Post by David Thompson on Aug 4, 2007 14:54:23 GMT
I just bought myself an X3 mill and thought folk might be interested to hear my experiences. I chose it because it is a table-top mill drill, but quite meaty with an MT3 (orR8) spindle. I already have an MT3 Clarkson chuck for my Boxford lathe but I also thought, the heavier the better.
You can get an X3 in the UK from Arc-Euro Trade, Engineers Tool Room and Axminster. Axminster are the cheapest while Arc-Euro Trade provide a helpful strip and build guide on their web but had no MT3/metric models in stock. The chap from Engineers Tool Room (sorry, I know his name, but senility has just struck me) demonstrated the machine to me at Harrogate so I persuaded myself to buy it from Wales despite the extra cost. I bought a stand too, and there was supposed to be a milling vice included which the others do not offer, but it never arrived. Unfortunately, this gentleman has now gone into hospital so I must mute my irritation until he is able to put things right.
What is not obvious is that there are three models of X3. There are two different lengths of gas-strut to counterbalance the column and a third model, which I have received, with no gas strut but a double reduction drive to the column. I would have preferred to be told this in advance, but this option does give the biggest range of vertical travel. I rather liked the idea of the gas strut as a neat design feature, but I can live without it, even if I do have (pre-existing) rheumatism in that hand.
It is a heavy brute. The only way I could get it on its stand was to take it apart using Arc Euro Trade's guidance from their web site. This allowed me to clean and inspect every part, but in truth I don't think that was really necessary. Indeed, the advice from Engineers Tool Room was not to bother. Even in pieces, there is some heavy lifting required to reassemble it on the stand. The scariest moment was lifting the head onto the top of the dovetail on the column.
I have been impressed by the quality, especially when you think of the price. The finish is good where it needs to be, and generally better than on many Chinese tools I have examined. One irritation is that the dials read 0.02 mm per division but count from 0 to 100, so advance 2 mm per turn which is the pitch of the leadscrews. I find the constant correction for this factor of two quite wearing but I have no plans to convert to CNC. I think I will have to fit digital scales. At least the vertical axis comes out right, because of the double gearing.
It takes quite a heavy cut, it seems to me, although I have been used to milling on the lathe where only really light cuts could be taken. I still cannot bring myself to feed at the recommended rates but perhaps I will develop the confidence to do it. I am hoping to acquire the Sieg power feed when they are in stock again.
I would be interested to hear how other users have got on with this machine.
You can get an X3 in the UK from Arc-Euro Trade, Engineers Tool Room and Axminster. Axminster are the cheapest while Arc-Euro Trade provide a helpful strip and build guide on their web but had no MT3/metric models in stock. The chap from Engineers Tool Room (sorry, I know his name, but senility has just struck me) demonstrated the machine to me at Harrogate so I persuaded myself to buy it from Wales despite the extra cost. I bought a stand too, and there was supposed to be a milling vice included which the others do not offer, but it never arrived. Unfortunately, this gentleman has now gone into hospital so I must mute my irritation until he is able to put things right.
What is not obvious is that there are three models of X3. There are two different lengths of gas-strut to counterbalance the column and a third model, which I have received, with no gas strut but a double reduction drive to the column. I would have preferred to be told this in advance, but this option does give the biggest range of vertical travel. I rather liked the idea of the gas strut as a neat design feature, but I can live without it, even if I do have (pre-existing) rheumatism in that hand.
It is a heavy brute. The only way I could get it on its stand was to take it apart using Arc Euro Trade's guidance from their web site. This allowed me to clean and inspect every part, but in truth I don't think that was really necessary. Indeed, the advice from Engineers Tool Room was not to bother. Even in pieces, there is some heavy lifting required to reassemble it on the stand. The scariest moment was lifting the head onto the top of the dovetail on the column.
I have been impressed by the quality, especially when you think of the price. The finish is good where it needs to be, and generally better than on many Chinese tools I have examined. One irritation is that the dials read 0.02 mm per division but count from 0 to 100, so advance 2 mm per turn which is the pitch of the leadscrews. I find the constant correction for this factor of two quite wearing but I have no plans to convert to CNC. I think I will have to fit digital scales. At least the vertical axis comes out right, because of the double gearing.
It takes quite a heavy cut, it seems to me, although I have been used to milling on the lathe where only really light cuts could be taken. I still cannot bring myself to feed at the recommended rates but perhaps I will develop the confidence to do it. I am hoping to acquire the Sieg power feed when they are in stock again.
I would be interested to hear how other users have got on with this machine.
