trying to figure out what i want.

[smooth72]

Totally new to getting into milling. I am trying to figure out what would be best for me. I thought maybe one of these Smithy, but when I read some of the reviews it seems these may not be the best tool. Smithy's has the MI-1220 LTD for $2000 and MI-1220XL for $1529 plus free tooling kit. I am wanting to produce aluminum parts for my Hot rods. Right know I am very confused what would be best for me. I have seen a Tree mill 2uv for $1800 locally, but that sure takes up allot of room.

[sharpshooter90]

Those 3 in1 you mention are OK small lathes, but as mills they are extremely limited. If you want a 3 in1 with good milling capacity , there is a Bridgemill on E-bay in your price range. If milling is going to be your #1 job, maybe its best to invest all your money in a good mill.

[fastlanecafe]

That Bridgemill is gone- I bid on it to replace my Quadra lift model, but it sold for more than a new price. Bad news for me, but good news for Shoptask owners that they carry a good resale value. There is a Smithy Midas on E Bay as well, bidding is only 700.00 with about 9 hours to go. If you can settle for the limited milling capacity and are on a tight budget, it might be worth looking at.

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by smooth72 Totally new to getting into milling. I am trying to figure out what would be best for me. I thought maybe one of these Smithy, but when I read some of the reviews it seems these may not be the best tool. Smithy's has the MI-1220 LTD for $2000 and MI-1220XL for $1529 plus free tooling kit. I am wanting to produce aluminum parts for my Hot rods. Right know I am very confused what would be best for me. I have seen a Tree mill 2uv for $1800 locally, but that sure takes up allot of room.

Welcome to the group of confused machinists
Take a hard and realistic look at what you are going to mill most of the time. Then do the same for your budget. Finally the same for the available space.
Most times these three things will conflict with each other. That is where the comprimises come in.

Strong well made machines that will mill anything and fit into the space you have in mind and under budget are real hard to find. I am still looking.

A full size machine that is already cnc can very well make up for all of the space it takes up because it has lots of mass to dampen vibration and you won't spend a lot of time trying to cut 12" parts on a 10" machine.

If that Tree is cnc for $1800 is ready to run and all you need to do is bring it home and start making chips, WOW.

If it is a manual machine I will sell you my series one step pulley bridgeport with dro and all the r-8 collets I have for $1500. It will include the VFD to go from 1 to 3 phase. But I am in CT.

Mike.

[metal-chips]

Own and Operate a Granite 1340 Max, good machine, it’s more money then MI series. The non “Max” machines have a shorter mill head, however the Mill side of my machine has good rigidly. The biggest thing for any mill is if in doubt run a faster speed and a slower feed.

[smallblock]

Originally Posted by smooth72 Totally new to getting into milling. I am trying to figure out what would be best for me. I thought maybe one of these Smithy, but when I read some of the reviews it seems these may not be the best tool. Smithy's has the MI-1220 LTD for $2000 and MI-1220XL for $1529 plus free tooling kit. I am wanting to produce aluminum parts for my Hot rods. Right know I am very confused what would be best for me. I have seen a Tree mill 2uv for $1800 locally, but that sure takes up allot of room.

Back in 1995 when I was shopping for my first machine, I narrowed it down to Smithy and Shoptask. They seemed to be the 2 leaders in that type of machines. I went with the Shoptask because they had the larger milling capacity. Like Metal Chips, I got a ton of use out of my machine over the years and it paid for itself countless times. When I decided to move up to a newer machine I looked at smithy's 13 X 40 and the new Shoptask Patriot. Shoptask had increased the lathe length to 40" as well, but they had made huge improvements in the mill, while the Smithy was essentially the same design from 15 years ago. I went with the Patriot model and am not disappointed. My advice is to decide whether lathe or mill is going to be most important to you- as a lathe the Smithy will be adequate. As for milling look to something else- either the Shoptask or a stand alone unit.

[flatheadford49]

Hello,
I'm over here checking out the Smithy forum, nice site by the way, everyone seems polite and helpful and I run into you guys from the forum next door.
I see you have no problem with cutting down Smithy machines and then trying to sell your machines. I'd like to see somebody try that in your territory.

TOTALLYRC,
good post. a lot of great information.

