Has anyone got much expierence with vertical milling machines. I am in the middle of restoring a couple of cars and building a kit and think that it may be a handy piece of kit.
Are the bench top units any good? (Axminster zx25m2 1hp 13mm chuck MT3 taper overall weight 220kgs, £611.00)

Haven't got much expierence with engineering but have spent many years using spindle moulders,lathes and other woodworking machinery.

Could think of a hundred uses for it if it was any good.

Cheers

I have loads (23 years) of experience of the industrial types but not familiar with the specific type you mention. IMPO I wouldn't touch one any less that 1 tonne and/or 3KW ATEOTD it depends what you want to do with it.

Just to put it into perspective - some modern drills are now approaching 1hp - it depends where they deliver that power in the rev range. Most modern machinery is extremely flimsy and weak - you're much better off buying something older and/or second hand as crunches/pileup's are inevitable initially and the supply of spares may be difficult on cheap korean/eastern imports. Go for a UK manufactured one if you can as parts are plentiful. XYZ, AJAX etc

The bench-top units are ok for etching/engraving in and the like for training purposes.

[Edited on 10-11-05 by Hellfire]

I too have loads of experience as an engineer (Just worked out how much 34 years) I agree with Hellfire. IMHO this machine is not much more than a pillar drill with a moveable table. You will allmost certainly be dissapointed with its capabillities. Ok for model engineering and light occasional work but little else. I would advise you look for a second hand industrial macine if your budget will stretch that far. Ajax are ok. Bridgeport are the dogs gonads. Both make small m/c's. Avoid anything made in China or India. Engineering companies don't tend to sell of m/c tools unless they are closing so look for bankruptcy auctions if you seriously want to purchase.

Try contacting some of your local secondary schools. They may well have some heavy machinery that is no longer wanted. I vertually gave away TWO Harrison Vertical/Horizontal mills a couple of years ago because I needed them out.

Hope that helps.

Hi

I have been in engineering for 30 years and have to agree with the others here, if you can find one at the right price go for a Bridgeport Turret mill.

You may be able to find one of the many Bridgeport copys (Gate, Ajax, XYZ, Semco) cheaper and these are reasonable machines which are fine for most applications.

Hope this helps

Keith

[Edited on 10/11/05 by keith2lp]

I have not been in engineering for as long as the folks above (in fact I have not been alive as long as they have been engineers) BUT will completely agree. The cheap chinese stuff is cheap for a reason and VERY limited in capability.

Get a s/h industrial machine and convert to single phase.

Have a look at the [url=http://www.warco.co.uk/shop.asp?catid=40&cat=Milling+Machines&pcatid=11[/url]

on here. The "VM-20" is a rebuilt bridgeport machine or copy thereof and converted to single phase etc ready for you. Not cheap, but very good value!

[Edited on 10/11/05 by NS Dev]

3k

If it doesn't have BRIDGEPORT on it, it's simply not a Bridgeport.

There are a number of chinese 'bridgeports' on the market. They can be picked out by the very light knee castings, and main body. The people I work for bought two, thinking they were good value.

One was broken after two days, the other a month.

Let's have a reality check here!

There is no point in comparing a £600 import with a £10,000 industrial machine and saying that it is not as good.

The problems with a 3kw Bridgeport are size - much as I would love one, there is no way it would fit in my garage - and transport. The massive structure (which makes them such a good machine) will need a damned great trailer, a lot of mates and a lot of careful handling to get it installed. Then the power supply would cost plenty. And the neighbours had better be pretty understanding when you get it shifting metal.

The cheap import on the other hand will arrive ona pallet (mine was actually wheeled into its place in the garage), will plug in and be up and running pretty quickly. It will never skim cylinder blocks but it will do all sorts of other useful things. You get what you pay for and to build a locost hardly needs industrial strength machinery.

A more interesting question would be whether you would be better off starting with a lathe because it will do all sorts of other metal cutting operations and it can be used for small milling jobs as well.

Why not wait 'til Christmas and go to the Model Engineering Exhibition in London where all the major suppliers will be showing their stuff and you can get a feel for what's what and see what kind of stuff can be done on small machines.

And if you do buy, just remember that you will never stop buying or making tooling for it. In case you hadn't guessed it, I'm pretty happy with my now 10 year old machine.

Graham T

If you can find a 2nd-hand Myford VM1 then that's a very good machine for light work. It's actually a chinese-made machine that's totally stripped down by Myfords, fitted back together properly and given a new european motor.

Not industrial-grade by any means, but good enough for minor jobs. Also comes at a realistic price, and fits on a stout bench.

rgds,
David

Thanks for all the response.
I will have to do some thinking, a friend of mine is selling a Bridgeport, but its a monster, got to weigh at least 800kgs, but is is single phase.
But, but, but, if the job is that big, he can do it for me as he has all the kit including a crankshaft grinder and a head skimmer. SO do i need something as big as that,
NO, or do I?

But I don't want some thing thet won't cope.. Aaahhh

I will keep looking in the local ads, there is always something turning up.
Thanks

If you need to think about wanting one of these machines, you probably don't!
I agree with the chaps who say buy big/heavy/British etc.. Salerooms are good for such stuff and are often overlooked by most folk.
IMHO, get a decent lathe and get your mate to do your milling!!

Horses for courses - I use a small chester mill in my workshop and it is invaluable!
http://www.chesteruk.net/

No room for an industrial machine (of which I have used many makes/models in my pastlife!)

[Edited on 29/11/05 by Terrapin_racing]
Rescued attachment chesterchampionmill.jpg

aha!!!

that little mill looks a very nice little piece of kit!!

now that is much more like it, no crappy features that you don't need and a decent bed travel in all directions..............just need to find some cash!

Of course, if you're talking about fairly small work, then a vertical slide in a decent-sized lathe will do many jobs.

Not as good as a proper mill, but a close second.

David

The Champion Mill is a belt-driven milling machine, and is ideal for the engineer that needs a versatile, large-capacity, bench-top milling machine.

Benefits: Work on large surfaces. The 150x630mm table travels 410mm longitudinally and over 145mm horizontally.
X-Axis table power feed option available.
Work quickly without hunting around for special tools. The Champion features standard MT3 tooling.
You won't have to reset your work between flat cuts and angles. Work at any angle with the rotating head.
Spindle nose adjusts from 80mm to over 323mm above the table. Use the entire surface of the table for large projects or complicated set-ups.
Quick, simple belt head for accurate speed changes.
Metric & Imperial Machines Available

and all for just over £500

tis indeed a bargain