In article ,
Dan L. wrote:
I have a question and I would like to tell all prospective
metalworking machine buyers of a painful/expensive experience I had
with Smithy:

The question I had is there anybody out there that bought a Midas 1720
from Smithy and has had nothing but trouble from it?

If you had come here and asked first, you would have been
advised to avoid *all* 3-in-1 machines. They are all compromises, with
varying degrees of success.

Usually, the lathe section is not *too* bad, but trying to use
the lathe cross slide as a milling table (and a milling vise as a
compound, or a compound as a milling vise) results in serious problems.
Some have managed to come to terms with these various machines, and
produce good work with them -- but life is *so* much easier with
separates.

As you have already been advised by another followup, buying
used machines, prefarably old American "iron". gets you better machines,
although it helps to know what to look for as signs of wear.

I have at present several machines, most of which are US made,
and one nice small Austrian lathe with CNC capabilities.

The serious size lathe is a Clausing 12x24" machine with lever
operated drawbar for 5C collets (maxim through size of 1", maximum short
grip of 1-1/8") and a bed turret. For mills I have a Bridgeport
Series-II vertical mill (being upgraded to modern CNC controls), and a
Nichols horizontal mill with 40-taper tooling.

The Clausing cost me $1700 (on eBay) IIRC.

The Nichols mill cost me $200 (also on eBay). Shipping (from
the Boston area to the Washington DC area) cost more than the purchase
for the Nichols, since it weighs in at 1100 pounds.

I forget what the Bridgeport cost, but I think that it was
around $1300.00 or so (plus shipping from California).

Smaller lathes should cost less -- and current prices for used
equipment are lower, as many machine shops are either shutting down, or
moving to CNC equipment in the interest of productivity.

Good Luck,
DoN.
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