Pete C. wrote:
Larry Jaques wrote:

On 8 Jan 2006 08:43:21 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
quickly quoth:


Larry Jaques wrote:
On 5 Jan 2006 21:23:03 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
quickly quoth:

The Seig X2 mini mill (HF item 44991) is a remarkable well made little
machine (I just CNC'd one), certainly no Bridgeport, but a solid little
machine with a convenient R8 spindle. I got this for $359 between a sale
and a 20% coupon, regular $500.

Can anyone give me he specifics on what this 20% e-mail is all about. I
get e-mails from Harbor Freight all the time but nothing like that.

I wrote this to Roy last month:

--snip--
How did you get the 20% off coupon?

On their funky, priceless promo sote, Roy. Sign up for free email ads
at www.harborfreightusa.com .

Top right link says:

FREE
Receive: discounts,
coupons, specials
Click Here

I am not a company, so that doesn't work.(Funny how they still send me
e-mails everyday on discounted stuff I don't need.

I didn't sign up as a company. BTW, the last mailer I got from them
had a 20% off coupon on the top right side of the front page. No
email necessary.

I've been looking at the mini-mills(or Mill/drills) that are all
supposed to come from the same factory in China, and noticed slight
differences the posted images/claims of these machines even though they
are supposed to be the same.

http://www.cumminstools.com/browse.cfm/4,1485.htm
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44991
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares...oduct&ID=82573

Can I get recommendations from anyone that has had experience with
these?

I'm in the same boat as you are. Wanting, but haven't bought one yet.
Since the HF store is within driving range, I'm strongly leaning
toward their model. The Cummins model is $100 cheaper but comes with a
$109 shipping fee, and I don't really trust the company having seen
their tent sales fly through town. There would be no support at all.
In the higher price range, the Minilux starts closing in on its larger
brother, Grizzly's G0463. That looks fascinating for a grand (which I
don't have.)

Maybe I'll just bite the bullet, clean us some room in the shop, save
up some gas money, and wander on down to Gunners for that old Gorton
mill and a REAL drill press some day soon.

--
"Not always right, but never uncertain." --Heinlein
-=-=-
http://www.diversify.com Wondrous Website Design

The machines are all essentially the same, with the possible exception
of the MicroMark versions. The pictures and claims vary a bit due to
changes / improvements made by the manufacturer and errors in the
advertising. The only real difference in the mini-mills is the R8 or MT3
spindle.

The HF version is the R8 which would generally be preferable since R8
tooling is more common and less expensive. I wouldn't expect a lot of
support from most of the vendors other than outright replacement if the
thing is broken.

I have to agree that the Cummins tent sales don't exactly give me that
warm fuzzy feeling, but it's still the basic Sieg X2 product and I've
read reports of people perfectly happy with their X2 from Cummins.

The HF version is an excellent deal with the sale and coupon if you can
do local pickup, the Cummins if they're in town is probably similar, but
I don't recall if they have the preferable R8 spindle. I think
LittleMachineShop sells replacement spindles in both bores for like $50
so you could always change if need be.

I've been staying away from MT# like the plague.

I went to Seig's site and now those Multi-machines look interesting. I
haven't read anything about them, and was wondering if anyone here has
dad any experience with them and thought they were worth it.

I assume that they a way more expensive than the Sieg X2 type machines.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.