What should I get first?

S

snyper1982

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I am looking at getting either a Lathe or a Mill. Unsure of which to get first. The machines I am looking at are:

Milling Machine:
Either the PM-25MV with DRO, or the G0759(seems to be the G0704 with DRO)

Similar prices, just not sure which one is better. What do you guys think?

For the Lathe:
The G0602Z (The G0602 with DRO)

I am a total beginner, so I am sorry if these are stupid questions. I am just stuck as to which I should get first. It seems like the mill would be more versatile than the lathe, but like I said, I am a total noob. I think I will probably end up getting the Mill first, I am leaning more towards that. BUt I really want a lathe too... Ahhh. This sucks. I wish I had the cash to just get both right now.

Either way. I would like to hear from some people with experience about which machine I should get first. Also for the mills, which one do you guys think is the better mill? The Grizzly or the Precision Matthews? Is there any online sources or books I should read to help me in getting started in this hobby? What are some good beginner projects that I should work on? I would also like to turn this into a career a some point, so any pointers to help out with that would be appreciated also.

Also what are some of the basic necessity tools for each machine? For the lathe, I know I can get a basic lathe cutting tool set, But I can't find anything similar for the mill. I know I am asking a lot, so any help you guys can give is greatly appreciated.
 
Welcome aboard. Nice to see you here.
The only stupid question is the one you don't ask! Don't ever think anyone here will "pick" on you for any question. It's a great group to be a part of.

Now to your question about which is first. That will totally depend on what you want to do! Sounds like a cop out but it is true. For me, an old lathe was available at a price I could afford so that's what got me hooked - once you start down this road, you will always want more.

More machines, more tooling, more more more.. LOL.. But it really comes down to what you want to do. You'll probably end up with both machines (I did) and they each have a place. One of my end goals was to create a small IC engine. So that's what I've been working towards.

What are some of the things you're thinking of doing?
 
I can't comment on the specific machines but can give you some input on what to get first.
I recommend the lathe. It is more forgiving and you only need to worry about 2 axis. There is also a lot of tooling floating around and for most people, a lathe meets most of their machining needs. Add to this that round stock is generally plentiful for practicing which means getting proficient on the lathe is generally cheaper than on a mill.

Here is a recent thread with information:
http://hobby-machinist.com/threads/buying-a-lathe-what-tooling-should-i-get-avoid.63587/

And some more sources of info:
http://www.machinistblog.com/forum/...asic-tools-to-get-started-in-hobby-machining/
http://www.projectsinmetal.com/tool-list-for-the-beginner-amateur-machinist/
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?1323774-Which-indexable-lathe-tools-to-get
 
Welcome to HM. Fear not to ask any question.
As said above, it does depend somewhat on the types of projects you want to do? However, the Lathe would be my general choice for a first machine. A couple of reasons: you can get started with less additional tooling than a mill.
You can do more kinds of work that cannot be done any other way on a lathe, including some milling, with an attachment.
The lathe was the first machine I learned on and the first machine I bought, it was a couple of decades later that I finally bought a mill.
I would also recommend learning to machine first without the DRO, You will get to know the machines much better and wont be stuck if they break down.
I don't own either of the machines you want to buy but both look like very good choices to get started with. Precision Matthews, gets lots of great reviews here and would be my choice for any new machine purchase.
 
First off, welcome to the forum and also to a great hobby.

It won't matter much in the long run. I started out with just a lathe and how have two lathes and two mills and a lot of accessories.
If I had to pick one, it would probably be a lathe though. The machining hobby becomes an evolution and quest to be able to do more
things. The possibilities are seemingly endless only limited by one's imagination and pocketbook.
 
Welcome!
For me it was a bit different, I purchased a mill, I had a need for the mill, and I looked for a good used one. If you have projects to do specifically need a mill, well, it's a no brainer. But, I do admit, the lathe is a sexy machine, and you will have fun with it after it is all set up and ready to go. Its a bit cheaper to fit up the lathe than a mill. Vise, windmills, facemill, end mill holders... a basic setup for the mill is far more expensive to acquire than the lathe... yes, you can forgo some things, but that really makes the operations you perform a touch more advanced

Buy the biggest lathe you can afford, used you get a lot of bang for your buck. Might be worth it to look around before committing yourself to a small hobby machine. You are in an area of the country that should have machines available within a few hours of you.:encourage:

Something else on looking around, there is a big machinery reseller, they buy and sell old equipment, tooling and such, 3 big warehouses of machinery, it's about 2-3 hours from me, every2-3 months I make the trek down and rummage around looking for something, if nothing else I go to the metal bin and pick up some fixtures, plates metal for near scrap metal prices. Look for places that buy out all the equipment from old shops and resale, you can usually pick up some good deals. If nothing else, if you really enjoy looking at greasy old machines, it's better than going to a museum!

Good luck, happy hunting!
 
Last edited:
snyper1982 said:
I am looking at getting either a Lathe or a Mill. Unsure of which to get first. The machines I am looking at are:

Milling Machine:
Either the PM-25MV with DRO, or the G0759(seems to be the G0704 with DRO)

Similar prices, just not sure which one is better. What do you guys think?

For the Lathe:
The G0602Z (The G0602 with DRO)

I am a total beginner, so I am sorry if these are stupid questions. I am just stuck as to which I should get first. It seems like the mill would be more versatile than the lathe, but like I said, I am a total noob. I think I will probably end up getting the Mill first, I am leaning more towards that. BUt I really want a lathe too... Ahhh. This sucks. I wish I had the cash to just get both right now.

Either way. I would like to hear from some people with experience about which machine I should get first. Also for the mills, which one do you guys think is the better mill? The Grizzly or the Precision Matthews? Is there any online sources or books I should read to help me in getting started in this hobby? What are some good beginner projects that I should work on? I would also like to turn this into a career a some point, so any pointers to help out with that would be appreciated also.

Also what are some of the basic necessity tools for each machine? For the lathe, I know I can get a basic lathe cutting tool set, But I can't find anything similar for the mill. I know I am asking a lot, so any help you guys can give is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with those machines, as the brands are not readily available here in downunder, Although they do appear to be similar to some brands that we do have. Quite often the brand name is dealer specific, and an identical machine will be available from another dealer just with a different name. I would also suggest you pay the extra 20% and get a Taiwanese made machine over chinese. They are at least 50% better quality.

However back to your question. I would go for the lathe first. And I would suggest that you get the best you can afford, I also often suggest getting the largest you have room for, without being rediculous of course. Many people start out with a small lathe, only to quickly outgrow it.

With a lathe you can make almost anything, yes some things would be easier on a mill but you can still do them on a lathe. I would dearly love a mill, but simply don't have room for one, and no where to expand. As I am finding out many milling operations can be done on a lathe.

Happy hunting and good luck.

Bob.
 
It really does depend on what types of things you would like to make right away. In general I would start with a lathe if turning is what you will most encounter. There can be some capability to do some milling with the lathe, but it is limited.

The other thing to consider could be the ability to interchange tooling between the lathe and mill. Compatibility of tapers etc for tooling.

David
 
snyper1982,
With the new IT format it is difficult to now your general location.
There are occasionally threads here at HM where someone is looking for a Mentor. Consider posting your location. There may be someone just down the street or at least a reasonable driving distance who wouldn't mind spending a day with you doing some hands on.

Daryl
MN
 
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