Mill

[ethan.jordon.3]

Hey guys I've been interested in getting into milling for a while, but I don't have access to one to even try it out and see if I will like it. Has anyone been able to use the Harbor Freight Mini Mill? I don't want to drop a bunch of money on one I might not keep, and wanna start small. Can anyone enlighten me?

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[nine4gmc]

What do you think you'll use it for most?

 

[ethan.jordon.3]

Probably just containers, brackets, little stuff like that. I honestly haven't looked into all the possibilities. But I hear the options are pretty well endless

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[nine4gmc]

I've wanted a mill for a long time but never had any particular use for one. I finally found a used Bridgeport at a price I could afford and with it being used, a price that I could get my money back out of if I decide later on I don't want it. The problem with buying new, if you decide you don't want it, you will lose roughly 50% of retail trying to sell it. The only way I would buy a new mill, is if I had enough experience and knowledge to know which one I would want to invest money into.

Have you looked around locally for used mills? What general area are you in? Milling machines are few and far between in my area but guys in the industrial belt are overloaded with them.

 

[ethan.jordon.3]

I've wanted a mill for a long time but never had any particular use for one. I finally found a used Bridgeport at a price I could afford and with it being used, a price that I could get my money back out of if I decide later on I don't want it. The problem with buying new, if you decide you don't want it, you will lose roughly 50% of retail trying to sell it. The only way I would buy a new mill, is if I had enough experience and knowledge to know which one I would want to invest money into.

Have you looked around locally for used mills? What general area are you in? Milling machines are few and far between in my area but guys in the industrial belt are overloaded with them.

I live in southwest Missouri. I've looked all over at auctions, Craigslist, Facebook, anywhere I can think of and can't seem to find one anywhere. And another rant. Does anyone remember when eBay used to actually have used items, and wasn't just 90% vendors? Talk about frustrating. But I have yet to find one.

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[nine4gmc]

Yeah, there was nothing around here for years, I bought mine off eBay from Conneticut and before I could get it hooked up, one showed up a hour away on CL for about the same price, minus freight.

Click the "USED" condition check box on eBay left side and it will only show used products. As a 15yr member, I do remember when you could get better deals on used equipment though.

 

[ducksface]

The hf will be fine.
Losing half of 300 is a lot better than losing half of 3000 bucks.

Many fine things are made on hf mills.
I have to guess except in EXCEPTIONAL situations a home mill sets for months at a time with little to do unless you find busy work for it.

They do not make brackets nor containers well enough and with any amount of time conservation to consider one for those uses.

If you want to diddle with one and see for yourself just go buy a new hf.

It doesn't take a perfect mill to learn on and you can produce acceptable parts on it.

Others will say differently. Fan boys will show up, just buy the hf if you want to play.

 

[davethorik]

If you don't have the room for a knee mill, the hf is a good option. Bridgeports are cool and all but they have a decently large footprint.

 

[ducksface]

I had one for a little over a year. Just sold it.

There's a lot to learn and a lot to buy before you'll be using it beyond as a drill press. I used it through a several projects and it certainly paid for itself over that year.

I sold it because I had changing priorities in life. I was devoting too much time and money to something that would never be more than a hobby. I was basically spending 10 hours a week learning about it like I was training for a career and another 5 hours a week shopping for stuff. I justified buying stupid **** because I'd need it once helping a friend out or something. I just had to say enough.

That is almost the exact textbook life of a new mill and the way it happens.
Thanks for being truthful.

Your post should be a sticky that is linked to everyone asking about their first mill or lathe.

 

[mowkep]

The thing about mills is that you will always want more travel. My CNC has 60x30 travel. And wouldn't you know it, I'm running 84 inch parts. Machine and slide, machine and slide

 

[crguy]

Many fine things are made on hf mills.

I'm gonna call BS on that.

 

[marinusdees]

I'm gonna call BS on that.

So, say, many USABLE things are made on HF mills. I don't think he is going to make parts for the space shuttle.

 

[nobody special]

I had one of the HF mini mills long ago, and replaced with with a Bridgeport back in 2009. I liked the mini mill a lot until I got the full size knee mill and realized how much more capable the full size machine is, even as a worn out, 50 year old, machine.

In hind sight, from my experience, the HF mill was best at making changes to something that already existed. At this point I wouldn't make something from scratch on it. Granted, as a first machine, the HF machine is cheap enough to learn on and easier to move and install, but it does not do anything else particularly well.

 

[My Old Tools]

If you have never machined before a mill is probably not your best first tool. Take a class if possible. A lathe generally is the best first tool for machining. You can make stuff flat, square, round, hollow, etc on a lathe with nothing more than a faceplate and $4 tool bit blank that you hand grind. On a mill you'll need a lot more tooling just to get started.

 

[ritestuff]

So, say, many USABLE things are made on HF mills. I don't think he is going to make parts for the space shuttle.

Exactly. Making a decent part on an inferior machine has more to do with skill and ability than the machine itself.

If you lack talent, it's easier to blame the tool for poor results.

 

[HanShotFirst]

If you're talking about the HF small knee mill, it's a decent machine. It has no more or less limitations than any mill it's size. IIRC, it takes R8 collets which is nice. It has no motor drives, so it's a fully manual mill. Tram the head well, and it will do what any US made mill of the same size would do. Depending on what you want to do, for smaller stuff it's a good mill. Grizzly sells the same mill in a different color for a few hundred more. The Grizzly comes with a stand, and if you get the HF, you'll need some sort of stand. It is sized just a little too tall to sit on a bench, and too short to sit on the ground, so you'll need to figure something out.

 

[ethan.jordon.3]

If you're talking about the HF small knee mill, it's a decent machine. It has no more or less limitations than any mill it's size. IIRC, it takes R8 collets which is nice. It has no motor drives, so it's a fully manual mill. Tram the head well, and it will do what any US made mill of the same size would do. Depending on what you want to do, for smaller stuff it's a good mill. Grizzly sells the same mill in a different color for a few hundred more. The Grizzly comes with a stand, and if you get the HF, you'll need some sort of stand. It is sized just a little too tall to sit on a bench, and too short to sit on the ground, so you'll need to figure something out.

For the record, I agree: Han did shoot first

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[royesses]

Go to the hobbyist-machinist forum and take a look at the mini mill and mini lathe forum sections. The most friendly forum in the world. Everyone is willing to answer your questions there. You can see what they can do and what you can do to make them better. They have limitations but if you stay within the envelope of capabilities they are fun machines and you can make many projects. They are not full size machines and are for hobbyists. Some engineers use them for making small prototype parts. You won't be making wheels for your car on these little machines. But you won't spend $4000 on one either. Wait for a %25 off coupon to get one for a good deal.
Go here for coupons you can print out:http://www.hfqpdb.com/

Hobby-machinist:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/

Roy

 

[gotzero]

I have the Grizzly version that I bought used already upgraded to a belt drive kit and air spring and a ton of tooling and accessories included, and I added 3 axis DRO from parts and a ring light and thrust bearing kit from Phenom engineering. For my incredibly light use I love it but I have access to and do use big mills for some tasks. I would not bother putting a CNC kit on it.

I spend a lot of time on setup but it can be surprisingly accurate (as another poster said I would not use it for space shuttle parts). I have it and a mini lathe with a lot of nice setup tooling and cutters in the basement and the combo often saves our bacon during home projects. In the current stage of my life, in an average month they do not get powered on, but when I need them they save the day.

If you are choosing between a mini mill and no mill and you are willing to learn, go for it. If you have the space and time and more ambitious projects get a much bigger mill. Every situation is different, but I had great luck buying mine used including hundreds of dollars of extra tooling.