This mill: I know it'd suck, but what would suck?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Was joking with a coworker about having to get him a lathe so he can stop trying to get square pegs into round holes, and this came up.
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Metalworking-Woodworking-Modelmaking-AC100V-240V/dp/B0C7GW7GYF/ref=asc_df_B09PYV3G9R/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693284521080&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1683807326263068209&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018728&hvtargid=pla-2062536883600&mcid=58d7b81b8a2336eea844a320ebc37c63&gad_source=1&th=1

And that got me thinking. For general purpose model milling (like removing some metal from a bolster) or truing up square joints on things, what can't this $220 mill do?

[Lemosteam]

Check the reviews...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Check the reviews...

Lol, yeah, should've done that. Yikes.

[nightmare0331]

I'd be willing to bet you would have less frustration if you took the $220 and lit it on fire.

If I didn't have 3 mills already and needed a cheap mill for hobby purposes, I'd keep my eye on facebook marketplace or the like for a used Seig X2 variant (sold by Grizzly, Harbor Freight, Little Machine Shop, etc) if I was going cheap.  I've seen those go for a few hundred bucks apiece.  At least there is a knowledge base and parts available for those. 

Enjoy!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com
www.facebook.com/dufordmodelworks

[peteski]

It would be nice to get one of those industrial type machines for short money, but I own a Sherline mill/lathe because of space limitations.  I need a machine I can easily carry and put away on a shelf when not in use.  Couldn't do that if I owned a 200 lb. or heavier mill.

[JeffB]

It would be nice to get one of those industrial type machines for short money, but I own a Sherline mill/lathe because of space limitations. 

And those are a great hobby sized machine, though very expensive now.  Mine are over 30yrs old and still going strong. 

I'm shopping for larger format machines (Precision Matthews) for future large scale (7.25" gauge) endeavors, but for smaller scale stuff, provided you have the budget for it, you won't go wrong with Sherline equipment.

A buddy of mine asked my advice about a small Harbor Freight milling machine...  I told him it would be the perfect machine to swear him off machining stuff forever. 

Spend the money to get good equipment.  Buy once. Cry once.

Jeff

[peteski]

And those are a great hobby sized machine, though very expensive now.  Mine are over 30yrs old and still going strong. 

My lathe is also over 30 0years old.  Then as the funds allowed I kept buying all sorts of attachments.  One was a vertical milling column, so I has a mill with small table.  Eventually I sent bought a full size mill base and sent in the vertical column to be modified to attach to the mill base, therfore giving my a fully-blown Sherline mill for less money than the miss costs. I still only had one headstock/motor to be swapped between the mill and lathe.  As the time went by, I bought another headstock/motor assembly. Now I have a complete lathe and complete mill, with the cost spread out over 30 years.

All thanks to Sherline's modular construction.  Like playing with Legos.
I think Maxxon Proxxon mills and lathes, while not as robust as Sherline also have modular construction, good enough for a hobbyist to produce small parts or mill model loco frames.
https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/27110.php

[JeffB]

My lathe is also over 30 0years old.  Then as the funds allowed I kept buying all sorts of attachments.  One was a vertical milling column, so I has a mill with small table.  Eventually I sent bought a full size mill base and sent in the vertical column to be modified to attach to the mill base, therefore giving my a fully-blown Sherline mill for less money than the miss costs. I still only had one headstock/motor to be swapped between the mill and lathe.  As the time went by, I bought another headstock/motor assembly. Now I have a complete lathe and complete mill, with the cost spread out over 30 years.

All thanks to Sherline's modular construction.  Like playing with Legos.
I think Maxxon mills and lathes, while not as robust as Sherline also have modular construction, good enough for a hobbyist to produce small parts or mill model loco frames.

