do is for me and my grandkids. When it is ready, they get the product.

They don't know what I am trying to make, so they don't yammer at me to hurry up.

PG,

"It comes down to make do with what you have. If you have artistic skills, you would be able to make turned objects on the drill press, with files and abrasives.

Like Jesus turned water into wine?"

Reference this thread in the SB Forum. Go to Post#117, from Paula. Files and abrasives and radius guages. She made hers in the SB but no reason it could not be done in a DP with the capacity.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129669&page=3

Now, do you think you MUST be under CNC to do such a simple thing as to make a ball?
This is not rocket science. You cut away all that stuff that does not look like the line drawing. Simple.

Might not be simple to DO it, but, still, anything that should not be there should be cut away. Period.

Whether you do it with a 100 pound Chinese mill or a 3000 pound BP, you take smaller cuts, you get APROXIMATELY, and I will not take sides as to which is the most accurate, the same result. Parts fit and parts work.

Where's your beef? You sell heavy metal on the side, you get paid by the ton?

You know, once upon a time, machining was a HELL of a lot more machinist intensive. Not what is called a "machinist" today. Computer input. Do it on the PC and parts fall out. Feed stock and collect them parts.

If you do the handle Paula made in the link, would you have as much satisfaction in the result as she must have with her result?

Of course Paula is not a producing shop, with competitors killing you. If you are NOT, then you could make this part on a drill press, IF you have the skill and the patience.

If you don't have either the skill or the patience, just say so.

Trying to talk to you is boring me. Reading your artsy-fartsy blue text pisses me off a little, too.

I'd better get to bed before somebody else says I'm getting drunk, g'night, off to bed with cheese, onion, garlic, pepperoni, crackers.

My Christmas began at midnight, I'm a Serb, so Merry Christmas to you all.

Cheers,

George
 
I've only been a member of PM for about a year but one of the first things I always look for is replies by gmatov, George I really enjoy reading all of your replies.
BTW whats a gmatov?
 
J.,

A gmatov is the name I signed on here with. You need a unique name to be listed.

I am not ashamed of my name, which is under my profile.

A Serbian of second generation, by name of George Matovich, born Matijevich, but the schools had me as Matovich. Actually had to get affidavits signed by my teachers, 45 years ago, before I was allowed to join the Marine Corp, that I was who I said I was. My birth certificate had me as Matijevich.

Hey, I coulda been one of them McCarthy subservisives, no, or Anti subversives?

I was after the McCarthy era, when military service came up.

Innyhoo, I yam what I yam. Them who don't like it, well, I am old enough that I can tell them to pound salt or sand or whatever. Cake eaters, a term we use for some other people, can pound cake up the same place. We call it keksar, short for any English speaker.

You got to understand, I could not speak English when I went to school about 58 years ago. I think I have a pretty good mastery of it in the in the ensuing years.

I am really sorry that I have few contemporaries to speak Serbian with. My family spoke strictly Serb. My mother was born 2 years after my GM came from the old country. Spoke ONLY Serb. My Dad came about 1910, spoke only Serb.

We spoke Serb at home, my contemporaries, kids my age, were brought up in homes that insisted the kids speak English. Serbian was the parents "secret language", things that the parents did not want the kids to know what they were saying. All the "kids" I know, them who are my age, know only the cuss words.

Pitiful. I don't even have many people TO speak this language with.

My granddaughter is in her third year of Spanish, in school. Who in the Hell in the business world speaks Spanish ? Chavez, maybe, Venezuela, but who else?

SO, I might have given more info than manyy would like to know. I am not ashamed of any of it,.

I am ME and them who do not like it, It goes down to BFD.
Them who don't like me, I probably don't have much respect for you, either.
Cheers,

George
 
lilith,

Tell piniongear to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Show a pic without telling where it is, to keep others from bidding on it.

I don't know what a lilith is, but if you are a young lady who wishes to try the machining thing, go for it.

Best if for 80 bucks it is small enough for a young lady to wrassle into her shop. Ain't no reason you can't be as good as the best here. Depends on you.

If you can make something with an 80 buck, likely light machine, somebody puts you on a Bridgeport, you will probably knock their eyes out.

If they change your mind, indoctrinate you to the point you HAVE to have a 2 ton machine, let me know the address. I will buy it for my son in law and his 11 year old son.

Cheers,

George

Reread PG's post.

OF COURSE, if you are going to hog metal, you want MUCHO iron.

If you are a hobbyist, or want to learn, you do not need two tons of iron.

Watchmakers make do with lathes that would be pushing it to attain 50 pounds. I would defy PG to match them in accuracy.

He may say that is way different. Why is that? You are still turning steel, no?

Why is a little SB9A such a sancrosant model of the BEST ever? Only a couple hundred pounds. Don't really make much sense.

