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Offline KensAuto

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New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« on: October 12, 2015, 11:09:02 PM »
I've been wanting these 2 tools, for myself, for quite awhile. My (work) tool budget allowed it to happen, but still had to keep it cheap to some degree. I'm not a fan of Anything China when it comes to precision, but don't have the time to restore a classic American lathe or mill either.
After some research, it appeared that Grizzly would be a decent choice for my price range.
They showed up Thursday, just as I was getting ready for my camping trip with the wife, so I didn't get to unbox them until today.

Here's the Model 9972z lathe. It's an 11x26 version (it has 11" work area and up to 26" long project)


...sitting on the pedestal :


Hopefully JR takes it easy on me!!

« Last Edit: October 13, 2015, 10:22:32 AM by KensAuto »
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2015, 11:14:21 PM »
....and then, as I was bolting it down, grinning ear to ear, I saw this and my stomach started turning:



That is a major crack...in the bed of the lathe. Not good. I started cursing and making racial slurs referring to some country that this was made in, and then quickly apologizing to the guy upstairs, shortly after sending pics back to the company.
...well, I guess that's what I get for cheaping out.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2015, 11:19:29 PM »
After I cooled down a bit, I went to unboxing the mill to check for flaws. It's a Grizzly G0754 with power feed and all gear driven instead of a belt. She weighs in at about 700lbs. This machine looks like it was made in an entirely different factory, and looks awesome as far as fit and finish goes. I'm still waiting on it's pedestal, which happens to be on backorder.



I'll take some more pics when I get it set up.
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Offline Bob Smith

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2015, 12:54:32 AM »
Deep breath my friend. It will work out fine.

Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2015, 12:58:20 AM »
Nice start if if your getting into it. I really can't see the model numbers, guessing the lathe is a 13-40? I can't tell if it is a gap bed (good for turning BIG stuff)

To bad about the crack, makes it sorta worthless,,,,,,,,,,,,

Grizzly is the same as JET and several others. Mine worked good until I had my little fire and did this;
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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2015, 01:14:26 AM »
See that Pelican case at the base? That had a RC transmitter in it that came out perfect!! Had to cut the case open, sent the story to Pelican for a new case, never heard a thing.

It was the best you could buy about 10 years ago, made in Germany, $1000 then.

Used a sawsall to cut it open.
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Offline TexasRedNeck

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2015, 06:43:55 AM »
Wow Ken. Sorry to hear. The hassle is the worst part of they stand behind it. Hopefully you paid with a CC. You can dispute it if they try to weasel out.

JR that's an amazing story.


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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2015, 10:21:48 AM »
Yeah, great story. It did it's job above and beyond.

The lathe is a 11x26. No drop bed... but just large enough for the barrels that I have. :)
« Last Edit: October 13, 2015, 10:23:03 AM by KensAuto »
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2015, 10:42:43 AM »
Yeah, great story. It did it's job above and beyond.

The lathe is a 11x26. No drop bed... but just large enough for the barrels that I have. :)

Thought I would DOT up your thread a tad. I mean why should Don have all the fun!!

11x26 is what I have, great size. Sure Grizzly will take care of you.
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Offline stlaser

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2015, 02:14:31 PM »
Ken, if you don't mind me asking what is the approx. retail price on that mill along with specs? I sold my 2hp Bridgeport prior to moving. At 2k its pretty hard to move without some larger equipment. But at 700# that mill might be something I could handle here in my garage......
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2015, 03:27:48 PM »
http://grizzly.com/products/11-x-26-Bench-Lathe-w-Gearbox/G9972Z

But, I'm not Ken,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Try searchtempest.com too. It seaches CL and ebay within a radius you set.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2015, 05:16:56 PM »
Here's the mill....about 1600. It sure ain't no bridgeport tho!!  http://www.grizzly.com/products/Heavy-Duty-Mill-Drill-with-Power-Feed/G0754

The lathe just left my shop on it's return voyage.....ugggg. Taking too long.
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2015, 06:55:20 PM »
I always find nice ones when I search, but you have to get the right one.

Truck freight is bad enough for delivery, returns must be a nightmare.
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Offline rpar86

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2015, 08:43:02 PM »
I'd love to learn how to make things on a mill someday. My uncle has two Bridgeports, one big, one smaller, in the basement of his house. Getting those moved in there was a pain! Friend of his has a rollback wrecker, and then once the mill was inside we rolled it on steel pipe. It runs off a phase converter since he doesn't have 3-ph power. Don't know the motor specs, but since its 3ph, gotta be at least 2HP or more.
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Offline stlaser

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2015, 11:07:31 PM »
Thanks for the link Ken, I've had several mills over the years all used bridgeports. You can find them in good shape for $3K but again moving them is a pain. I currently have a large Powermatic drill press with a swiss mill table and its not a BP either!  :o

I always ran a 3 phase converter as well. They work but are noisy, actually they have a weird hum or sound to them that will drive you nuts. I was looking at the single phase conversions and would choose that route in the future, fyi for anyone looking.
Living in the remote north hoping Ken doesn’t bring H up here any time soon…..

Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #15 on: October 29, 2015, 10:44:45 AM »
This week, I decided to rearrange the shop to make some extra room. The "shop" is basically a couple 40' shipping containers with a roof in the middle (I bought it that way). The previous owner welded 10 gauge" shelves along the entire length.....Overkill! I cut some of those out to allow some of my taller equipment to fit in there....to free up room in the shop area.



...then took those shelves, cleaned them up, cutting off the supports (3/16"), and rewelding them above the lathe area. Ordered up some grey tractor paint and layed it on:

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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #16 on: October 29, 2015, 10:50:57 AM »
After you guys talked about shop lighting, I ran to Lowes to pick up a fixture to put above the lathe....it's a 48 watt version:





Received the new, new lathe, and bolted it down with redheads. Ran some electrical...110 for the lathe and 220 for the future mill spot, then installed the light:






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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #17 on: October 29, 2015, 10:52:00 AM »
I like it and those drawers. I have been looking for bins for so long! I actually got to see the top of a 4x8 ply sheet in my garage last night, scary!

That lathe looks right at home but you will need another box for tooling, specially with a mill on the way!

I just put an LED 4ft light over my lathe, so much better than a CFL.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2015, 10:56:23 AM by JR »
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2015, 10:54:14 AM »
Now, if I had only planned it out a little better. The light is directly in the way of the first shelf....the most important one. I'm going to try raising it up so I can put the lathe tooling up there.
The good news is, the lathe isn't cracked, and I got to turn some steel last night. :)

Bad news is, the mill pedestal is still on backorder. :(
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2015, 11:00:23 AM »
Mount the light under the shelf with a reflector so it doesn't hit you right in the eye. Basic tooling along the back of the chip guard, big stuff below and have a grinder near to sharpen bits. I have the little HF sitting right on mine.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #20 on: October 29, 2015, 11:47:16 AM »
That was my original plan JR, but I had to pull the lathe out from the wall 10", which brought it out past the shelves, so I had to make brackets to move the light out over the bed.
never thought about hanging stuff on the chip shield....good idea.
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #21 on: October 29, 2015, 01:18:15 PM »
Why 10 inches from the wall? Leave for cooling and cleaning (or put a shield up).

Quick change setups are OK too, but I find buying a few sets of carbide bits and some tooling steel for cutting my own works well.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2015, 03:44:00 PM »
I bought a quick change...just didn't buy the right one. It wouldn't fit!!

The belt cover/door opens rearward and would hit the wall if any closer.
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #23 on: October 29, 2015, 03:56:01 PM »
Copy, all my controls are up front. When I did have one of those I just removed the cover, might make it easier if you can mod or pull the pins.

I just did a pair of 10 inch honda rotors on mine, just cleared.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #24 on: October 29, 2015, 04:22:47 PM »
Hmm, never thought about pulling the cover. I don't know if that would be wise with my lack of coordination tho. There's pullies and gears, and demons, and all kinds of majic behind that door!
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Offline BobbyB

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #25 on: October 29, 2015, 04:29:12 PM »
redheads.

My attention was peaked. Then the pics loaded... no redheads.  :'(
So, Bobby...being the calculating trained warrior NCO that you are.  Take the appropriate action, Execute!
your standard grunt level CQB is just putting rounds and rounds on scary stuff till it stops scaring you!

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #26 on: October 29, 2015, 05:00:42 PM »
Hmm, never thought about pulling the cover. I don't know if that would be wise with my lack of coordination tho. There's pullies and gears, and demons, and all kinds of majic behind that door!

It only hurts for a second,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I found I pulled the door and changed gears rarely. Belt now and then for speed but your cross feed is out front.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #27 on: November 07, 2015, 10:00:19 AM »
I got to play...urr...work on the lathe this week. My ditch witch is about to be put into service at my brothers new place and I wanted it to cut straighter than it did for me the last time I used it. The snout on the gear box where the chain bar attaches was ground down (and later I found out it's actually bent...somehow) which allows the bar to drop at an angle. The "snout" is cast and the bar is steel, about 3.25" in diameter.

I made this bushing out of a 3.25" rigid conduit fitting to press into the bar:



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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #28 on: November 07, 2015, 10:02:21 AM »
Yeah, I know. "why not use bronze?" The thing is bent, so the steel should buy me a few years of use, giving me time to find a used gearbox:





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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #29 on: November 07, 2015, 10:04:03 AM »
...and then this thing came in: (and it's not Model G0705)



« Last Edit: November 07, 2015, 10:04:52 AM by KensAuto »
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Offline Sammconn

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2015, 11:37:59 AM »
So is it bigger the Ken?
Looks like you've got the machine shop in good form now!
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2015, 12:12:21 PM »
Bigger?

