On Oct 28, 12:40 pm, Jim Wilkins wrote:
On Oct 28, 1:44 am, "Michael Koblic" wrote:

This is the cheapest milling machine I have seen so far:

http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/pictu...028082086153&N...

Has anyone got some experience with it? Any comments on the specs? I suspect
someone will recognize it as an equivalent of a similar piece of Chinese
machinery sold in the USA under a different name (a game I have been playing
with mini-lathes recently :-)
Michael Koblic,

I don't have hands-on experience with it or any other mini-mill except
the Sherline, which is too small. Arbors and collets are easier to
find for an R8 spindle.

Users manual:http://grizzly.com/products/Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689

Parts and accessories:http://littlemachineshop.com/



Michael,

I would not reject a mill on the sole grounds for having a M3 spindle
taper.

On a small mill the space between table top and spindle nose is at a
premium, consequently you will want to keep the cutting tools as close
to the spindle nose as possible. This would require collets, and from
personal experience M3 collets hold the tool much tighter than R8
collets.

M3 collets are advertised in the Home Shop Machinist, and I have used
a set for about 20 years. I used R8 collets professionally and I
thought they did a very poor job of holding cutters. With R8 collets
the cutter may pull out, that is why end mill holders with a set
screws are sold. With an M3 collet I have never had this happen.

I arranged for a "jacking" type draw bar in my mill. This draw bar
pushes the collet out of the spindle nose so you don't have to beat
the daylight out of the draw bar end to get the collet to release; M3
collets hold very tightly and require a healthy thump to release
otherwise.

Also, Morse taper shanks with a soft and unmachined ends cost less
than $10 each and are suitable for making special cutter holders for
boring heads and fly cutters.

Wolfgang