What you buy is what you THINK you need. If it is not the right thing, you sell it and buy what you NOW think you need, and tomorrow, you might need a little bigger machine.

It is hard to ask such a question on a machining board. Everybody with junk will tell you what they wish they had bought, instead of a Chinee tool. No one admits that they HAVE any of them. Well, the guy that blew the aluminum pipe into his Ford fender did. Why the other guy was allowed to ask him how he liked the HF saw passed the censors, I don't know.

It comes down to make do with what you have. If you have artistic skills, you would be able to make turned objects on the drill press, with files and abrasives.

Professionals and wannabees here should not lean you in any direction.

Cheers,

George

MUCHO IRON lol thank you George-concise and flammable yet spoken like a gentleman. It’s really fun being the green entry level hobbyist these days...hours on hours of research on a convuluted/polluted internet or newbie shaming..anyway thank you and I’ve been looking into this the past 8 hours so maybe you have any advice to offer? I have a 12” drill press that I needed for many reasons-but I’ve just recently become fascinated with lathesand mills-to the point that like OP I’ve found myself on EBay too many times because I really want to find a way to get started into this world but I also love when my bed and when my fiancé cooks for me etc.. So I’ve pivoted to trying to find out how I could use a drill press to do the most basic milling/lathe work until I get lucky and find a used one or something. I’ve looked into every kind of press table that’s meant for mill adaptation (manufactured ones anyway), and I’ve tried to think of the complications to thus research/modify/mitigate them-but I have found nothing of real value because everyone in that search parameter is using a cheap Chinese or DIY Frankenmill or something and it’s mostly for experiment and they’re churning out garbage. Do you have any insight/ideas to offer on a specific brand/type of drill press + a press sliding or rotary table that might give me a chance? From from I’ve seen the cost of what is need to add to make trying it possible is straight negligible compared to even a real mini mill-and it’s been stuff that I can multi-purpose until I D I E-so I’d like to give it a shot if someone experienced could help me form a better picture of where I could start. I have the desire and creativity (in general), but throwing money at an impossible bad idea is something I could choose patience over lol. Any consideration on the user would be appreciated-just keep me off of EBay lol-that area of the research is depressing.
 
I saw a milling machine on Ebay for $80. What are the things I should look for in milling machines and what do you suppose would be the reason to charge only $80 on a milling machine. I think the brand was Edison or something. ><

.
cause often machine is broke and needs repair. if machine crashed a shear pin may need replacing or a gear or spline may need replacing. a splined shaft is often not a easy to get off the shelf thing. same with electronics. many a machine cant be fixed cause you cant get the repair parts easily. and some parts can be very expensive to have custom made
.
by the way without the repair or maintenance manuals its 1000x more difficult to repair. for example repair manuals say crank Y axis all the way to end. open access door and reverse rotate to set screw seen and loosen set screw. do this and that and the shaft come out. of course if you dont have the instructions or the Xray vision you got a better chance telephoning somebody 3000 miles away who has a unlisted number and you dont know the telephone number to call.
.
or opening a combination safe without knowing the combination. good luck with that
 
.
cause often machine is broke and needs repair. if machine crashed a shear pin may need replacing or a gear or spline may need replacing. a splined shaft is often not a easy to get off the shelf thing. same with electronics. many a machine cant be fixed cause you cant get the repair parts easily. and some parts can be very expensive to have custom made
.
by the way without the repair or maintenance manuals its 1000x more difficult to repair. for example repair manuals say crank Y axis all the way to end. open access door and reverse rotate to set screw seen and loosen set screw. do this and that and the shaft come out. of course if you dont have the instructions or the Xray vision you got a better chance telephoning somebody 3000 miles away who has a unlisted number and you dont know the telephone number to call.
.
or opening a combination safe without knowing the combination. good luck with that

Recon he figured it out 10 years ago when he first posted.
 
Recon he figured it out 10 years ago when he first posted.

.
i have seen factories shut down where oil drained from machines and sitting for months and then people using machines with no oil and often crashing machines cause they aint the normal machinist.
.
then these machines are sold. be careful with cheap machines. as a former maintenance machinist i can tell you some machines are basically not practical to fix. you need a special part custom made and might find out, its over $10,000 to have the part made, whats worse are electronic parts. often nobody making old electronics. you end up taking parts from other old machines if you can even find other old machines
.
some complex factory machines if you dont have the manuals explaining operation and maintenance i wouldnt take the machines even if i was given the machines for free. my experience is if its a electronic controls issue unless you got the correct person who is familiar with the control you aint never going to fix it. i seen wrong people spend days, weeks and not fix machine and the the controls guy shows up with his special laptop computer and he fixes machine literally in one hour. you start replacing circuit boards you better hope you can even find the replacement circuit boards. some places spend $10,000 to try to repair a circuit board only to have it fail in one hour cause something else is doing the damage
 








 
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