# Mill/Drill press need recommendations



## Drywolf (Apr 13, 2010)

I want to buy a drill press or milling machine. I am willing to spend as much as $1000.00 for a tabletop unit. Presently I need a drill press, but a Mill would come in handy eventually. I do not have the room or the environment for a floor standing unit as I live in the desert and keeping machines in the garage means I won't use them four or five months a year (not an option). I do have a room inside my house that will accommodate a table top unit with a single phase 120v or 220v motor. Please help me by giving some recommendations of machines to evaluate. Obviously I can find a nice drill press for 1K, but I thought maybe a mill would be a smarter way to go.
Thank you, 
Frank


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## precisionworks (Apr 13, 2010)

The Rong Fu RF31 (and nearly identical models from Grizzly or Enco) is $1000 to $1300:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INLMPI?PMPANO=0315868&PMKBNO=1258&PMPAGE=40

If you use it only for drilling, the included 1/2" capacity chuck will work. For milling, you'll need (at the very minimum) a mill vise, end millls, end mill holders, and quite a few odds & ends ... figure half the cost of the mill as a starting point.

Quite a few show up on Craigslist or eBay.


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## gadget_lover (Apr 13, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> . figure half the cost of the mill as a starting point.



I think Barry is quoting the "well equipped" numbers. 

Realistically, you can get started with only a hundred dollars or so in tools and work holding extras. That's a basic mill vise, a few collets to match a few common end-mill sizes, some measuring devices.

I specialize in doing things on the cheap the first time, so I ought to know! 

Once you get into it you will, of course, want to pick up more and more tooling to go with it.

If you can pick it up (and avoid shipping charges) you can save quite a bit on the mill-drill. Harbor Freight has their version of the RF31 on sale often. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33686

Daniel


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## precisionworks (Apr 13, 2010)

> quoting the "well equipped" numbers.


Actually, from my POV, that was a bares bones estimate  On the lathe recently purchased, my tooling cost to date is near 65%, but should not go over 75% :mecry:


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## Drywolf (Apr 13, 2010)

gadget_lover said:


> If you can pick it up (and avoid shipping charges) you can save quite a bit on the mill-drill. Harbor Freight has their version of the RF31 on sale often.
> Daniel


 
I was looking at the HF mill and I do have a store about 75 miles away. Will the motor be the weakest link? How often does this unit go on sale? I have a 20% off coupon my best gal found in a magazine.

I got a coupon from Enco for 20% off but it excludes machinery.

Thanks to everyone for taking time to help me.

Frank


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## Mick (Apr 13, 2010)

One thing to watch for if you buy a mill / drill is the distance from the spindle nose to the table. Many are only 16 inches but there are models that are 26 inches. This is important as a good vise and a good drill chuck will gobble up ~10 inches of that work space.


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## Drywolf (Apr 13, 2010)

Mick said:


> One thing to watch for if you buy a mill / drill is the distance from the spindle nose to the table. Many are only 16 inches but there are models that are 26 inches. This is important as a good vise and a good drill chuck will gobble up ~10 inches of that work space.


 
The HF is 18" is this a reason not to buy?


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## gadget_lover (Apr 13, 2010)

The mill with 26 inches of Z will be bigger, heavier, and more expensive. 

The size you need will depend on the work you will be doing. Work holding fixtures (vices, rotary tables, setup jigs) will take up room. So will boring heads, boring bars, drill chucks, and everything else.

But....

If you are working on a 10 inch high piece, it will likely be clamped directly to the table. There are tricks to get the most out of the Z you have.

While I'd go for as much Z as I could afford, you said you wanted a drill press with occasional milling. That hints that you will not need that much Z.

Daniel


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Apr 14, 2010)

While HF may be convenient and "low cost", they don't always include things that come standard from most other places.

Example: My HF 8x12 lathe didn't come with steady/follow rests, 4-jaw chuck, faceplate, etc. Had I gotten the _exact same machine_ from lathemaster, I'd have gotten all of those things with it and saved a couple hundred bucks in the long run.

I hear Precision Matthews is a fairly good brand.


