Thread: Looking for a Mill

Thanks for all the extra information.
The Wabeco would be nice but as you said to expensive and too light.
How much room do you need around a mill? I noticed that in a lot photos people have them in a corner.

I like your Ratty and Cooper pics. Our Connor sadly died a couple years ago, could not replace him yet...

I know what it feels like, I still come out of the shed and look around for her. Now I guess I am waiting for a dog to choose me.

What is it you need to do NOW on your new mill.

I am a pen turner, and want it to make parts for pens and tools

What do you think you might be interested doing with it in a few years from now.

I would like to get in to making model engines etc.

What is your budget, for the mill

Approx $2000 for the mill

And for the tooling that you are going to need to do what you want to do.

I have a 9 X 20 lathe that I tried to put a milling vice on it but the compound slide, but the tool post is to thin 6mm, one of the first things I to do is to make a heavier duty one.

I have a set of end mills 10 x 2 flute and 10 X 4 flute

What size workshop.

A tiny 36' X13' X10' shed that is full of wood working machinery

What did you do in your previous life (maybe restoring an old mill is an option?)..... etc.

No trade skills but if I pull some thing apart can put it tgether again, not good with electrical.
I hope one day to get a Hercus 260

It is hard to recommend something without having an idea of the background circumstances.... Chris

> How much room do you need around a mill? I noticed that in a lot photos people have them in a corner.

It is always of advantage to have room all around. But one can work in a tight space too. You need enough room left and right of the table. You do not want the the table too close to a wall when fully extended. You still must reach the handwheel(s). And consider that one day, you may want to add an automatic feed. In the case of an X3, the factory autofeed takes quite some space at the left of the table. Also consider chips, especially hot chips. The worst is of course when flycutting, or when using these hogging cutters with carbide inserts. Chips fly plentyful and quite far. I made some large plexiglas panels, fixed at the rear and swinging at the sides. And for the front I have a plexiglas screen that clamps where needed to the T-slots of the table. You may not need such screens when installed in a corner.

> Now I guess I am waiting for a dog to choose me.

Exactly what we do. Already adopted two cats that way though...

> I am a pen turner, and want it to make parts for pens and tools
> I would like to get in to making model engines etc.

I think a minimill (Sieg X2) would already do what you want. An X3 would have plenty of added power and rigidity to do this even faster, and be more future proof if one day you want to tackle larger steam models.

> Approx $2000 for the mill

With an X2 that would allow plenty of extra tooling. With an X3 you are just in budget if you add the mill cabinet and maybe an er25 collet chuck with collets (do not go for an ER32 collet set, I first did, then sold it and replaced with an ER25, its better suited to a smallish X3 and lets you reach better into confined spaces, and you get more table-to-collet headroom).

> I have a 9 X 20 lathe that I tried to put a milling vice on it but the compound slide, but the tool post is to thin 6mm, one of the first things I to do is to make a heavier duty one.

Did you know that the Chinese 9x20 lathe was originally a 3in1 design? It is a copy of the Austrian Emco Compact8. And for that you can buy a milling head whose column attaches to the rear of the lathe bed. It is costly though (I still have this, but nowdays use it standalone as a sensitive drill press). But sometimes these turn up on eBay for 3-400$, which is about half what these were new. Another accessory was a very rigid vertical slide, you can still buy this new today (but made in Taiwan instead of austria). Here a picture: Vertical Slide
This slide has the same T-slots as your 9x20 cross slide, there is a low profile mill vise to suit both your cross slide and this vertical slide.

> A tiny 36' X13' X10' shed that is full of wood working machinery

It is generally not the best idea to mix wood and metalworking in the same room. You may at least have to cover your metalworking machines with a blanket when not used.

> No trade skills but if I pull some thing apart can put it tgether again, not good with electrical.
I hope one day to get a Hercus 260

Unfortunately there are not many smaller old iron mills around that you could rebuild. Especially the smaller machines are very very much sought after.I would think you are best off buying new. Chris

Titan machinery sell a similar size mill called the TM20LV. I've got one and it's decent. Fit and finish are not great, but it's a cheap Chinese machine.
They are a hybrid g704/bf20 and rf45 design.
There may be advantages compared to the X3 which often had column stiffness criticised.

