[Nigel Tufnel]

Looks like Grizzly is now offering a RF45 clone with VFD option. Looks like a nice option for higher RPM's.

Grizzly.com

[wizard]

It is a very interesting mill at an extremely good price. I'm not certain if it is an RF 45 clone or not. Whatever it is, it has a very nice feature set all things considered. Unfortunately there is a lack of info in the spec listing in the catalog. For instance, yes the machine is variable speed but does it have a gear box for low RPM performance?

While I understand that this is an improvement / modification to an existing machine I do wish that they would deliver a machine with a cartridge spindle that does away with the quill assembly. The idea being to make a machine that is more economical for CNC conversion. As nice as the machine is with its variable speed head it simply comes with many extras not needed for conversions. Even so it looks like a good value.

[109jb]

One thing I noticed in the description is it says "hand scraped ways". Really? If so that alone might make this one worth spending a bit extra money on. I'd be curious to know if it really does have hand scraped ways. Anyone that has or sees one and can comment please do so. I am probably going to buy a RF-45 size machine in the fall so would like to know.

John B

[wizard]

One thing I noticed in the description is it says "hand scraped ways". Really?

It probably depends upon how you define hand scrapped. They can scrap or flake the surfaces a bit and call in hand scrapped. Fitting everything up properly and verifying geometry is another thing all together. Even in China a properly fitted up machine would be very expensive relative to what we are use to paying.

If so that alone might make this one worth spending a bit extra money on. I'd be curious to know if it really does have hand scraped ways. Anyone that has or sees one and can comment please do so. I am probably going to buy a RF-45 size machine in the fall so would like to know.

John B

I haven't seen one and probably won't until Cabin Fever (Grizzly is on the way). Since this simply looks like a variant of an existing machine, in this case the G0755, I'd doubt that it is any better mechanically than that machine. By the way I say looks like a variant but there are some unexplained differences. For example the machine is lighter, with a 200 pound difference. The weight difference could be mostly be in the base cabinet though which is included on the G0755. It also is specced for a longer table travel even though the table is the same size. Actually after reading the specs a bit more this machine looks like it is related more to the G0761 than the 0755, which makes me wonder if they are coming from a different factory.

I actually think the deleted parts are what makes the machine attractive. The little cabinets on these machines aren't worth much at all even for manual use. They don't catch much in the way of flying fluids and swarf. Further they are too narrow to build a realistic enclosure upon in my opinion. I do wish that they would do more about the Y-axis travels, 7" really isn't a lot.