Worth Buying A Homemade Mill?

John Hasler said:
That looks to me like it could be a very nice precision drill press if it is well made but I don't think it is nearly rigid enough for milling.
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I agree. That looks like a pretty good drill press. I might consider contacting the seller, identifying it as a drill press, and offering $100 for it as such.

cl dp1.jpg cl dp2.jpg
 
Eddyde has a point, that little vise doesn't make much sense; you'll have to make your self some sort of table with slots. As I see it, however, you're getting what looks to be a couple good cross slides, (probably off of an old lathe) and some cutters, etc and you can tinker with and make it better, find out what works and what doesn't. And, because you bought it used, you can always get back what you paid for it; especially if you have improved it, and take what you've learned and get something better.
 
Personally, I'd pass. The spindle is moved up/down through the crank on the top, lots and lots of turning to move up and down. You might find a use for it in the shop, but it'll end up being a limited use machine, not a "go to".

Bruce
 
Obviously this is not gonna be a precision machine... and it is not gonna be ridgid enough to do any serious cutting...

However...

For simple and light work, and to learn the basics of machining... for the price...
Well... it would allow the purchaser hours and hours of fun fiddling and learning how to cut metal.

Suggest to attempt to get it for closer to $100...
Understanding it is not gonna be capable of much.

And see it as a learning experience...
To be replaced down the road with something manufactured.

Let us know how it turns out.
 
It rather depends what you want to do with it, I could most certainly be able make clock gears on such a machine with some form of dividing head.
I agree the top table is an extra, but handy to have,
A third post up the back clear of the sliding parts would stiffen the column a lot, If you don't like turning the Z axis handle fit a simple wiper motor drive. (see my site at bottom of page) To me it certainly looks as capable as some of the lower end mills on the market.
Just my 10c
Brian.
 
After seeing the better pictures---If she isn't sold by now it would be a total surprise---I would have snapped it up for just the heavy bottom cross slide in an instant----remember it has a motor--a nice spindle--two cross-slides--a vise--some tooling--and other good parts-you couldn't go wrong on this buy---I find you have to see the bargain fast and get your money out of your wallet or someone will beat you to it---Dave
 
Dave Smith said:
After seeing the better pictures---If she isn't sold by now it would be a total surprise---I would have snapped it up for just the heavy bottom cross slide in an instant----remember it has a motor--a nice spindle--two cross-slides--a vise--some tooling--and other good parts-you couldn't go wrong on this buy---I find you have to see the bargain fast and get your money out of your wallet or someone will beat you to it---Dave
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Yes, I'd consider buying it. I just wouldn't expect to mill with it. Having converted my Avey to a mill I have deep respect for the rigidity required for anything but the very lightest milling. There's also the problem of using a drill chuck to hold cutters, though it may have a usable taper.
 
John Hasler said:
Yes, I'd consider buying it. I just wouldn't expect to mill with it. Having converted my Avey to a mill I have deep respect for the rigidity required for anything but the very lightest milling. There's also the problem of using a drill chuck to hold cutters, though it may have a usable taper.
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It has a mt2 spindle according to the description
 
The quality of my various tools has gotten better over time. I'm glad I had a chance to do hobby machining with the tools I could afford at the time. I usually could get the accuracy I needed by one way or the other. My advice is go for it and get something better when you can. I don't know about that shop made mill but my Gingery shop made mill would cut gears just fine as long as you take it easy.
 
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