Which Mill to buy?

[Gunther45]

OK, I am new to this forum so please don't flame to bad.

I am thinking on buying a mill, I have limited space and live in a duplex so I don't want something too loud, LOL!. I already have a Electronics Work area but, but would like to convert my other spare room into modeling/prototyping area ( it's on the second floor but neither are that heavy) . I am thinking of an X1 or an X2. The thing is I am very new to machining but there are things with my projects that are easier to make or modify than to find.

I would be mostly working with would be Delrin, aluminum and brass, but I would like to have the ability to do steel as well. I want to convert it to CNC eventually. Basically I am trying to keep the cost down for now and I know I can get a larger table and screw but I don't want to be limited in the future because of power, but I don't want people to say what the hell is that crazy guy doing upstairs in his house when I am milling either.

So my question is, I am new to milling , I eventually want to mill steel pieces and I have neighbors ( sound issues? ) Do I get an X1 or an X2?

I need to get sound advice from you guys before my friends talk me out of it, or I talk myself out of it for that matter.

TIA

[cjdavis618]

My first advice... move into a house with a garage or shop. lol, I had to say it. Sorry. You will be happier in the long run, at least with this hobby.

What ever you do though, stick with it. If you like building things out of wood, metal, or whatever. There is not a better way to be a precise craftsman than working with milling and lathes. I found that once I started this in May of 06. I was much more precise about everything that I did. (even to the point of "tramming" my table saw and bandsaw. lol.) My wood projects look so much better now. And I have been woodworking for years.

Oh, well you live and you learn.


I have the x2 and the Super x3 (Among others). What I can tell you is this.

1. You will always want more power and room to work.
2. The x2 will be a great place to start.
3. You will want an enclosure to help control the sound and the chips. (if you plan to CNC, make it fully enclosed.)
4. Buy the belt kit from LMS or use Hoss's plans to make one. That is the best way to reduce the "Running" noise from the x2. It will run dang near silent compared to the the alternative of the gears. And give you a better speed range.

You will make noise regardless though. The best thing you can to for a large reduction in the sound of milling is have the mill CNC'ed and a make a full enclosure to "Muffle" the sound.

[blades]

Flame you?? No way! How 'bout this instead?

You should size your mill based on what size projects you want to do. The X1 is probably a quieter machine, but also somewhat less capable than the X2. Alum. brass and delrin are well within the capabilities of most small machines, but steel can be a bit more demanding, and not as much fun to machine.

CJ has a good idea with regards to building an enclosure to muffle the sound of the mill. The X2 is not a particularly quiet machine, and it does require a fairly substantial table. I would definately try to isolate the noise as much as possible by setting the machine on a large piece of wood, with maybe some high-density foam rubber between it and the table. I've got a similar situation with my machine. It's in the garage on my bench, which is on the shared wall with my son's room. He's a very good kid, but he has a low tolerance for noise when he's studying. I've given thought to converting to a belt drive with an AC motor off my now unused drill-press, which is extremely quiet. The Harbor Freight 44991 mill seems to scream at any speed.

I've heard that the belt conversion will soften the noise level a bit. CJ, you have a belt conversion don't you? How did it affect the noise? Can't imagine that it would soften it that much.

I also have to agree with CJ about moving, especially if you don't own the duplex and are only renting it. Obviously if you own it, you must consider the noise reducing aspect pretty heavily.

[cjdavis618]

Originally Posted by blades I've heard that the belt conversion will soften the noise level a bit. CJ, you have a belt conversion don't you? How did it affect the noise? Can't imagine that it would soften it that much.

It does. You would think it was a miracle cure. Obviously it will not reduce the actual tool to material chatter. But as for the running of the spindle, it makes a huge difference.

It changes the loud rattling gear noise to a light high pitch whine of the motor. Basically, if you take the motor off of the top of the mill and turn it on. That is all you hear. Once you put the motor back on with the gear. You will immediately run to your PC and order the kit.

That is how much difference there is.

[blades]

Sweet! I just may have to do that. Would be much easier than doing the AC motor/belt conversion I was considering. I didn't really think the belt would be that much quieter because doesn't the machine have plastic gears already? I would have thought they'd be pretty quiet.

With the belt conversion, do you now manually change from one range to another by changing belt location? I assume the range lever is no longer operable with the belt conversion.

[Adamj12b]

I have been working on converting an X2 to cnc. I got the belt drive from LMS and it made a huge difference in the noise level of the machine. I enclosed the whole mill in a cabinet and when it is just running you cant even hear it at all. Also, plan for things in the future, like coolant. It is alot easier to make a slant in the base to drain coolant, to begin, then it is to have to rebuild it when you want it. Just my 2 cents. -Adam

[Thazul]

I have the X2 from HF, and I have to say that the sound levels were dramatically quieter with the belt conversion.
I kind of miss lower RPM torque I had though for boring large holes in aluminum - Anyone else feel this way? maybe its just me (I wouldn't go back, so no big deal)
I say in aluminum, because I don't think it would be a problem in Delrin, in my experience with Delrin, it cuts like butter.

Best of luck,

Andy

[blades]

Dang, looks like I'm going to be down another $120 for this machine.

[cjdavis618]

Originally Posted by blades With the belt conversion, do you now manually change from one range to another by changing belt location? I assume the range lever is no longer operable with the belt conversion.

Exactly. You just adjust the belt to the next pulley set. As far as the gear lever. I left mine intact internally and just set it between gear settings. "Disengaged" would be the right word.

You can follow the LMS instructions and remove the internal gears but I didn't. I probably will go inside it at some point to clean it out and re-grease the spindle soon. Not that it needs it, but just for better knowledge of the inside of that part of the machine.

If you feel up to it, Hoss' plans are very good for this mod, and much cheaper. Still, the ready made kit is still a great bargain if you are looking for more speed and noise reduction.

[Adamj12b]

Thazul,
I have noticed the same thing with the small loss of torque with the belt drive. One thing that you can try that helped me is if you adjust the potentiometer VR1 on the motor controller board you can raise the Kick-Out current so that it wont go into overload as easily. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION!! You do run the risk of overheating the controller. I installed a larger fan and had relocated it so this helps. Just a suggestion. -Adam

[Thazul]

Adam, good idea thanks for the tip, I'll add some extra cooling too.
if I break it, I have a controller/motor that will be an upgrade. So if I break it, it will force me to do it.

blades, if you wanna hear it running, check out some of hoss's videos.
Hoss has done some great mods to the X2.
http://www.hossmachine.com/Videos6.html

There is a wealth of information to be read in Hoss's threads, check em out.
Here's one of them - http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30385
-

Andy

[Gunther45]

Thanks guys.

I rent so thats why I care about the noise. When I finally buy a house it will definitely have a garage, that is a pre-requisite, but it will be for my car. I have a pebbled driveway and even changing my oil in the winter time is a *****.

Well X2 I guess it is, It seams to be the consensus for my starter machine. I will definitely get the belt conversion and build an enclosure for it, I was going to do the enclosure when I converted it to CNC anyway, I will put the foam under the enclosure/table as well.

All great advice on what I need to do.

Thanks again!