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Posted: 4/1/2012 12:54:43 PM EDT
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I'm thinking about buying a mill just for 80% lowers. I know the bigger the better on machinery, but I'm trying to go with the smallest (cheapest) mill I can comfortably finish 80% lowers with. Can y'all tell me if this one would be enough. Thanks.
choice 1 I know this one would be better, but its twice as much. Keep in mind, other than maybe some tiny pieces, AR15 lowers are going to be the ONLY thing it gets used for. choice 2 |
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For aluminum, those will work, but then again, so will a drill press.
You'll still have to take very shallow cuts per pass. They'll be next-to-useless for big projects and/or steel. Small machines like those tend to have weird spindle sizes, limiting the sources, sizes and types of tooling you can buy, and tending to make the tooling a lot more expensive. The second machine you linked to at least has a standard R8 spindle, for which a wider variety of, and generally less-expensive tooling is available. |
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I'm not sure if these would be large enough for milling receivers, but Sherline is about the cheapest way to do CNC.
http://www.sherline.com/ |
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Quoted:
For aluminum, those will work, but then again, so will a drill press. You'll still have to take very shallow cuts per pass. They'll be next-to-useless for big projects and/or steel. Small machines like those tend to have weird spindle sizes, limiting the sources, sizes and types of tooling you can buy, and tending to make the tooling a lot more expensive. The second machine you linked to at least has a standard R8 spindle, for which a wider variety of, and generally less-expensive tooling is available. Two questions: (1) does that mean you would put that mill on par with a drill press? (2) how bad would it be using a drill press? I ask because I have a drill press (I make kydex sheaths and holsters) its a "Skilz" its a benchtop and only cost about a hundred bux. I was REALLY tempted to get the Colfax 80%'r and the Colfax jig but o didn't want to waste money on them just to find out stumbling through this with a drill press is a nightmare. I also don't want to drop 4 bills on a mill to find out its basically my drill press. So.... can I do this (comfortably) on my drill press? And would the cheaper of the two I linked be any better than my drill press? Thanks. |
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Quoted:
Drill presses aren't designed to take the lateral stresses that milling operations put on the head. that's what i've heard, but he got my hopes up when he said that (for aluminum) a drill press would work. i know, in theory, a drill press is the wrong tool for the job. however, if anyone has done it with a drill press, i would really like to hear how they faired. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
For aluminum, those will work, but then again, so will a drill press. You'll still have to take very shallow cuts per pass. They'll be next-to-useless for big projects and/or steel. Small machines like those tend to have weird spindle sizes, limiting the sources, sizes and types of tooling you can buy, and tending to make the tooling a lot more expensive. The second machine you linked to at least has a standard R8 spindle, for which a wider variety of, and generally less-expensive tooling is available. Two questions: (1) does that mean you would put that mill on par with a drill press? (2) how bad would it be using a drill press? I ask because I have a drill press (I make kydex sheaths and holsters) its a "Skilz" its a benchtop and only cost about a hundred bux. I was REALLY tempted to get the Colfax 80%'r and the Colfax jig but o didn't want to waste money on them just to find out stumbling through this with a drill press is a nightmare. I also don't want to drop 4 bills on a mill to find out its basically my drill press. So.... can I do this (comfortably) on my drill press? And would the cheaper of the two I linked be any better than my drill press? Thanks. (1) Either of those mills you linked is really only a deluxe XY table drill press with beefed up spindle bearings, to handle side cutting stresses. If there were a way to inexpensively refit better bearings to your drill press, it'd probably be better than the less expensive of the two machines you linked. (2) If you get some milling cutter bits and an XY table for your drill press, the level of effort is going to be about the same, and the results about the same. Most of the 80% forgings require you to do the fire control well, which is best done with a mill cutter (the floor of the well should be flat, which you can't do with pointy drill bits). If you do the plunge cuts correctly, then finishing the well walls flat with side cuts will be about the same, unless your drill press is really crappy. If you were going to be doing a lot of side cutting, the mills would be necessary to prevent damage to your drill press. To just do a few 80% ARs... not much difference. ETA with a big mill, you'd be taking half-inch or more plunges in one location, then side-cutting the rest of the fire control well with the XY axes to hog out the pocket. With a small mill or drill press, you'll be locating a series of holes and plunge-cutting them to depth to remove material, then finishing with shallow side-cutting passes to finish the walls of the well. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Drill presses aren't designed to take the lateral stresses that milling operations put on the head. that's what i've heard, but he got my hopes up when he said that (for aluminum) a drill press would work. i know, in theory, a drill press is the wrong tool for the job. however, if anyone has done it with a drill press, i would really like to hear how they faired. Drill presses have drill chucks and are typically mounted on unsecured tapers. The lateral loading from a milling op could cause the Chuck to break free. Don't do it. Gunsmithing has this topic covered quite well. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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