Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

The cult still exists and many do the same to PM machines. Ditto on dro.

Speaking of CNC capabilities, half a dozen years ago there seemed to be a whole cult on the web, of folks using the Grizzly G0704 (perhaps the most popular unit used at that time) and units of similar build with other numbers and/or other brand names, doing home conversions to CNC and there even seemed to be kits available to make the conversions. Don't know if that is still true today, as I have no intention of doing such a conversion, so haven't been following those sites. I'd guess that is now "less of a thing" as dedicated CNC hobby sized mills are probably more available now than they were back then.

As for the DRO option, I cannot recommend it too highly, and were I to do it again, I'd have bought my mill with the factory DRO installed. Instead, I purchased an after-market DRO and installed it myself, which has actually worked out just fine, but it was a whole lot of work that might not have turned out as well as it did, and which ended up saving very little, if any, in total dollar outlay.

That was my next question, I've never used a DRO before, so really don't know what I'm missing, had a long talk with Doug (CrazyDoug)yesterday & he also strongly agrees not to buy a Vertical mill without this DRO feature, I am now leaning towards that direction & would like to hear more of the Pro's & Cons of a DRO please.

Just saw that the 3 axis adds 700 bucks, but yolo. Not sure what you are starting with but consider having a nice vice and clamping set is a must. Drill chuck, collets also plus tooling.


It adds up, I cried every payment now I am done paying for it I enjoy the hobby time it provides.

I have a bit of a different position on DRO’s.  Yes get one on your new mill whatever one you purchase.  It will be a great “aid” in your machine work.  You get what you pay for so match the quality of the DRO to the machine you purchase, maybe one step higher.  Remember the machine you buy is going to move around when you cut, how much depends on its rigidity.  Since I started in the machining hobby in the mid 70’s,  I have acquired 5 milling machines that I kept, two with DRO’s, each of these five machines act differently when cutting.  The two with DRO’s let me cut a whole lot faster, but when you get close to the end it’s time to get out accurate measuring devices.  Of course it depends what you are making. 

The point is do not assume the DRO is going to make your machine any better than it already is.  The DRO is just an “aid” that makes cutting and measuring easier, as long as you remember which side of the center you are on or which side the cutter the zero is set etc.  You still need to acquire all the mill machining skills i.e. what your mill does with a climb cut, how much of a cut can you take, how to compensate for your vise, if you have variable speed ( another worthwhile “aid”) how does it affect the cut if changing on the fly, power feed control another “aid” that needs understanding, cutting dry or with a lubricant, and then add in the with or without the DRO. 

BTW you mentioned the possibility of a lathe, that’s a whole different set of  possibilities with a DRO, again an “aid”.  I have one with a DRO and can make stuff at least 50% faster as long as you pay attention.

You will enjoy a nice heavy mill compared to Taig you mentioned, and after a few projects wonder how you got jobs done without it.  You need to pay once and “cry once” or you will pay twice and “cry louder”!  I think that has been inferred in the posts.

Good Luck and enjoy your retirement gifts – be generous to yourself.

Bob

Thanks Bob & Masonvillengines, Stoker.
I am not a total novice at machining, just not use to a big mill. i am fully aware of the cost of buying nice equipment and yes, my wish list for the mill is almost doubled by the add on tools. I know its not a cnc mill & that I will need to do all the work and layout. A DRO kind of sounds like a GPS,it can get you where you wanna go, but don't trust it completely & keep your wits about you.I have come to the conclusion that a really nice precision mill vise is imperative (dang they're expensive though) the mill I'm looking at is large (850lbs) w/base, 1100 lbs.
What is a good mill vise for the money ? I know of Kurt & Glacern vises, I prefer not to mortgage the house for a vice.

That's a very good way to think of a DRO ... especially the last part of that sentence. But with use and familiarity, it will work well as a pair of calipers in your machining operations too. Not to say it will replace calipers and micrometers at all.

A vise is your single most important accessory in my consideration, but pricing is in direct proportion to size. On my little G0704 I have a cheepo Chinese 4" which has served me well and I wouldn't want anything bigger on my table. However, I did have a bit of work to do on that vise to get it as square and parallel as I wanted, but it was only a little work and that saved me several hundred over a "name brand" that may have needed similar adjustment, though probably not.

Perhaps recommendations from the company you buy the mill from may be worth asking for, and even suggest a discount from them on such accessories as a vise.

$369 Sounds in the ball park, work holding will need other threads I think.

I have a table top milling machine made in Austria that I got from a good friend.  I believe it is an Emco-Maier made in Austria. I haven’t used it much.  Mainly, I use it as a drill press.

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