(Micro-Mark Mega Mini R8) Milling machine for fabricating parts... advice needed.

[Tin Can]

Don't forget that McMaster Carr sell metal in all kinds, in many sizes. Study the online catalog.

I have bought large dowel rounds cut by them at 1". Accurately, they stock them. Huge Chicago area warehouse.

At my old shop i could exactly specify big sheets of steel already cut to almost any size. Like !' ground flat 36x72" and delivered to my corner. Outside vender. Which became our welding table, after we welded a base for it.

We also had a metal shear that could cut 1/4" 4X8 ft sheets into tiny pieces or in 1/2 with a bang.

Loading that monster with a full sheet was a one man job with power hoist and one clamp.

Gotta know how and I never was a strong man, finesse did it.

[Greg]

Followup on the original post:

Considered the Micro Mark, Grizzly, and LittleMachineShop's mini mills. Evidently all are made by the same parent company in China but to different specs. In the end chose the LittleMachineShop's 3990 HiTorque Mini Mill, but I'm quite sure that the other two would have also worked for me. Having a tilting column just didn't seem necessary. More robust construction of the 3990 was a plus. Also decided to include their 4858 Tooling Package, included 95% of the accessories that I would ever need. Added in a few more accessories from Grizzly. Also ordered some Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum bar stock from McMaster-Carr for my first fabrications.

Seriously considered the alternative of just plain having the fabrications (that I wanted) made by a local machine shop, but two price quotes almost exceeded the total purchase price of the 3990 Milling Machine, including shipping.

Milling machine along with 2 boxes arrived securely strapped together on a wooden pallet. Was delivered at the bottom of our very steep driveway, fortunately the delivery person was agreeable to the both of us hauling it up the driveway into our garage. The milling machine weighed in at 120 pounds + but was very top heavy and awkward to lift. With the help of my son and a friend was able to get it into the cellar and onto its dedicated workbench.

Workbench is sturdy, but will still have to secure it to the back concrete wall. Since I have only wood working experience, father was a self employed carpenter and taught me a lot, will start to mill with some blocks of PVC that I have lying around to get used of using the machine's controls. Should be interesting.... The micrometer sized tolerances and measurements are so different than working with wood.

[Tin Can]

Good to hear.

Checked the website and they cannot state a date of availability

I wonder if prices will rise OR fall by summer

Keep us posted!

[Greg]

Good to hear.

Checked the website and they cannot state a date of availability

I wonder if prices will rise OR fall by summer

Keep us posted!

I think that they just held a winter sale, and all their units were sold out. Was very impressed with the wooden shipping container it came in, was actually quite over constructed in my opinion. Was very impressed by the Company and most certainly will be ordering items from them again in the future.

[choiliefan]

Followup on the original post:
Milling machine along with 2 boxes arrived securely strapped together on a wooden pallet. Was delivered at the bottom of our very steep driveway, fortunately the delivery person was agreeable to the both of us hauling it up the driveway into our garage.

Every hobbyist/craftsman should have a pallet jack.

[Jim C.]

Glad to hear you purchased a mill, metal working tolerances can be as accurate as you want to work in.