Harbor freight mill and lathe question

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I'm not a big fan of the combo machines like the Smithy. Always seems to be a compromise. Not a terrible lathe, but not a good mill. Some of them lose tram if you raise or lower the head, which you need to do a lot. So pay attention to that. I think it is worth dealing with a cramped space and having a real lathe and a real mill. Deals come up if you watch. I just passed on five South Bend lathes last week because I have no more room. Two 9"A, a 10k, Heavy 10L, and a 13" for $650 each.
 
gzig5 said:
I'm not a big fan of the combo machines like the Smithy. Always seems to be a compromise. Not a terrible lathe, but not a good mill. Some of them lose tram if you raise or lower the head, which you need to do a lot. So pay attention to that. I think it is worth dealing with a cramped space and having a real lathe and a real mill. Deals come up if you watch. I just passed on five South Bend lathes last week because I have no more room. Two 9"A, a 10k, Heavy 10L, and a 13" for $650 each.
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Dang...I never see deals like that out here. I agree that a full sized mill and lathe would be better, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you can. And the 3 in 1 is a compromise.
 
SLOPAR72 said:
A Millwright can do things with basic tools that won't make sense to most people lol so what you are doing without a Mill wouldn't surprise me....

I ran across a sweet deal on a Knee Mill and Lathe a few years back with tooling and converted to VFD's and spent a day too many considering it. Those deals are few and far between today....

JW
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Here’s the project I was talking about that a mill would have came in very handy.

No mill, No W2 adapter plates, No problem
 
Here's my HF drill press...
HFDRILL.jpg
 
pittsburghracer said:
Here’s the project I was talking about that a mill would have came in very handy.

No mill, No W2 adapter plates, No problem
Click to expand...

Other than sideloading the bearings on the DP I see no problem doing it that way.... As said Millwrights have to figure different ways to accomplish things. Even if you have access to the right equipment for the job work has to be done where equipment is positioned in Manufacturing and so it goes.....

I allocate equipment for my company and all things that come with it (decommission), rig, install etc. and it's been a while since i've seen good equipment out of the machine shops in the plants up for Auction. They are normally sold immediately when there is a closure....

JW
 
Up here is princess auto, sold a similar lathe and mill.i dont think they carry them any more.
Years ago i bought a 1947 south bend 9A. No regrets. Have been watching for a mill,but nothing even remotely decent ever comes up.
Last week i had to make a 1/2” thermostat adapter. Buddy cut me a slab off a 4”x4” aluminum block. I faced it in lathe,bored 2-1/4” hole and jig sawed the rest. Two hours to make the part. Hei distributor in a ford touched the thermostat housing.
A mill would have made it easier.
 
Krooser said:
Here's my HF drill press...View attachment 1715756790
Click to expand...


I worked for years with a piece of junk craftsman drill press my mother in law gave me when her husband passed away. The table flexed if worked hard. When I bought my Harbor Freight drill press I bought the biggest one the stocked. The reviews rated it good except for a loud motor. I have several new high grade motors here so I bought it and have been beating on it for 6-7 years with zero maintenance. Very happy with this purchase

8A5E16E5-6645-4B7B-9BFA-67205FECE782.jpeg
 
20 years ago I went on a machinery buying spree....bought a 50 ton Buffalo iron worker that made Model A Ford parts, got a rare 5 axis manual mill that was in the belly of a Navy ship, a Peck and Stowe jump sheer, a Chicago finger brake and a Delta 24" drill press with a two speed gear box and more.

All vintage US made stuff some bits 80 years old.

I was doing hot rod fabrication back then and trucking. When the economy took a crap and fuel prices hit $4.00 I parked my truck and became a hired driver again.

Eventually I had to sell all but my drill press to keep above water.

Now I am too damn old to run that stuff anyway!
 
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