Great Bench Top Mini Mill???

[rivergames]

Been looking around online for a Bench Top Mini Mill and see quite a few options. I'm not looking for the 'BEST', but just a great all around mini mill. Besides Harbor Freight or Eastwood, I see a Weiss, a Klutch, a Wen. There are a bunch of different types. I hear JET is a great company, but those are more than double the cost. Just seeing if someone picked up a benchtop mini mill and has great use out of her. This will mostly be used for building aluminum boat parts in my garage. For big parts, I'll just run to to my shop and use my Bridgeport.

Harbor Freight

Or Eastwood

JET

Klutch

WEN

 

[ltbaney1]

the Jets are more solid and i like the belt system over VFD on the smaller machines. if i were in your shoes, id look at weight (mass means stable) and what spindle taper they accept. none of the ones pictured appear to be R8, so im guessing they will morse taper. morse taper is good, just make sure they are not using some oddball thing only they use or brown & sharpe taper, youd play hell trying to find holders.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Of the lot, Jet for longer life and parts availability.
Most of the others are probably made in the same factory and branded/configured for each customer. IMO

 

[ltbaney1]

also check out grizzly. i know a few guys who have bought from them and been happy.

Milling Machines

Grizzly Industrial, Inc. is a national retail and internet company providing a wide variety of high-quality woodworking and metalworking machinery, power tools, hand tools and accessories. By selling directly to end users we provide the best quality products at the best price to professionals...

www.grizzly.com

 

[spectras only]

Jet would be my choosing of the ones you posted. KIng from Canada has a line up, starting with the PDM 30 at $2600 cdn. It is robust for a table top hobby machine

King Canada PDM-30 - 1 1/4" milling drilling machine - 2 HP - with limit switch

No matter what the job, you'll find all the best tools to get it done. We have the largest selection of tools in Ontario. We carry every major brand name

federatedtool.com

 

[rivergames]

also check out grizzly. i know a few guys who have bought from them and been happy.

Milling Machines

Grizzly Industrial, Inc. is a national retail and internet company providing a wide variety of high-quality woodworking and metalworking machinery, power tools, hand tools and accessories. By selling directly to end users we provide the best quality products at the best price to professionals...

www.grizzly.com

The others (Harbor Freight / Eastwood / ETC) are all R8

The Gizzly looks like a pretty nice 'In Between' piece of machinery right there! Plus they have a 1 year warranty on Grizzly

 

[4Waters]

The jet is the only one that looks different, the rest all look like the same machine just different colors

 

[rivergames]

The jet is the only one that looks different, the rest all look like the same machine just different colors

Here is the Grizzly G0781 4" x 18" 3/4 HP Mill/Drill that was recommended. Looks pretty nice and half the cost of a JET. Plus it takes the R8 Collets.

 

[spectras only]

The Jet and King models are all pretty stout. The King I posted link for is ca 600 lbs. The mini mills are like toys in the 130-140lbs weight.
The King post here now is about 300lbsI , doable to put on a table by two people.

King Canada KC-20VS-2 - Milling drilling machine with digital readout - with limit switch

No matter what the job, you'll find all the best tools to get it done. We have the largest selection of tools in Ontario. We carry every major brand name

federatedtool.com

 

[rivergames]

The Jet and King models are all pretty stout. The King I posted link for is ca 600 lbs. The mini mills are like toys in the 130-140lbs weight.
The King post here now is about 300lbsI , doable to put on a table by two people.

King Canada KC-20VS-2 - Milling drilling machine with digital readout - with limit switch

No matter what the job, you'll find all the best tools to get it done. We have the largest selection of tools in Ontario. We carry every major brand name

federatedtool.com

That sucker does appear to be pretty damn solid! A bit more money, but then you get what you pay for

 

[rivergames]

I went with the Grizzly. A few hundy more than the HF or Eastwood, but half the cost of the JET / King.

It wont be used daily so hopefully will last fine.

I also ordered a new table clamp kit, set of end mills, R8 Collet Kit, & a 4" vice or a rotary table.

Should be a nice little setup for building more boats, trucks, bikes and gun shit.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

The jet is the only one that looks different, the rest all look like the same machine just different colors

This. All from the same dirt floor factory in China aside from the Jet and the Griz.

I would get the orange one personally

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I went with the Grizzly. A few hundy more than the HF or Eastwood, but half the cost of the JET / King.

It wont be used daily so hopefully will last fine.

I also ordered a new table clamp kit, set of end mills, R8 Collet Kit, & a 4" vice or a rotary table.

Should be a nice little setup for building more boats, trucks, bikes and gun shit.

The Grizzly looks nice.

 

[OLDRAAT]

I did the same. Works great in a home shop. 7 years and no issues.

 

[OLDRAAT]

Also grabbed one of their small lathes also. Light duty with variable speed inverter system.

 

[Gramps]

A friend gave this to me .............FREE

 

[Eliminator21vdrive]

I have been looking also and find the combo mill/lathe interesting. Anyone have one or chime in?