Milling Machine

[Gary BarfordParticipant @garybarford47324]

[Gary BarfordParticipant @garybarford47324]

Hi, I have just purchased a Sieg C6 Lathe (Chinese) and i will be in the market for a milling machine, my main interest is Stationary Engines, but hope to one day built a 5″ gauge Loco.

 

I have looked at 2 options Sieg X2 or the HM-10a Mill attachment for the C6

 

Any comments or suggestions welcome

 

 PS. I live in New Zealand

 

Cheers

 

 

Edited By Gary Barford on 09/04/2010 21:22:55

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

I would get the super 1XL with the larger table (from Arc Euro Trade) or if funds could be available (and room) the X3.

regards David

Edited By David Clark 1 on 09/04/2010 21:03:54

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Get the biggest mill you can afford/fit in and not a lathe accessory.

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

There is a lot of vibration milling, and a lot of overhang if you follow the line round from table to tool.

 

So if I could back John – get one at least twice as big as you think you need. The bigger the table and the heavier the better and the more rigid relative to the size of work the better Find the room for it!

 

The other thing is to get one with as low a minimum speed as possible. You always end up having to flycut radii that are bigger than was ever thought of when the thing was purchased (loco boiler saddle?) and being able to go slow is a very very useful feature (50-60rpm)

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Hi,

 

Do a search on this forum. There are a number of threads dealing with the X2 (and it’s clones) and possible problems.

Briefly, the possible problems are:

Breaking of the plastic internal gears. Note that Arc Euro have suitable metal replacements.

Electronic control board failure. Note that some machines have an American control board, eg the Amadeal version and my own Warco MiniMill. These may be more reliable.

 

In respect of the Warco MiniMill, I now have experience of two of these machines. Both have suffered from seizure of the fine-feed vertical movement – cured by shimming. 

Also, both Warco machines are best described as a kit of parts requiring fettling. David White in MEW has found problems with the X0 X-Y base & the X1 mill. He suggests methods to improve them.

The suggestion that the MiniMill is best treated as a kit of parts requiring fettling has also been said by other people in respect of other X2 mills and clones.

 

Regards,

 

Peter G. Shaw

 

Note to David Clark 1.

 

Given that questions re the X2 mills and their clones keep arising, plus the information in various threads, it does make me think that an article combining all the information about these machines, their manufacturing sources, clones, and known problems and cures is perhaps long overdue.

 

The question is, where would such an article be located? 

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

It would be located in MEW.

Just need someone to write it.

I don’t think there is much wrong with the Arc Euro Trade super X1L.

David White wanted to make his machine much sturdier and really went overboard on improvements.

As sold it is not a bad machine.

regards david

 

 

[jwgottParticipant @jwgott]

In the first paragraph of David White’s article in MEW No. 150 he says that he has “already described….how to replace the geared spindle drive with a more versatile belt drive.”  I can’t find any articles by David White where he describes the belt drive.  Can someone please point me to the issue that has the article.  Thanks much!

 

Jonathan

Bethesda, Maryland

USA

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

I would strongly recommend you do NOT consider the X1 or X2 type mills or any of their clones. Don’t buy a milling attachment for your lathe!! Having owned an X2 type, I can testify to the weakness inherent in the plastic gear set, I eventually built my own belt drive replacement. That said, I then upgraded to a much heavier bench mill and then to a fully industrial turret mill. I can only say that anything that is bench mounted is going to be limited by its mounting. Milling is a process which induces a significant amount of vibration and the greater mass you have in the machine, the less will be transmitted to the tool and the workpiece.

With that in mind, you then need to take into consideration the type and size of work you will undertake. The X3 and machines of a similar size are very capable of very good results provided the limitations of the machine are understood.

 

I machine parts for engines rangiing from small aero engines up to medium size traction engines and all of this is catered for in my Ajax AJT4 – a big mill but extremely sturdy and accurate. Choose a machine that is capable of at least twice the size that you intend to make and you will have the rigidity you desire. If you go for a bridgeport or similar, yolu will not regret your choice.

[John ShepherdParticipant @johnshepherd38883]

Gary

I went through the same decision process as you when I bought a Sieg C4 with a milling attachment available. I changed from a combination lathe/mill and in truth the milling part was not  a success so my decision was heavily  biased towards a separate mill but cost and available space still had to be considered and in the end I bought an X2.

 

My advice from my own experience for what it is worth is do not even consider the attachment.

 

The advice to get the biggest machine you can is sound but we have to be realistic and accept compromise for a variety of reasons including what we want to do with the machine.

There is a lot written about the X2 (and clones) and its shortcomings but in truth I have found it to be capable machine if used within its limits.

 

I have seen people writing about extensive modification to an X2 before they have even cut metal with it. To me that means they have bought the wrong machine and their time and money would be better spent on a more robust model. The X2 is not alone in needing some attention, most Chinese machines need some cleaning and ‘fettling’ before use.

 

I am not saying I would buy another X2 or similar size machine, I would love an industrial machine and to be able to afford the tooling that goes with it but for the moment the X2 extends my capability, fits in my limited space and does most of what I want to do and I would not be without it. I did manage to break the gears soon after I had it but it was my fault and if the gears had not broken I shudder to think what other damage would have resulted. Since then I have not had a failure of any sort in two years of use.

 

The most useful modification I have found is the addition of DROs . Apart from ease of use and increased accuracy they go a long way in helping to keep things within the limitations of the machine by avoiding taking too big a cut because of mistakes reading the unfriendly dials and the imprecise head travel.

[Author]

Posts