[slinger]

This thread will serve to document the conversion of my G0704. I am a complete newbie, and I will ask a number of very stupid questions along the way.

I decided on the G0704 after months of perusing through this forum. Of course, it was Hoss's build thread that convinced me that the G0704 was just what I was looking for.

I ordered my machine from Grizzly 23 April 2011. I am one of the lucky ones that will not have to wait too long, as my machine is scheduled to be delivered on 14 June 2011!

[slinger]

What have I done so far?

I started by making room for my mill in my home office. The office is a 12'x10' bedroom. It's a vaulted room with a 12' ceiling. I am hoping to be able to make use of the abundant vertical space to keep things organized. I spend the whole day in this room while working my day job (Software Engineer), so I plan to keep the workspace clean.

I am happy to house the mill in an air-conditioned room, especially since I live in the Southern Arizona. The downside is that my office borders my children's bedrooms. I will have to keep things quiet in the evenings. Since this is a hobby, I can deal with the constraint, but I expect I will want to mitigate sound as much as possible. Perhaps I will add acoustic suppression to the walls or ceilings at some point.

I decided to remove the carpet and install Epoxy-Coat. I figured this would aid in easy cleanup and give the office a functional, industrial look. I spent an entire week moving furniture, ripping out carpet, ripping out carpet padding, ripping out carpet tack strips, diamond grinding the floor surface, patching the concrete gouges, washing the concrete, acid etching the concrete, and waiting the required time in between steps (and duplicating steps when necessary). This was the preparation required prior to applying the Epoxy-Coat.

The application was fast by necessity, as you only have around 15 minutes after mixing the epoxy to spread it on the floor. This is where I botched the job. I was too cheap to buy a pair of spike shoes (for minimally interfering with the epoxy when walking on it), and I rigged my own pair. Unfortunately, my rigged pair fell apart midway through the epoxy application, and I have shoe marks on the floor as a result

Despite my sub-par epoxy application, the floor looks industrial, and I believe the epoxy will withstand some heavy abuse. I applied it at twice the thickness of a standard application. I can buy a touch-up kit to refinish the ugly areas of the floor, but I think I'll wait a little while to see how the floor holds up.

[slinger]

I ordered the X3 Tooling Package and 6-Piece Inspection Kit from LittleMachineShop. I would have liked to shell out more money for quality measuring tools, but money is tight and I expect this to get me started as a newbie. My order arrived yesterday.

Today, I spent some time cleaning the shipping grease off the 4" vise using kerosene, and I notice that the finish does not look like the pictures. The jaws themselves look mostly polished (with sharp edges!), but the other flat surfaces of the vise and vise ways feel smooth to the touch but look to be stained from standing grease. Also, the chamfered edges on the vice are rough to the touch. Perhaps the roughness is rust? I know this is a cheap vise, so is this normal? Is there anything I can do to clean this up better? It looks to be mostly cosmetic to me, and it should not affect the vise performance right?

Also, I am a little overwhelmed right now thinking about lubrication and rust preventative needs. It seems there are a number of products optimized for different tasks, and I need all of the following:

1) Way oil
2) Gear oil
3) Lithium grease
4) Rust preventative for tooling and mill surfaces
5) Rust preventative for measuring instruments
6) Leadscrew oil
7) Am I missing something?

What should I use for #1 and #2?

I use Red lithium grease from Ace when I work on trailer bearings. Is this stuff OK to use for #3 (Grizzly manual says to use on pinion gear).

Can I use the same product for both #4 and #5? I enjoy shooting as a hobby, and I am hoping the same products I use for Gun protection can be used for the mill and tooling surfaces. For instance, I use Break Free CLP. Is this OK to use?

The grizzly manual mentions 10-30w synthetic oil for #6. Is this just standard automotive oil?

[arizonavideo]

I use way oil from Grizzly mixed 50/50 with motor oil. I found that straight way oil was a bit thick and sticky.

Indoors in AZ with A/C you will not have any real rust problems. I did buy a can of Bosheild from ebay. It is a anti rust coating for long term treatment and leaves no detectable film. If I'm going to store something nice for a long time I will treat it.

The way oil mix can be used for just about anything but I don't use it on the table I use WD-40 to clean it and that's all I need in a A/C room.

