Drill Press versus Mini-Mill

[jwmay]

Here’s a Rockwell knee mill next to a 14” bandsaw.


This is an RF30 type mill drill next to a 13” drill press.


If you can’t tell from the images, there’s 9 feet between the walls in these pictures. I could have a hand on both machines at the same time.

I got to thinking last night about my personal complaints with the RC mill. There’s a clever fix for every one of them. I suppose, that I’m not the type of person to effectuate those fixes. But it occurs to me, that the OP has gone all out with his drill press already. So maybe he would remedy all those little niggles at the outset.

Anyhow, as the pictures might illustrate, these mill drills aren’t space savers. Now the OP did say mini mill, which I’d consider a different animal than the RF30 type machine.

Also, it took me a second try here, but yes, that big RC mill can out drill the 13” drill press. This drill press, while convenient to use, hasn’t got nearly the hole making utility. But it is much faster and easier to use for quick hole making below 1/2”.

 

[jwmay]

I neither have the funds or the room for a knee mill. This one cost me $960 at HF with a coupon.

I see where you’re coming from. I bought my RC mill as a part of a package deal with a lathe. It was $3k in 2015 or thereabouts. I sold my motorcycle to buy them. And I’d bought the motorcycle with deployment money. It took me 6 years to find the Rockwell at a price I could manage…$700. Just saying, I know how it is. Lol

But with the advantage of hindsight, it’s my belief that the small knee mill has made the biggest difference in my ability to get in the shop, get something done, and get out. I sold the RC mill within 6 months of buying the Rockwell, and I moved the drill press into the car bay. It’s almost exclusively used for holes in wood these days.

So now I just encourage folks to skip the RC mill, save a little longer or sell a kidney, and get the little mill first. It’s been a game changer for me.

 

[SouthernChap]

Here’s a Rockwell knee mill next to a 14” bandsaw.
View attachment 509519

This is an RF30 type mill drill next to a 13” drill press.
View attachment 509520

If you can’t tell from the images, there’s 9 feet between the walls in these pictures. I could have a hand on both machines at the same time.

I got to thinking last night about my personal complaints with the RC mill. There’s a clever fix for every one of them. I suppose, that I’m not the type of person to effectuate those fixes. But it occurs to me, that the OP has gone all out with his drill press already. So maybe he would remedy all those little niggles at the outset.

Anyhow, as the pictures might illustrate, these mill drills aren’t space savers. Now the OP did say mini mill, which I’d consider a different animal than the RF30 type machine.

Also, it took me a second try here, but yes, that big RC mill can out drill the 13” drill press. This drill press, while convenient to use, hasn’t got nearly the hole making utility. But it is much faster and easier to use for quick hole making below 1/2”.

Hmm, I hadn't realised you could get a proper knee mill that small. Space might not be so much of an issue I guess.

I bet smaller knee mills are much more expensive on the used market (especially in the UK, unfortunately for me ); really desirable for hobbyists.

 

[jwmay]

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This is the same size as a Clausing or Rockwell small knee mill. But it has a little bigger table. They aren’t cheap, no. But they have about 5 different ones similar. There’s even one with an electronic variable speed milling head.

Harbor Freight sells one too. The HF version is red, belt drive, and has a 6”x26” table.

And yes, you can buy 3 old Bridgeports for the price of the Grizzly versions. But you can’t build a new shop for that price. Gotta pick our battles. Ha!

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