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## KC2IXE (Apr 14, 2010)

One BIG hint when working with a smaller mill/mill-drill

BUY STUB/SCREW MACHINE LENGTH DRILL BITS (yes, I'm shouting)

Yes, you probably won't find cheap grade bits, so you'll have to pay for them - you'll thank me every time you use them

Heck - with the fact a drill chuck is so much loneger than an end mill holder - I'm glad I have them on my MVN - I spend a LOT less time cranking the table up and down


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## precisionworks (Apr 14, 2010)

> SCREW MACHINE LENGTH DRILL BITS


+1

I bought a set of Precision Twist screw machine bits (1/16 - 1/2), probably during a MSC Industrial sale. Seems like they were well right at $100. Those are the bits I use 9 times out of 10, even though there's a really nice letter/number/fraction set on the same shelf. The short drills leave more daylight plus they tend to walk less when starting.

They retail for $150 but Enco currently has the set on sale for $99, Enco Model #SU317-9912.


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## Drywolf (Apr 22, 2010)

gadget_lover said:


> If you can pick it up (and avoid shipping charges) you can save quite a bit on the mill-drill. Harbor Freight has their version of the RF31 on sale often.
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33686
> 
> Daniel


 
I bought my mill from HF. As you can see the machine just recently went up in price to $1199.99 a whooping $300.00 increase. And there is another sad story based on what I was told by three HF managers in three separate stores. This machine will no longer be offered in the local stores, but it will be available for purchase on the web only. What this means is the 20% off coupon will not be honored as it is only valid for purchases in a local store and you will need to pay shipping from HF warehouse to your ship to address. 

But now my good news:
I was looking to buy the smaller mill at HF as the $300.00 price hike was a little too much for me to overlook. As I was talking to a fourth manager about my sad story and how I would have to settle for the smaller and less costly machine, she told me to hold on and give her an opportunity to call headquarters and verify my story. Well she called me back and told me that they confirmed my information. But they also told her that they still had two machines in the regional warehouse and gave her the okay to sell one to me at the previous price, $899.00. So she did sell me the unit at $719.00 which includes the 20% discount the coupons offers for local purchases. She also sold me the stand at 20% off for $127.00. I did have to make an immediate 260 mile round trip, but what the heck I made a good deal!

Frank

Thanks for everyone's input.


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## precisionworks (Apr 22, 2010)

> I bought my mill


Don't put your check book away just yet ... and you probably don't want to keep a running total on tooling costs :nana:


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## KC2IXE (Apr 22, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> Don't put your check book away just yet ... and you probably don't want to keep a running total on tooling costs :nana:



Unless you've decided to "go pro"''Which reminds me - I've got a job (25 parts to run)


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## precisionworks (Apr 22, 2010)

> I've got a job (25 parts to run)


That's cool ... mo' money for tooling


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## KC2IXE (Apr 22, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> That's cool ... mo' money for tooling



Heh - luckily my wife brings home good money. Trying to build up the shop to try and supplement the family income at this point. The good part on this job? It's for me - I came up with a product, and within 2 hours of me posting a question to a mailing list "would anyone be interested in..." - I had orders for 10


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## Drywolf (Apr 29, 2010)

Got a call from HF today. They told me that a unit was not available and that I would be refunded my money. They tried to make it up to me by offering me a few 20% off coupons. They told me that machines were available in the South Carolina warehouse, but they would not sell those to the western states as our warehouse is in Oxnard and is out of units.

I guess I'm going to buy a Bench Mill/Drill Machine it's much smaller but should meet my needs for now. They told me that they would take $100.00 off thier local in store price and accept the 20% off coupon too.
Again thanks for the help!
Frank


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## Drywolf (Sep 10, 2010)

Four month waiting (Grizzly G1007).


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## gadget_lover (Sep 10, 2010)

Way to go! 

What are you making first?

Daniel


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## Drywolf (Sep 13, 2010)

gadget_lover said:


> Way to go!
> 
> What are you making first?
> 
> Daniel


 
Motor drive brackets for my Celestron 8.

lovecpf


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