Grizzly For A Beginner

abrace

abrace

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All,

Been lurking for a little bit. I currently do some welding (in night school, part time) and think that learning how to machine would be a good thing to know. I do not have any specific projects in mind, but I do some work building small wall safes (1/4" and 3/16" sheet metal) and teller lockers for bigger safes. I think most of my work would be with mild steel. That said who knows what I might need to do down the road.

I have been looking at the Grizzly G0762 and the Grizzly G0761. Both are essentially the same thing with the 762 having a VFD, but it goes for an extra $500. Is it worth the extra $500 for someone getting started versus spending that money on some tooling?

If there are any other machines I should look at in this price range please let me know.

I do not know enough about these machines to risk buying a used machine.

---Aaron
 
Think about it this way: you can always add a VFD at a later date (requires swapping out to a 3 phase motor as well), which would probably run you no more than $500 anyhow. So if money is tight, the G0761 is perfectly functional, and the VFD is just a nice feature that you can live without for awhile.

Remember that tooling is a significant expense. You need a vise, end mills, clamping kit, calipers as a start.

EDIT: you might also think about the G0755, as the powered z-axis is a nice-to-have feature. Probably nicer-to-have than VFD. You might also consider the Precision Matthews version (PM932); similar price, and Matt has a very good reputation on this forum.

http://machinetoolonline.com/PM-932M.html

All of these mills (called "Rong Fu 45 clones" after the original Taiwanese version) are a good choice with lots of capacity that will take you a while to outgrow.
 
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Take your time shop a bit before you buy, way all the plus and minuses. if cost is major even harbor freight sells two desent mills , one is even a knee mill not to big , the other is what they call a mill drill machine or rong fu clone. there's lots of used out there to. tooling can be a major cost if you want top shelf stuff you pay top too. there are some nice clone vises and drill chucks and collets and end mills and drills . deals come up with all the extras included but you got to ck them out.
 
While my personal preference is big vintage USA iron, there is nothing wrong with small or import machines and tooling.
They all have there +/-. On very careful inspection you may find that good used has a better price point than new, and thereby represents a better value.
As you are thinking through this, also consider how much space you have, how you intend to load/unload, and if you expect to move your household/shop in the next several years.
You can't always pack this stuff in the back of a Prius or even a 3/4t truck.

Daryl
MN
 
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For that price I'd go with a knee mill. I have a HF knee mill that was less then $2K. Not knowing what you will be getting into consider this, you can build small parts on a big machine easier then you can build big parts on a little machine. I was always finding my little knee mill to small so I bought a bigger one. Luckily they both use the same tooling so everything except the bar clamp kit could be used on the larger mill. The small bar clamps still fit my little rotary table so there is no loss there ether.

If suggest picturing the biggest project you think you will ever need then plan for bigger. Your budget will dictate where to stop.

I also suggest going to Enco to set up a account & get on the email list. Put some tooling in your cart & wait on a double offer of 20% off & free shipping.

R8 tooling is pretty common & I believe one of the cheaper but your machine will dictate which you will need. Same for a bar clamp set & vise. Stuff like chuck, fly cutters, end mills will be universal. You'll want a dial indicator & stand also which would probably be cheaper from eBay. Go put together your shopping cart with what you think you need to see the cost & this may also dictate which machine you go with. Not knowing your projects you may want to look into a boring bar set also.

Welcome to the forum.
 
All,

This is some great feedback. Thank you very much.

Another question as I continue down this path.

If you can only afford one machine to get started, what would it be? A lathe or a mill?

---Aaron
 
Great question.
Do you see yourself doing more round stuff or flat stuff?
I began by looking for both because I couldn't decide.
I happened to find a used Logan lathe which met my needs and price point before I found a mill.
Before I could use my Logan I had to rebuild the headstock. Learned heaps!

Daryl
MN
 
What you absolutely, definitely don't want to do is start with a "3N1" (combined lathe and mill).

I personally would start with a mill... which is what I did...

but... you can find "milling attachments" that allow you to chuck the endmill in the spindle of a lathe, and the milling attachment holds a vise perpendicular to the spindle (if you are desperate to mill something and only have a lathe).
 
All,

Thanks for all the feedback. I ended up buying a G4003G 12x36 lathe from Grizzly. I was interested in the Precision Matthews as well, but felt the Grizzly made more sense for a beginner with their better manuals and slightly better spare parts availability. I ordered it last night to beat the January 1st price increase. I felt that a lathe would help me do more of what I am unable to do today, once I figure out how to do it.

I also appreciate the comments about a 3N1, it is certainly tempting to purchase one and kill 2 birds with one stone, so that help me decide to go with standalone machines.

I appreciate the feedback, I am sure when I am ready to buy a mill I will be back for more advice on that as well.

---Aaron
 
Keep an eye on your pulley. I'm not the only one that has had one back off the motor.
 
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