ebay millers

[domore]

Hi

I would appreciate anyone’s opinion or experience of the following millers.

I’m looking at and considering the following and wondered if there are any others that I may have missed.

The millers that I am interested in are

SPG 2204 you see them on ebay for about 650ish

SIEG super X3 again seen on ebay but also looks like the same machine as above but a different colour.

And lastly for now the VM30 as seen on
www.machinetools4u.com/html/vm20_-_vm30_variable_speed_mil.html

The machine is intended for motorbike restoration making some cycle parts and possible special tools etc. Its for hobby use not commercial so I do not need the swarf coming off like house bricks or anything but equally I want the best machine I can get for the money. Space is limited so thats why I have gone for something bench mounted.

Any advice or opinion would be greatly received.

Thanks, Vincent

[Noddy]

Hi Vincent,

Welcome to the board!

I'm shopping around myself, and started off looking at the little imports, which seem to offer a lot of new machine for not a lot of money. Certainly Dr John seems to be very pleased with his new chinese mill and has links about it in the Deckel thread, below.

Your link to the VM30 certainly looks a lot tidier and better built machine than the VMC/VTM.... clone I saw last weekend, which probably dates to the earlier, less certain days of chinese manufacture, with broken plastic handles and backlash worse than a 1960's german or British light production or toolroom mill which has been working for a living all that time.

My personal prejudice is leading me towards good second hand knee type tool room /production machines, as these have plenty of rigidity for work on steel, were built to last for decades in a production environment, and have done their depreciating, so I can likely get my money back if i want to.

I know you said you don't want to be producing masses of chips in a hurry, but from what I can make out, the extra rigidity helps a lot with surface finish, and progressing the job at a decent rate, especially if it is in something chewy.

Infact there seems to be almost a glut of good stuff on the market at the moment (see "cheap as chips" in the main general chat) and, if you have the space for it,there is a lot of machine for your money with various Tom Senior models, Centec 2A, B,&C models, Alexander, aceira and other Deckel clones, not to mention Bridgeports.

If you know anyone who is interested, I know a guy who is selling 5 tonnes of german made Hassop vertical mill with NC control (€3400). I'd love the thing but have no where to keep it!

Hope this helps some
Keith

[domore]

Thanks Keith

Yes I think that deep down I know you are right. Especially about the fact you will always get back most of what you pay for the second hand option.

Plus this way I would get the pleasure of renovating the thing first too. ;D

Moving the machine is one problem although £70 seems to be the going rate for the hire of a tail lift type Luton van so should not be something to break any deal.

Thanks for allowing me to format the thoughts though. Sometimes just writing it down/ talking it through gets it straight in the mind

[steam4ian]

G'day all

I'm even further down market with a Sieg X2 but I am quite pleased with it to date. I note that there is a variant of the X2 made by Real Bull which appears to be better, this variant has a bigger table, larger motor and X (or is it Y) travel hand wheels at both ends of the table. Only impatience and delivery uncertainties made me go with the Sieg machine at the time.
From what I read elsewhere the mill works well out of the box and does not need the same degree of fettling as the companion 7x12 lathe.

Regards,
Ian

[domore]

Thanks for the information…………John/Ian………
The decision is clouded further. But thats why i posted.

I agree about the rigidity and tool life. Something about that statement just feels right in the same way as you know when the work is clamped right by the sound the cutter makes.


DrJohn
Is there somewhere in the UK that you can view the Sieg machines??

[wayne]

What parts are you intending to make as this will decide what equipment and machine you require

Yolks require accurate hole boring, slitting and a reasonable table width is required and a decent length of quill feed would be recommended

Special spindles with flats keyways or spline’s ect . Your table needs to be long enough for the spindle and dividing head and tailstock in addition you also require adequate table travel

Rigidity and accuracy are important as the work will generally be larger than that found in general model engineering, for example 1,2,3,4 or 6 cylinder heads which may need the cam carriers holes drilling hellicoling

80% of my machines and equipment have been purchased to make bike parts, mainly in 303 stainless. If you buy new you should be assured that your equipment won’t be worn out. However If you decide you need bigger machinery the new Chinese stuff depreciates more quickly when compared to the quality English stuff, some but not all English stuff can actually appreciate over time

Cheap as chips second hand machinary, be very careful hear, in my experience unless its large machinery the reason its cheap as chips is its at best its worn, at worst its clapped out (read my thread Colchester bantam) that said there are some reasonably priced examples in good condition but in my opinion these are getting rarer all the time.

[steam4ian]

G'day Wayne.

I agree with your comment "Yolks require accurate hole boring," in fact they need to be eggzact! :-)

Regards,
Ian