> How much room do you need around a mill? I noticed that in a lot photos people have them in a corner.

It is always of advantage to have room all around. But one can work in a tight space too. You need enough room left and right of the table. You do not want the the table too close to a wall when fully extended. You still must reach the handwheel(s). And consider that one day, you may want to add an automatic feed. In the case of an X3, the factory autofeed takes quite some space at the left of the table.

Are these worth it? Doesn't look like much room in storage area.

Also consider chips, especially hot chips. The worst is of course when flycutting, or when using these hogging cutters with carbide inserts. Chips fly plentyful and quite far. I made some large plexiglas panels, fixed at the rear and swinging at the sides. And for the front I have a plexiglas screen that clamps where needed to the T-slots of the table. You may not need such screens when installed in a corner.

Would be interested to see pics of your set up, seen your post about your lathe, I like the cover you made for it, will do similar to my lathe soon.

Can the mills be put on a mobile stand like this?

Universal Mobile Base - 320kg Capacity : CARBA-TEC


I think a minimill (Sieg X2) would already do what you want. An X3 would have plenty of added power and rigidity to do this even faster, and be more future proof if one day you want to tackle larger steam models.

X3 Is about biggest I can fit in, a bit bigger is better than being that little bit too small.

> Approx $2000 for the mill

With an X2 that would allow plenty of extra tooling. With an X3 you are just in budget if you add the mill cabinet

Are these worth it or is it better to build your own?

and maybe an er25 collet chuck with collets (do not go for an ER32 collet set, I first did, then sold it and replaced with an ER25, its better suited to a smallish X3 and lets you reach better into confined spaces, and you get more table-to-collet headroom).

Interesting, opposite to what I would have thought, Thanks you just save me some money
I already have a ER 25 collet Chuck MT2 and MT3 and collets

> I have a 9 X 20 lathe that I tried to put a milling vice on it but the compound slide, but the tool post is to thin 6mm, one of the first things I to do is to make a heavier duty one.

Did you know that the Chinese 9x20 lathe was originally a 3in1 design? It is a copy of the Austrian Emco Compact8. And for that you can buy a milling head whose column attaches to the rear of the lathe bed. It is costly though (I still have this, but nowdays use it standalone as a sensitive drill press). But sometimes these turn up on eBay for 3-400$, which is about half what these were new. Another accessory was a very rigid vertical slide, you can still buy this new today (but made in Taiwan instead of austria). Here a picture: Vertical Slide
This slide has the same T-slots as your 9x20 cross slide, there is a low profile mill vise to suit both your cross slide and this vertical slide.

I bought the H&F version of the on the recommendation of some on this forum and found it was too heavy for the cross slide .


I thought about one of these but it would get in the way of my DRO set up.

​M151 | HM-10A (SIEG M6MA) Mill Head Attachment | machineryhouse.com.au


> A tiny 36' X13' X10' shed that is full of wood working machinery

I exaggerated the size it was meant to be 26'

It is generally not the best idea to mix wood and metalworking in the same room. You may at least have to cover your metalworking machines with a blanket when not used.

I have the lathe at the back of the shed , when not in use covered with a thick sheet, wood working gear in front two third of shed.
Once I get my drill press on wheels I want to put a curtain up to shut of the back third of shed.

> No trade skills but if I pull some thing apart can put it tgether again, not good with electrical.
I hope one day to get a Hercus 260

Unfortunately there are not many smaller old iron mills around that you could rebuild. Especially the smaller machines are very very much sought after.I would think you are best off buying new. Chris

Originally Posted by pippin88

Titan machinery sell a similar size mill called the TM20LV. I've got one and it's decent. Fit and finish are not great, but it's a cheap Chinese machine.
They are a hybrid g704/bf20 and rf45 design.
There may be advantages compared to the X3 which often had column stiffness criticised.

Been trying to have a look at there website but they are currently in the process of updating there shopping cart.