Suggestions on less than full size mill

This is a rockwell 21-100 milling machine. It's only got a 24"x6" table. I've only used it for one job since I bought it. But it did seem considerably more rigid than my 700 lbs round column mill/drill. It's another one to consider. Although they are usually a bit more expensive, I think it's warranted. As you can see, they fit anywhere. My only wish is greater quill travel. But this is truly a matter of what you're used to. Having used a mill/drill for so long, I was constantly forgetting I had Z capability with the knee.
 

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That looks like the perfect size for my situation! What is the model number?

Does it use an R8 collet?
 
Yes it uses R8 collets. The model number is 21-100.
 
jwmay said:
This is a rockwell 21-100 milling machine. It's only got a 24"x6" table. I've only used it for one job since I bought it. But it did seem considerably more rigid than my 700 lbs round column mill/drill. It's another one to consider. Although they are usually a bit more expensive, I think it's warranted. As you can see, they fit anywhere. My only wish is greater quill travel. But this is truly a matter of what you're used to. Having used a mill/drill for so long, I was constantly forgetting I had Z capability with the knee.
Click to expand...

You have a lot more rigidity retracting the quill and using the knee for all of your z movement. The knee has very precise control so you don't really gain anything by using the quill for most operations.

It does take a bit of mental adjustment, I think we are trained by drill presses to want to use the quill.
 
Don J said:
That looks like the perfect size for my situation! What is the model number?

Does it use an R8 collet?
Click to expand...

The Rockwell's are nice but like the Clausing mills you usually pay extra for the small size.

There is also a version 21-120 that has a horizontal spindle so it can be used as a vertical or horizontal mill.


That brings up another option some have gone with, and that is putting a vertical head on a horizontal milling machine. Horizontal mills are usually cheaper, and most can be fairly easily fitted with a vertical head converting them to a vertical mill. The Bridgeport M head was used on a lot of these conversions, but there are others.
 
My first mill was very similar to the Grizzly G0731. I bought mine new in 1980 and used it for 28 years. Nice machine for a small shop. I did find the tilt head to be useful. The downside is that the distance between the spindle and the column is fixed - about 7 1/8 inches. Makes tapping a pain, which is why I upgraded to a ram style milling machine...

You can do good work on a bench mill but the work has to be *small*. Most of my work is larger, so I prefer a knee mill with a ram. The Precision Matthews PM-835S It is $1000 more but it is Tiwanese made, and you will never outgrow it. It has a Ram, and a nodding head (which you will never use) Because it has a ram and a knee, you get a lot more versatile mill. If you are not into making mods to your machine, get the DRO version as it saves you all the installation (at a price).

My little mill is a PM 935TV, but I have a 7X42 Hartford (BP clone) and a 9X49 First (also BP clone). If I had to keep only one, it would be the PM935.
 
I have a grizzly 6x26 knee mill and it's a great little mill for small spaces. I'll be making a column spacer for it to get more space under the quill, but it does everything I need it for. Most of my projects are no larger than the size of my fist and it's perfect for that.
 
Just found a Clausing 8511 for $1,800. Appears to be in good shape. And the size appears to be perfect as well.

But it's in Bangor, ME! :(
 
Don J said:
Just found a Clausing 8511 for $1,800. Appears to be in good shape. And the size appears to be perfect as well.

But it's in Bangor, ME! :(
Click to expand...
Time for a road trip! Alternatively, if you can convince the seller to put it on a pallet and bring it to fastenal, they do reasonable shipping store-to-store for only a few hundred dollars.
 
I haven't done a road trip like that in 35 years. But here's the rub. If I could get them to drop it off at a Fastenal and ship it down, I'm buying it sight unseen. If I knew someone nearby who could look it over and verify the condition then it would be viable.

Wonder how much it weighs?
 
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