[anoel]

I'm considering buying a bigger mill than my little HF Micro-Mill.

I don't have the shop space for a retired knee mill. So I'm looking into the bench toppers. And I want to keep things right at +/-1K. for the mill purchase itself.

I'm trying to decide if I want to go with one of the following:

A: A Seig X3 from Lathemasters.

B: Harbor Frieght 33686 (here)

Both have roughly the same table size within an inch of each other.

The X3 appears to be the better "all around" choice. especially for a CNC Conversion. I've yet to see a finished and functioning X3 conversion though.

Any other decent mill choices for around a grand? (No I don't want a Taig or Sherline)

[FLUTE HEAD]

I have a 33686. I could have paid around 400 more for the geared head version. I paid 7 or 800 for mine on sale. changing belts isn't terrible. Theres also a dovetail column out there but not sure how much. I have found that one of the 2 holes for the y axis flange was drilled and tapped pretty crooked. I guess a round column has its advantages. One day I'll have a "VFD" drive. I like mine though.

[ViperTX]

Go with the Sieg X3....does Bob have them in-house?

[anoel]

I don't know... They are listed on the "order" page. He's on vacation until tommorow. So I would not know if it's available. As far as I know he's the only one in the US that is improting them. (Anyone know of another source? I just assume buy from him since I know that he has a very good reputation.)

[rcazwillis]

You might look at HF 42827. It is comprable to the one you are looking at, but is not a round column style. Listed at $1099.

[anoel]

I thought about that one but it looked pretty junky compared to the others when I saw it in person.

[itsme]

Hi there,

If it were up to me, I'd go with the Sieg X3. I've looked at a few of the Chinese mills and I thought the X3 was one of the better ones. The square column is also always a nice feature to have...

In the 'Model Engineers Workshop' magazine a few months ago, they had an article (actually 3 articles) about converting an X3 to CNC. The guy who did that got an X3 conversion working...so it has been done (just in case you were wondering ).

Regards
Warren

[JFettig]

have you considered the sq column mill from industrialhobbies or lathemasters? Does anyone know how it compares with the x3?

Jon

[cncadmin]

I love my sieg X3, runs very well and is a soild machine. It's a great buy IMO.

[JRouche]

I bought an Enco square column mill for conversion and like it (still converting). I would have also bought an X3 if available. I like the smaller size of the X3. I may still get one to convert, especially if they become more available and the price comes down abit. I think they were still close to a grand last I actually saw one for sale. JRouche

[anoel]

Jon, I'd Love to have one of the IH or Lathemaster Mills but the budget won't allow...

(actually my Air Conditioning unit pooped out on me today and set me back almost $400 so it looks like I've got a couple of more weeks to decide.)

I'll doubtfully ever get into much steel other than simple drilling and facing. Aluminum, brass are most likely what I'd be dealing with.

Paul, glad to hear you like the Sieg. Have you started your CNC conversion? Are you going ball screw? Or are you going to try the stock screws first? All the web sites and threads I've seen so far only involve "prepping" for CNC nothing complete though.

[Chunky]

Any other decent mill choices for around a grand? (No I don't want a Taig or Sherline)

I was kinda looking at Sherline. Are they crap?

[itsme]

Hi Chunky,

I've never used a Sherline, but from what I've heard they are very good machines - you just can't fit big things on them.

If you never intend to machine that old Chevy V8 block that's lying in the corner of the garage (perhaps a bit optimistic even for the larger hobby machines...) and just want to machine (relatively) small things, then I'm sure it's an excellent choice.

Regards
Warren

[Halfnutz]

This whole subject has been driving me nuts! Where do you actually get a Sieg? Lathemasters says thiers is made by Tong Yang Co. Industrial Hobbies is different, it's bigger. Enco's got one, with a 32.25 in table, lathemasters says 31.5 inch, Grizzleys is 32.25", I think that Grizzley's and Enco's are Siegs, and that Lathemaster's is a different MFG., as well as Industrial Hobbies. Am I wrong? Isnt the Grizzley and the Enco a Sieg X3?

I got the 33686, and although I wish I had a square collum, for 799.00 I am really pleased with the HF and the performance of it. I spent alot of time tweaking it though, it was really rough running when I first got it, now its really smooth and cuts great.

Have you loked at the "Baby Bridgeport" ? (Grizzley's 3102 or HF 's 40939) I never hear much about that machine but people that own them really like them. Its a square collum belt drive with a knee for 1600.00. Has anyone ever seen one converted?

The Sherline is nice but you will outgrow it and want a larger one quickly. They are just too small, in my oppinion.

[project5k]

any updates on the 40939 story from HF? im seriously considering this unit...

[yetiman]

Here is a post from the mini-mill yahoo group that talks about this mill along with a link to the purchasers website. Not alot of info but every little bit helps. I've considered this little knee mill myself several times as the next purchase to replace the X1 that I have now.

> Well, I bit the bullet and bought the mill. Much better than I
> thought it would be. I started a page on my web site, you can see it
> at:
> http://www.stinsonvoyager.com/harbor..._knee_mill.htm
>
> The plan is to add CNC using Animatics Smartmotors and JenCNC
> software, but first I'll be hand-cranking making parts for my CNC
> router.