Beware the copies!!!!

I’d put the money towards a proper mill. More rigid, bigger clamping area, bigger travel, easier to set up, etc

I’m not sure how useful the longer 4 slot one will be as you run a greater risk of the bottom of the table hitting the bed so travel may not be any more than the 3 slot

Another vote for putting the money into a real milling machine.

Milling slides on lathes are very limited in comparison with a real mill; nowhere near as rigid and they only provide a tiny work space.   Good work is possible, but slides take ages to set-up, and are then only able to take light cuts over short distances. Frustrating.  On a very good day I scored mine no better than ³⁄₁₀.

Slides were popular back when it was almost impossible for amateurs to own a real mill.  Today, we can, and should!  In many workshops I suspect a mill is more useful than a lathe.  Certainly wonderful to own both.

Not having enough room for a milling machine is the only good reason I can think of for owning a lathe slide.

Dave

Do you mean vertical axis Bernard?

yes vertical axis

In addition to the points, the advocates of purchasing a mill, provided, both mill and lathe can be set up for different operations at the same time and without altering other settings.

SOD’s last comment really sums things up for nearly all hobby workshops, these days, I think.

To go for a mill you need 2 things ! The space and the money ! Not just the mill but ALL the other bits you will need to make it usable, many more shekels ! Someone mentioned £300 for a slide and vice, secondhand half this figure. Put a cutter in the chuck and your away – ideal, no but it gets you started. One only has to look at the number of times trouble with the motor or controller on small mills (and lathes )crop up on here. The cold damp sheds some of us have are not the place for electronics, though the radio keeps going.

If the first 2 criteria can be met go for a mill, the biggest you can fit and afford. Good Luck. Noel.

Hi, both my old Chester Champion and Waco Major mills are round column, and yes you can loose alignment if you need to lift or lower the head, but as John has said, there have been a few articles to overcome the situation, but I’ve rarely found this problem, as setting up your machine in the first place, to take into account of all operations, will in most cases, stop the need to move the head at all. One advantage of the round column is that the head can be swung round out of the way to give you a better view of setting up your work, and won’t hider dial gauges etc.

Regards Nick.