Welder looking to buy a mill/drill for home use

[pontiac428]

Thoughts on this?

7" x 29" 1-1/2 HP Mill/Drill w/ Power Head Elevation & DRO - Grizzly Industrial

<h1>G0935 7" x 29" 1-1/2 HP Mill/Drill w/ Power Head Elevation & DRO</h1> <h2>With all of its amazing features, this mill / drill is in a class of its own.</h2> <p>If you are looking for a highly sophisticated combination milling drilling machine with all the bells and whistles, look no further...

www.grizzly.com

Good features. Power feed and VFD will help you get the best finish within the machine's work envelope. R8 collets will definitely net you the best rigidity possible and allow you to use one-piece R8 face mills and the like. I'd imagine it could do .030 passes with a 2"-2.5" insert face mill with 1.5 hp in steel depending on how efficient the VFD is at the working RPM for that tool. You could face about 7"x17" depending on the work and fixturing. For a small machine, the features are nice and useful. An import 2-axis DRO would be a thrifty upgrade that will expand the usefulness and accuracy of the machine. The factory cabinets on those are nice enough, or you can build your own to suit.

 

[Teglove2]

Good features. Power feed and VFD will help you get the best finish within the machine's work envelope. R8 collets will definitely net you the best rigidity possible and allow you to use one-piece R8 face mills and the like. I'd imagine it could do .030 passes with a 2"-2.5" insert face mill with 1.5 hp in steel depending on how efficient the VFD is at the working RPM for that tool. You could face about 7"x17" depending on the work and fixturing. For a small machine, the features are nice and useful. An import 2-axis DRO would be a thrifty upgrade that will expand the usefulness and accuracy of the machine. The factory cabinets on those are nice enough, or you can build your own to suit.

Thank you very much for your input! I'm thinking on waiting for the black friday deals.

 

[dabear3428]

I have thought about that but I really dont want to be constantly unplugging machines. The outlets are also blocked by a large surfacing sander that's a giant pain to move. It really needs to be a 110v machine. Thank you for your input.

I get that you want a 110v machine, but have you considered extending the 220V outlet to 2 locations (I'm assuming that you would not be using both machines at the same time). a 2hp mill on a 110V outlet that is shared with other devices (as 110 outlets alway are, while often a 220V outlet is single not on a shared circuit) is asking for tripped circuit breakers where the 220V outlet has a lot more capability.

 

[Teglove2]

I get that you want a 110v machine, but have you considered extending the 220V outlet to 2 locations (I'm assuming that you would not be using both machines at the same time). a 2hp mill on a 110V outlet that is shared with other devices (as 110 outlets alway are, while often a 220V outlet is single not on a shared circuit) is asking for tripped circuit breakers where the 220V outlet has a lot more capability.

I've thought of that at length. I never run 2 machines at once but if I can get a 2hp machine that's 110v it just makes more sense to go that route? There's no reviews on that newer Grizzly machine. It appears that it's using the same "hi torque" motor and electronics that are used in the LMS 6770 mill that's $1k more.

 

[dabear3428]

I've thought of that at length. I never run 2 machines at once but if I can get a 2hp machine that's 110v it just makes more sense to go that route? There's no reviews on that newer Grizzly machine. It appears that it's using the same "hi torque" motor and electronics that are used in the LMS 6770 mill that's $1k more.

I hear you, but keep in mind that 2hp == 1500 watts and a 15a circuit (most home circuits are 15a) == 1800 watts and that is intermittent (a 15a breaker will only hold 80% load continuously) so ==1440w continuously. as i stated before 110 circuits tend to be shared so anything else on that circuit will likely cause you to be running to the breaker box often. IMO you should make sure that your 110 circuits are 20 amp circuits and that nothing else is on the circuit is running at the same time.

anyway i will back out of your business now and good luck with the project.

BTW i have a grizzly mill (small one) and love it and i hear that LMS equipment is a step up in quality

 

[Teglove2]

I hear you, but keep in mind that 2hp == 1500 watts and a 15a circuit (most home circuits are 15a) == 1800 watts and that is intermittent (a 15a breaker will only hold 80% load continuously) so ==1440w continuously. as i stated before 110 circuits tend to be shared so anything else on that circuit will likely cause you to be running to the breaker box often. IMO you should make sure that your 110 circuits are 20 amp circuits and that nothing else is on the circuit is running at the same time.

anyway i will back out of your business now and good luck with the project.

BTW i have a grizzly mill (small one) and love it and i hear that LMS equipment is a step up in quality

I hear ya loud and clear and I VERY much appreciate the input! The outlet in the location I plan on using is an industrial grade 20 amp outlet with nothing else running on that circuit (that I know of). I'm gunna hold out for the black friday deals and see if I can score that machine for much less.

 

[pontiac428]

You'll be fine with the 20A circuit. My old RF-30 with 2 Taiwanese horses never tripped a breaker, and I ran that machine in three different houses with other stuff drawing on the same circuit while I worked. I always ran a 100w incandescent, power feed, and a stereo rocking the tunes. Yer good.

 

[dabear3428]

You'll be fine with the 20A circuit. My old RF-30 with 2 Taiwanese horses never tripped a breaker, and I ran that machine in three different houses with other stuff drawing on the same circuit while I worked. I always ran a 100w incandescent, power feed, and a stereo rocking the tunes. Yer good.

yes agree should not be an issue with 20A circuit and modest additional loads.

 

[Charles scozzari]

Hello everyone!

I'm a new member here on this forum. I own my own fabrication business and recently my cheap drill press died. For a few years now I've been watching videos/reading about many of the different mill/drills on the market from PM, Grizzly, LMS, and Weiss. My main focus will be drilling thick carbon steels and surfacing fixture plates that I use for my turbo manifolds. Now I have 220 in my garage but both outlets are in use, so I'd like to buy the most capable machine using 110v. I have sought out advice from a machinist trainer friend I know, and he can't give me a clear answer.

I've seen videos on all the machines for sale listed above from 1hp-2hp etc. I simply cannot decide on which is the best option. Before anyone wastes their time and says just buy a bridgeport, I'm not. They're too big, bulky, and I need 110v. Weiss just released their new EM line of machines that look nice but none of them are stateside which makes me nervous buying from a chinese company direct.

Any solid advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Bridgeport.

 

[dabear3428]

Bridgeport.

220volt 3phase is about as far from 110 volt circuit as you can get, well there is 480 3 phase!