[photomankc]

BreakFree works real well on the table surfaces and exposed stuff. Right now all my gear is in an A/C cooled basement. I have no issues with rust to speak of other than the times when I get a sweat covered hand print on something.

[Fastest1]

Gun cleaning and rust preventitive products work great. If you got it use it. I personally use Washburn RPL#2 and it works great in a Houston garage with a very small ac unit. Not burning up but still warm at times. High humidity anyway. I have used Barricade and similar with good results.

[slinger]

As much as it pained me to do it, I had to refuse the shipment. The crate was broken on all four sides, and the mill had smashed through the bottom of the crate. The chip tray was severely damaged, and one of the X handwheels was broken. Given the condition of the crate, I expect there are other problems with the mill. I really wanted to find a reason to keep it anyway, but the driver advised me against it. I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer. In the meantime, I attached a couple pictures.

[hoss2006]

That sucks but you were wise, chances are the table could have been damaged or bent.
Maybe you could pick it up cheap at the next tent sale.
Hoss

[slinger]

Thanks Hoss.

Now, if only I lived close to a Grizzly showroom for a tent sale ...

[hoss2006]

Yeah, me too.
Hoss

[kd4gij]

What was the freight company that delivered iy

[slinger]

What was the freight company that delivered iy

UPS. I think that kind of damage in shipping must be rare though, regardless of the shipping company. I just got (un)lucky.

My theory now is that I am getting all of my bugs worked out early, so my mill won't have any problems once it arrives intact.

[kd4gij]

Darn I was afraid of that mine is due this afternoon from UPS. I always cringe when reciving throug them thay are the worst. I have seen packages that thay have run over with a truck and tryed to deliver.

[slinger]

Well Grizzly set up a replacement order for me. Of course it's on backorder. Sounds like I'll be waiting for the late July shipment. I am still waiting for word of whether I'll be in the front of the queue or the back. Also, my credit card was already charged, so I'm hoping they take the charge off until the replacement is shipped.

In the mean time I still have a few items I would like to have before the mill arrives:
1) Metal shims (for leveling the machine, tramming?, etc)
2) Precision machinist's level
3) Boring head
4) Fly cutter

I have yet to find where to buy metal shims. Can someone help me out here?

I think I'll buy the machinist's level from Grizzly. I haven't decided on the boring head or fly cutter. Any suggestions are welcome.

I found a local supplier for aluminum cut offs (HT Metals - Home). The price will range from $3-$4 per pound. I plan to pick some up in the next couple days. I know of another supplier that sells for around $2, but it's quite a drive.

[WOTDesigns]

I buy shim stock from mcmaster.com. just keyword search shim and you will find j just about anything u need in any material, shape and size... then again.... there is always the sunday morning emergency shim stock...



if you aren't familur with mcmaster- get that way they stock 95% of everything I order. BUT some times their prices can be beat like most stuff carried by enco because u can always get free shipping with enco

[slinger]

Thanks for the tips! Enco and McMaster are both sites I need to get familiar with. The emergency shim stock looks quite effective too

[slinger]

Update from Grizzly: I will not receive a mill from the shipment that just came in (they are all spoken for of course), but I will get a mill from the next shipment that comes in (July). Also, my credit card will get refunded and charged again when the new mill ships.

[kd4gij]

Update from Grizzly: I will not receive a mill from the shipment that just came in (they are all spoken for of course), but I will get a mill from the next shipment that comes in (July). Also, my credit card will get refunded and charged again when the new mill ships.

Sorry to here about your bad luck. Mine finley showed up at 6:30pm in prity good shape a couple of miner scratches and the plastic tool box broke up. The crate is not sturdy enough for the weight of the mill as mine had fallen through.luckily the pallit that it was on was sturdy enough th suport it. I would say your mill was grizzly's falt, more than the shippers.

[paulsv]

In the mean time I still have a few items I would like to have before the mill arrives:
1) Metal shims (for leveling the machine, tramming?, etc)
2) Precision machinist's level
3) Boring head
4) Fly cutter

Why a machinists level? I can understand it for a lathe, where you have to avoid bed twist, but for a mill with a small base, that you can tram, I don't think you need that kind of accuracy.

[michaelthomas]

Dang......that really sucks. Sorry to hear about that, too.