Absolutely...  Sherline's modularity/interchangeability are fantastic.  I actually purchased the milling machine first, then the lathe a few years later.  Both were pretty reasonably priced at the time (early 90's).  Bought the vertical milling column for the lathe, even though I already had the mill, so that I could leave the lathe set up, then covert it to a small format milling machine as needed.  The mill would only come out when it was required.  Once I got more space, I set up both.  There accessories are pretty slick too.  You can easily double your investment (or triple it even), just purchasing accessories!

My mill actually came with the old AC motor (very noisy), that's how old it is.  I mostly swap the newer DC motor and headstock to whatever machine I'm going to be using if I'll be using it for a long time, or later at night.

Jeff

[peteski]

My mill actually came with the old AC motor (very noisy), that's how old it is.  I mostly swap the newer DC motor and headstock to whatever machine I'm going to be using if I'll be using it for a long time, or later at night.

Jeff

LOL, my lathe did too.  That was one of the upgrades I forgot about. Still have the old motor and the bracket (because I don't  throw stuff away).  And yes, the DC motor is much quieter and has a lot of torque.

[JoeD]

"its not the quality of the tool....it's what someone with skill can do with it is its measure."  Ex Luftwaffe pilot turned machinist who taught me everything I know about tooling.  funny, he always claimed to be a Lithuanian pressed into service but by the way he ran the tool room I would beg to differ.  LOL 

Joe

[Chris333]

Ed's probably just looking to mill out frames for decoders.

[robert3985]

I'm very happy with my old Sherline mill, which I've used for much more than mere model work.

Back in the '90's I used it for prototyping weapons-mountable-night-vision scopes and accessories along with my 6" Atlas lathe working mainly in aluminum and Delrin, with the occasional stainless part where needed.

My only gripe about the mill is the aluminum slotted X-Y table, which I've had to surface cut a couple of times to get rid of bumps that appear where the hold-downs are torqued down tightly.  I would prefer it to be made of much more durable iron, such as the frame and bed of my Atlas lathe.

But, for HO and N-scale model work, it is ideal, and well worth the initial cost, as is my Atlas 6" lathe, along with all of my machine tooling.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[up1950s]

I think it IS worth the money . Take small bites and more passes . I just may get one myself for armchair milling in the den . I will be using it more for wood and plastics then metal .Fun fun fun .


 Ordered mine , and thanks for the heads up Ed . I expect I will get more than 200 bucks worth of fun with it .

[up1950s]

I WOULD like Micro Mark or somebody to make a decent mill This Size ish for less than 500 bucks .

[JeffB]

I think it IS worth the money . Take small bites and more passes . I just may get one myself for armchair milling in the den . I will be using it more for wood and plastics then metal .Fun fun fun .

 Ordered mine , and thanks for the heads up Ed . I expect I will get more than 200 bucks worth of fun with it .

Good luck with it...  And I mean that in the most honest and non-malicious way. 

I encourage anyone to get into machining to enhance their scale modeling.  I just prefer better tools, that way you always know that it's not the tool that's the problem (it's your inexperience).

I'm very happy with my old Sherline mill, which I've used for much more than mere model work.

My only gripe about the mill is the aluminum slotted X-Y table, which I've had to surface cut a couple of times to get rid of bumps that appear where the hold-downs are torqued down tightly.  I would prefer it to be made of much more durable iron, such as the frame and bed of my Atlas lathe.

But, for HO and N-scale model work, it is ideal, and well worth the initial cost, as is my Atlas 6" lathe, along with all of my machine tooling.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Agree...  My table is pretty dinged up for the same reason.  I haven't taken any skim cuts on it, I just stone down the dings.  The table looks like a$$, but it still works fine.

If I were to do it over again, I'd purchase a fixture plate, or mill down the vertical parts of the clamps and use brass shims under them.

Looking at a larger machine made from steel/cast iron (bench mill) and would love to have a larger lathe too.

But the Sherline machines are fantastic for model builders...  Very accurate little machines, that are well built and have a crap ton of accessories.  They've just gotten so expensive compared to when I purchased the ones I have.

Jeff