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

[Ed Kapuscinski]

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 .

Sweet! Let me know how it works for you.

I view it like my cheap grill. I got it to play with and figure out what I'll want when I upgrade, and to get an idea of if I'll use it enough to make it work getting a better version.

With the grill? Absolutely...

[up1950s]

I would have done this sooner buy Mrs water heater water broke and had to deal with that . Ok you need to tighten up the adjustment screws with those 4 lumps of metal on them . Read the instructions . That took the flop in the air slop out of it . Even with that it is required that you sneak up on the work with the cutter . Further you also need to turn the x y slides when in contact , not with the bat handles but 3 fingering the wheels they are attached to . I tried a steel boxcar weight . Not worth trying again . Brass was little better a hand held motor tool would give faster and better results IMO . Sharpie tube with about 15 passes was ok at best . The chunk of wood was a cross / channel test which with many passes was a success as was the chunk of plastic laminations .  I do not recommend this milling machine . I will have my fun with it . The biggest problem is the first bites the bit takes on any and all passes . I can't see where I can remove any more slop in the slides and they remain functional . The vice is also a chatter allowing first contact issue . I wish somebody would make something this small that was better made for 500 bucks or less .

[garethashenden]

I wish somebody would make something this small that was better made for 500 bucks or less .

https://proxxon-us-shop.com/collections/lathe-and-milling-systems/products/micro-mill-mf-70

[up1950s]

https://proxxon-us-shop.com/collections/lathe-and-milling-systems/products/micro-mill-mf-70

Thanks , I just ordered it , the bits , and the vice . I should have done this in the first place , in fact years ago .

[peteski]

Thanks , I just ordered it , the bits , and the vice . I should have done this in the first place , in fact years ago .

Not quite as robust as Sherline, but Proxxon is not bad for light machining.  I have their XY table (sold under Micro-Mark name, and it is pretty accurate.

I did mentioned it in earlier reply #6 in this thread.

[up1950s]

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

So you did , and thank you too Pete .

[Ed Kapuscinski]

@up1950s thank you for taking one for the team and actually answering the original question!

what can't this $220 mill do?

Answer: pretty much anything. lol

[up1950s]

I adjusted ALL that can be adjusted and got much better results . I still don't recommend it , but I will use it . No more first bite chattering , but the table wheels are less free to move . I also replaced the 6 major 3M x 50 adjusting bolts with 12.8 hardened recessed allen head ones as these will very very often be loosened and tightened for new set ups . I will use it , get my 200+ bucks worth and have fun doing so Ed . As an aside it sounds aweful , like a screeching burnt out bearing .

[Gozer the Gozerian]

Have we determined if Ed sucks or not?       

[peteski]

Have we determined if Ed sucks or not?       

It really depends on whom you ask! 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It really depends on whom you ask! 

There was a video out there about this. I'm currently looking for it.