Richard wrote:
What none have said, check that thing out to make sure it's square, I
had the HF version, square didn't apply. First things to check:

Column square to table. Check front to back, It probably isn't, mine
wasn't. Not a big thing to deal with if you have a nearby shop with a
surface grinder available. The small bracket that mounts to the base
might need to have the bottom ground to make it square.

Most people are shimming these. They tend to be out by .003 or so,
column leaning toward table.

Second, is the spindle parallel to the column? Mine was also a
definite no. Easier to fix that it looks like, the head is made in
two halves, bolted together, complete with chips, burrs and raised
metal from the tapping. Straight edge and scraper make short work of
this, but when you reassemble, indicate it in any manner you can think
of. If the spindle is out of parallel, you're going to get errors and
not know where they came from

Pull the gib strips out and get the !$(%%*^ sharp corners filed back
so they're not digging into the corner of the gib, making adjustment a
joke and operation rough.

1" travel dial indicators with mag backs on them can make holding a
tolerance a lot easier, especially if the gib locks are set to just
drag a little. Work to the indicator, not the dials.

A ggod simple first project is adding a DI to the spindle limit block,
the locking thing that slides up and down on the column under the
spindle. Drill and tap the left end (opposite the lock handle). Make a
standoff bracket to place the DI vertically to contact the bottom of the
spindle case. Excellent for measuring depth of cut. Looks cool too

ER collets or end mill holders may seem like a good idea, BUT!
This is a small machine and the spindle isn't any too rigid to begin
with. Any amount of tool overhang you can eliminate won't hurt things
a bit. If you use a milling vise, don't bother with the swivel base,
it's just added height you've got subtracting from your already
limited space, it just makes things shaky.

Watch the oil, figure this is like most of the old machines, when the
oil quits dripping, it's time to add more.

Oil? What oil? You mean as in cutting fluid, or way lube?

It can be an excellent small machine, but a lot depends on the initial
setup, meaning make sure it's right before you scrap a bunch of stuff.

Get a screwless vise, don't use a drilpress vise.