Milling machines?

[Cato]

As I'm now an accidental lathe owner it got me thinking along the lines of 'in for a penny' and a small milling machine to be used in place of a drill stand, but with the obvious added advantage of limited milling capabilities. I don't have a specific use in mind beyond accurate drilling. Maybe shims/spacers, tidying the face of something, putting an oil/grease channel into a pin, perhaps cutting a keyway?

Anyway, used machines seem to fall in to two categories shagged, or eye wateringly expensive, both of which seem to originate from big machine shops. Warco seem to do a reasonable range, the WM16 or WM18 look to be the size and type of things that would suit what I need from a machine. So any suggestions along that line? Obviously it's a matter of keeping an eye out and waiting for something to come up, but it'd help if I had some specific machines to look for.

 

[My Old Landy]

The cheapest mill/drill are round column. Then the square column are a next step up as they keep the position when raising etc. You then get into the bridgeport style with a knee.
From what I understand, the Warco is a good machine but I don't own one so cannot give a personal account. I have a round column mill but I would change it for a square column if I could!

 

[Arc Tourist]

In your search, don't rule out a jig boring machine. They have the capability to mill also.

 

[cheb]

I've a Perrin jig borer, there's a thread on here about it, and it seems to cope with milling too. I generally take a cut at a maximum of 1mm square in steel, so lots of passes and therefore lots of time.

My Perrin jig borer reassembly and some questions

It looked like this in the advert: It arrived in biggish barely liftable lumps on a pallet. No picture as it was threatening to rain when it was delivered. Th biggish bits were reassembled into this: I'm not sure if this is where it will stay, but it'll do for now. The first thing I did...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Arc Tourist]

I've a Perrin jig borer, there's a thread on here about it, and it seems to cope with milling too. I generally take a cut at a maximum of 1mm square in steel, so lots of passes and therefore lots of time.

My Perrin jig borer reassembly and some questions

It looked like this in the advert: It arrived in biggish barely liftable lumps on a pallet. No picture as it was threatening to rain when it was delivered. Th biggish bits were reassembled into this: I'm not sure if this is where it will stay, but it'll do for now. The first thing I did...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

A quality Swiss machine.

 

[My Old Landy]

If you are looking at second hand, check the gib's have not been wound up tight to hide slop in the X/Y axis. (try it by winding stop to stop along the bed).
Check the spindle bearings too, in fact, check all the moving bits!!

 

[Cato]

I had a quick look at Jig Borers on eBay and they seem much better price wise. Although I think I'd need an aircraft hanger to put this one in.

Newall.

 

[My Old Landy]

I had a quick look at Jig Borers on eBay and they seem much better price wise. Although I think I'd need an aircraft hanger to put this one in.

Newall.

Get rid of that lathe, you will have plenty of room

 

[Cato]

Get rid of that lathe, you will have plenty of room

Then raise the roof, take the wall out above the door wedge it in and find that I couldn't get anything bigger than a fag packet past it.

 

[My Old Landy]

Then raise the roof, take the wall out above the door wedge it in and find that I couldn't get anything bigger than a fag packet past it.

You really need a bigger workshop

 

[Cato]

You really need a bigger workshop

I like the one I have, partly because it's a Victorian building with a sense of history. Mostly because it's reasonably priced and close to home which compensates for any shortcomings.

The time when Birmingham and Coventry were the workshop of the world is long past, and with it went most of the workshops themselves. Everything which was once used for industry is either a 'business park', being redeveloped for housing; or the sort of place where they serve craft beer, street food, and beard oil in equal measures.

 

[Mick Annick]

I like the one I have, partly because it's a Victorian building with a sense of history. Mostly because it's reasonably priced and close to home which compensates for any shortcomings.

The time when Birmingham and Coventry were the workshop of the world is long past, and with it went most of the workshops themselves. Everything which was once used for industry is either a 'business park', being redeveloped for housing; or the sort of place where they serve craft beer, street food, and beard oil in equal measures.

You’ve been to Digbeth!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Cato Proceed with caution, the bug has bitten.

 

[Dilkris]

Not really answering the original question but are there such things as "machine clubs" (for want of a better term) where people club together and buy equipment between themselves? I too would love a milling machine, a larger lathe, (Colchester Bantam size) and TIG Welding equipment - but I just cannot justify the cost considering how often I would use it and tbh I couldn't really afford it either - would be happy to pay £50 a month (say) to be a member of something like that described. Would be cool to meet up with like minded people and just chat and bounce ideas around also.

 

[Cato]

You’ve been to Digbeth!

and Bradford Street, King's Norton, Earlsdon, Stoney Stanton Road, Canley, and the list goes on. I grew up in Coventry and you could walk for 10 minutes in any direction and be guaranteed to pass an engineering works or manufacturer. The year I started my apprenticeship Alfred Herberts finally closed for good and some of the fitters had started work there. They were full of tales of the glory days, but as a callow youth it doesn't really sink in. It's only later you realise how things have changed and what it means.

 

[minimutly]

I'm amazed at the amount of machines that were made in Yorkshire..

 

[Barking Mat]

A quality Swiss machine.

Nice thread, interesting, what you've got and how you've dealt with those issues.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Nice thread, interesting, what you've got and how you've dealt with those issues.

@Barking Mat The Perrin jig borer mentioned in the thread is @cheb 's machine, not mine, I have a Tom Senior mill.

 

[Barking Mat]

@Barking Mat The Perrin jig borer mentioned in the thread is @cheb 's machine, not mine.

Yeah, it was late, beer was involved, excuse me...

 

[Munkul]

I had a quick look at Jig Borers on eBay and they seem much better price wise. Although I think I'd need an aircraft hanger to put this one in.

Newall.

I've followed that one with interest, I think there's a space in my workshop for it

EDIT: Maybe not, it's way bigger than I thought it was!! 5 ton weight too...