# Is a Sieg X2 type mini mill stout enough



## Woodsman 22 (Aug 15, 2017)

...for the projects I have in mind? Specifically, there are one or two cast iron "kits" from this fellow;
"http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/" that I am interested in buying and trying to make. Also this kit ; "http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalog/Saw_Table_Attachment.html" (I hope the links are okay and not against the forum policies). 

The machines I have now are a Chinese 9 X 20 lathe, a very old (1939) Sheldon Metalworker lathe (with some broken back gear teeth and not in operating condition) and a Taig mill . I sincerely regret ever having bought the Taig as it does not take much at all to knock this "mill" out of tram no matter how hard the column nut is tightened. The mill is what I am not happy with and it will be up for sale on fleabay soon. Before anyone suggests a used Bridgeport- I don't have the room for one in my basement and wouldn't know how to get it down there if I did. And I really don't want a machine as big as a Bridgeport in case I have to move to an apartment or smaller house in the future- my wife and I are getting up in years.

So... will that X2 mill (I like the one from Little Machine Shop) be "enough" mill for the projects I have in mind? Thanks in advance for any replies.


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## Desolus (Aug 16, 2017)

hey look, a duplicate XD


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## Woodsman 22 (Aug 16, 2017)

Desolus said:


> hey look, a duplicate XD



Yep, it occurred to me there might be more interest here, but evidently not.


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## rtp_burnsville (Aug 16, 2017)

If you were not happy with your Tiag mill I doubt that you will be any more happy with a X2.....  I owned a X2 and rigidity is not one of it's assets along with the very limited Y axis travel.  I would look at one of the slightly larger mills with a better overall design.  Grizzly for example has a couple models which look interesting (and get good reviews) as well as the larger X3.  

Robert


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## Woodsman 22 (Aug 16, 2017)

rtp_burnsville said:


> If you were not happy with your Tiag mill I doubt that you will be any more happy with a X2.....  I owned a X2 and rigidity is not one of it's assets along with the very limited Y axis travel.  I would look at one of the slightly larger mills with a better overall design.  Grizzly for example has a couple models which look interesting (and get good reviews) as well as the larger X3.
> 
> Robert



Thanks, yes I have been getting feedback to that effect.  I am currently looking at Grizzly's G0704  which is popular and has a lot of 5 star reviews. So that might be the item I'll get. Price is good too.


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## bpudney (Oct 16, 2017)

I have an X2 mini mill.  I'm currently engaged in making some things out of cast iron, not castings but slabs of grey iron.  The mill will certainly handle it, but you have to be VERY patient.  So, it's probably "do-able", but a bigger machine would be better!!
cheers
Bill


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