UPDATE:
I really didn't know much about Smithy, so I checked out the Smithy website. Hey, you guys failed to mention that Smithy sells CNC bed mills and CNC lathes, and that they have a whole stable full of different types of 3 in 1 machines, They have manual lathes and manual bed mills, one of which has power feeds on 3 axis. Pretty impressive!
Some companies are stuck on one 3 in 1 design that they just keep adding bells and whistles to. Smithy has all kinds of choices. If I didn't have a machine shop at home, I think I would be seriously considering Smithy if I couldn't find some good old American iron.
So the next time you guys come over to visit, now you know what Smithy has to offer, and if someone asks a question HERE, it pretty much means that they are interested in a Smithy. I've done the research for you, so now you can let them know what SMITHY has available.

Good Luck
Flathead

[flatheadford49]

smooth 72,

Did you ever get a lathe or mill. I not recommending a brand to buy. But do a lot of research, try to talk to some local machinists. And get some time on some different machines. The only thing I am saying you must do is get a machine. Then life is good. Only problem is when you bring that first one home there is a very good chance more will follow and you'll end up owning a whole machine shop. Let us know what you end up getting. Oh, and on that Tree mill, check out the spindle taper and make sure it uses standard tooling that is easily obtained.

Good Luck
Flathead

[jdclark]

If you are doing a lot of mill work, I would only consider the stand alone CNC mill. For general purpose work, with an emphasis on turning, one of the 3 in 1's would be fine.

[flatheadford49]

I see you are another one of the guys from the forum next door that like to quote someone, then change the words and meanings in the quote, to suit your own purposes.

That is just downright DISHONEST!

Why is it so important for you guys to do things like this. You can't be just a "hobbyist", There are three or four of you guys over there that act very strange. I could not love a machine that much to keep a constant vigil, 24/7, to protect and defend. There has to be a hidden agenda.

There's one guy over there that seems to know everything there is to know. Every nut and bolt, every upgrade on every machine they ever made. Which factory in China it was made in. You could go on and on. Seems like a lot of inside information, much more knowledge than the typical "hobbyist" should know. But, over there, he's just another machine owner.

So hopefully, in your future posts, you will be honest and respectful. It's really not that hard to do.

Good Luck
Flathead

[jdclark]

Originally Posted by jdclark If you are doing a lot of mill work, I would only consider the stand alone CNC mill. For general purpose work, with an emphasis on turning, one of the 3 in 1's would be fine.

Smooth-
Sorry, I posted the wrong link completely-
Here is the one I meant if you are looking at the CNC machines

Here we go 924 cnc lathe on the way

[flatheadford49]

Originally Posted by jdclark Smooth- Sorry, I posted the wrong link completely- Here is the one I meant if you are looking at the CNC machines Here we go 924 cnc lathe on the way

Wrong, it's the same exact link, your just up to your old tricks again!

Ok, so you're back over here, from the forum next door, and you found out that you have been busted by the moderator for dishonestly injecting the above link into my quote that you posted. (refer to your post # 9 ) and it was deleted. You guys do this quite often over on your forum..
So in your last post you link to the very same thread that you injected into my quote. I checked it out and it is about a member that bought a Smithy CNC lathe and he was having trouble with it. He doesn't return to say if the problem was resolved or not.

So this makes me think that for one, you guys are all about making Smithy look bad, so then maybe you can convert someone asking questions here, to one of your customers.
I don't own a Smithy machine, so I can't comment about them good or bad, but at least Smithy has paid for an ad on the CNC Zone. And they have a variety of different types of machines to choose from.

Here is what I recommend you should do:
1. Buy an ad from the CNC ZONE to advertise your machine.
2. Don't hide behind phony screen names, to cut down your competition, then try to sell your machine.
3. Have an actual real live company representative, posting on your forum, using his real name and having a signature with his work phone # and email address.
4. Drop all the phony screen names you have been hiding behind. You represent a company, start acting like it.
5. If you have an unhappy customer posting unfairly about you, and since you have done everything in your power to resolve the issue, get help from the moderator, Don't send your phony screen name attack dogs to harass the guy. This really degrades your forum and makes you guys look screwy.

I believe if you take the above advice, your image will definitely improve, and you will get more respect, and you sure will impress me and others. And maybe even sell more machines. That's why your here, isn't it.

Good Luck
Flathead