Mill recommendations

Gunsmithing Workbench
1

I haven’t used a mill in years but I’m educated about it. Yes, this can be dangerous indeed. I made vises and was a gear and bearing cutting during the summers while I college. As well as ran a boring bar building high performance dragster engines for the same shop.

I need a mill now as I am progressing. Obviously I don’t intend to spend a fortune and I don’t mind taking smaller cuts (there’s a lot of factors in that of course).

I need something rigid enough to do pistol work but don’t need a high end Bridgeport. I don’t care who makes it but I don’t want junk out of the box. By junk I mean I can put a dial to the table and run it out and see satisfactory results and not an abortion.

I can spend somewhere between 1000 and maybe 2000. Store to floor. Or bench. I have 9’ ceilings in my basement gun room with steel topped well built benches.

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2

With the current Bidenomics I’ve been see a lot of mills on craigslist, take a look in your area

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3

A Haas would be bare minimum if you are thinking about going into business or production. The days of making money off of manual machines is long gone. Get a work envelope bigger than what you think you need. Everyone regrets getting a machine smaller than what they need, but very few people regret getting more.

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4

I looked them up. Quite the machines. Pretty much out of my “job shop” range. I would have to be making money first. If it can’t pay for itself….
That being said, going bigger than what I think the envelope would be is pretty good advice. I could buy most any of them but it has to pay for itself.

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5

If you have the room and electrical capabilities, I would always suggest a used Bridgeport in fair to good condition. With all the small businesses closing I would imagine that you could find one for around 2-3 grand.

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6

If I can’t find a used Bridgeport I will get this one to start with. If you guys know of an equivalent that would serve better in this class please speak up.

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7

Going through what it doesn’t have, looks like those items will double the price. I wouldn’t mind having it. Not sure how I would make it pay…

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8

Which is the real question. However better investment than a car, which is rust to be. Unless maybe an Uber driver or if you get milage to drive to work.

I would have to be able to sell whatever comes off the table. Or at least the potential. Thus the 07 FFL application I filled out.

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9

I would look for a used Bridgeport, but then I am a journeyman heavy equipment machinist so I am very familiar with what a descent Bridgeport can do. Also worked in a tool maker shop for a while and with a good compound vise and rotary table there is not much that a good machinist could not do with this setup.

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