Atlas horizontal mill

[JPMacG]

I have been looking for a milling machine to complement my Atlas lathe. I have thought mainly of a vertical machine, but a local seller is offering a good looking Atlas horizontal mill.

My question is.... forgive my ignorance.... how useful is a horizontal mill? It looks to me like it would be quite limited compared to a vertical machine. Is it mainly used for slotting operations? Can anyone refer me to a tutorial on horizontal mills?

 

[cjtoombs]

You can run regular end mills in it, using either end mill holders or collets. The main drawback to using it that way is you may have to use an angle plate, depending on the setup, and the cut is less visible. The advantage that particular horizontal mill has over comparably sized vertical import mills is it's very wide speed range and (if equipped) a power table feed. If you can pick it up cheaply, I, personally, wouldn't pass it by for a first machine. I'm sure other opinions will vary. You can also build/acquire a vertical head for it, but I wouldn't expect it to be as rigid as a dedicated vertical milling machine. Purchasing a vertical head for it will set you back about what a mini mill costs, so I would probably lean towards building. I have one, but I recently purchased it and in the process of putting it back together after a clean/repair/paint, so I can't tell you how it cuts. I've heard they can take quite heavy cuts for a machine their size, though. maybe some others that have one up and running can tell you more.

 

[JPMacG]

Too late for me, it sold to someone else in less than 1 day on Craigslist.

 

[cjtoombs]

Bummer. Well, keep your eyes open. Those are much more common (and less expensive) in your area than they are out here. One in good shape and complete can bring 1000 or more out here, mine looked rough but was fairly complete and I got it for about 550, and I thought that was a great deal. At the NAMES show in Detroit last weekend, one of the regular vendors there that usually carries those had a nice looking Atlas shaper and an Atlas mill for 1500 each. He didn't sell them (I don't think they even had vises with them). The same vendor had similar machines last year for 500-600, and sold them. Maybe someone has been whispering evil thoughts into his head, but he won't get that for them out there. For the mill, out here, if it was well tooled, maybe. The shaper no way even on the west coast.