The stand was meant for a different machine, hence the G0705 sticker. I think this one, the 754, is bigger. I know it works pretty good. I had to make a quick change tool post nut for the lathe, and it worked great. No pics tho.
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #32 on: November 07, 2015, 12:39:28 PM »
Very nice start there. The "playing" gets addictive and you will find many things to "upgrade".
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #33 on: November 17, 2015, 09:42:15 AM »
Here's the ditch witch reassembled:
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #34 on: November 17, 2015, 09:50:08 AM »
Very nice start there. The "playing" gets addictive and you will find many things to "upgrade".

You're right JR. A buddy stopped by and gave me this idea for the milling vise. I made some dowels on the lathe.....roughly 1/2 stepped down to 3/8...and installed them perfectly horizontal to the milling table. This allows the vise to be removed and installed without spending an hour setting it up:





« Last Edit: November 17, 2015, 09:51:07 AM by KensAuto »
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #35 on: November 17, 2015, 09:53:07 AM »
...and installed some lighting on the mill. icsfc (I Can't See for Crap).
These are sewing machine magnetic lights:



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Offline stlaser

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #36 on: November 17, 2015, 02:31:42 PM »
I like those lights! I assume they were pretty reasonable as well?
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #37 on: November 17, 2015, 05:25:05 PM »
Yep, there you go. Setup is by far the most time consuming part of machining.

I have LEDs on my mill too, never enough light!
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Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #38 on: November 17, 2015, 06:51:41 PM »
I like those lights! I assume they were pretty reasonable as well?

I thought they were about 3 times larger from the pics on Amazonia, hence using both instead of one like I had planned....but they worked out ok.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RA1XGK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Offline stlaser

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #39 on: November 17, 2015, 08:49:08 PM »
Way better priced than last magnet base machine light I bought....
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Offline rasimmo

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #40 on: November 25, 2015, 01:54:12 PM »
I have been researching some bench top mills. The Grizzly ones look pretty good for the money. Are you happy with yours so far? I know you have had a couple issues, but it seems they made it right. Would you buy that brand again?

Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #41 on: November 25, 2015, 03:25:34 PM »
I would definately buy the mill again. I believe it was built in a completely different factory than the lathe. I think JR was probably right about the lathe being the same as a Jet brand, among others. It works ok, just doesn't have the same fit/finish as the mill.
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #42 on: November 25, 2015, 07:24:09 PM »
Jet was made in Taiwan for sometime and there products were great. All farmed out the china now with lesser known casting quality and lots of filler under the paint.

My first big lathe was a Jet 13/40 with a gap bed. It was made in china and was an OK machine.

For the money now grizzly is not bad at all. On a lathe a good head is worth a lot, tooling can be just a few hundred. For the mill, tooling will get you. There are vises with mine that are $1000, then the bit holders and bits.
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Offline rasimmo

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #43 on: November 25, 2015, 08:18:34 PM »
Thanks guys. I'm not sure where it might be made, but here's a link to what I'm considering.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-x-18-3-4-HP-Mill-Drill/G0781

This will be for the family tool collection to go in the nice shop. The one nothing greasy, oily, or dirty goes in. Really we just work on guns, reload, and play with a few other small experiments in there. It will mainly be used for gun work. Do y'all think this will fill that need?


Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #44 on: November 25, 2015, 08:26:36 PM »
That looks like a nice little mill. I personally think that the spindle-to-table distance is pretty small, at 11.5 inches. That's before you add a tool with holder, or drill chuck, and without the thickness of a milling vise.
Just my observation.
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Offline rasimmo

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #45 on: November 25, 2015, 08:29:27 PM »
That's a concern I have too. Still looking. The price jumps up pretty quick from this point from what I see.

Offline KensAuto

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #46 on: November 25, 2015, 08:50:05 PM »
Yes it does!
I guess that one would be considered a "mini", but for a mini, it does have some good specs. Out of the ones in that size range, I like that other one, the g8689, because it's built in an iso 9001 factory (supposed to have better bearings, tighter tolerances, etc) but it has the smaller mt3 spindle instead of the r-8 style.....and it has a shorter table.
Good luck bud, I know what you're going through. I really wanted a $30k model, but couldn't swing it. lol
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Online JR

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #47 on: November 25, 2015, 09:13:05 PM »
Yes that is a mini mill but the square motor post makes it much more rigid. I think you would outgrow that very fast with the limited capacity.

I like the G0754 much better as you are in full size mill. Go right to 220. You will need DRO (digital read out). I made my own for around $200.

My mill is a benchtop, but ran around $7500 before the CNC. Wabeco 1200 made in Austria. I need to take a new picture!
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Offline rasimmo

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #48 on: November 25, 2015, 10:44:45 PM »
I would love to get the bigger mill. If you add a few tools in with them the price is double. The only thing we are buying it for really is gun work. I know how that goes and we will surely find more uses for it. The price increase just ain't in the cards right now and this is a Christmas gift for my step-dad so we need to get something coming.

Sorry for jumping in on here Ken. I didn't figure you would mind knowing your D.O.Tability though.

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Re: New Lathe and Mill for the shop
« Reply #49 on: November 25, 2015, 10:45:51 PM »
Go ahead, DOT it up!

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