Newmill

Hi

My next project is to be the Stuart Victoria from grey castings.

My current mill a Clarkes CMD10 is nowhere near adequate for this so I am thinking an upgrade is the order of the day.

My budget will run to 700 for the mill and the sieg family look to be good value for money.

Any suggestions tips etc will be appreciated.

Cheers

While I could never suggest a move to a larger, more rigid and more powerful milling machine would not enhance anyone's workshop I don't think you will get it within your budget buying new. ArcEuro have discontinued the Sieg SX1L mill which is basically the same as your present machine but with a longer table and travel. You could add these to your present machine I suspect for less than £100. The replacement in the ArcEuro range has a more powerful motor and stronger drive but is not much larger. Going any bigger takes you out of your price bracket, particularly when the larger tooling necessary is taken into account.

I think you have two realistic options - Firstly look at the secondhand market, but here I cannot comment as I bought the Sieg SX1L new as it was the only machine that I could fit in at home and anyway I had access to a larger machine at the club (then!)

Or consider what you need to use a mill for after buying the Victoria castings. I am always amazed at the jobs my micro mill has managed to produce, although admittedly it already has the larger table fitted.

If I had the space I would have jumped at the chance of a larger machine, but you are looking at an extra £50 just for the machine and then more for collets etc and then the workholding T-nuts, bolts, holddowns etc is more again.

Quite a lot more expense, for more power and probably more rigidity but not that much more capacity.

For £40 more you could get the SX2P which would just allow the bed casting to be machined in one setting without the inherent issues that a long table version has.

Agreed Jason - but the step up from MT2 to MT3 tooling and the increase from M6 to M8 workholding would be additional expenses.

According to the ARC website the SX2P has a R8 spindle not MT3 and the same 8mm T slot (M6 thread) as the CMD10 . A R8 to MT2 adaptor would allow use of existing tooling initally.

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Milling-Machines/SIEG-SX2-PLUS-Mini-Mill/SIEG-SX2P-HiTorque-Mil

lIf not already in the budget selling the CMD10 and tooling would go a long way to new tooling and allow correction of any "I wish I'd...." choices

Robert G8RPI

Edited By Robert Atkinson 2 on 01/11/2020 10:54:25

Apologies - You are quite correct - I was working from memory from when I bought my smaller machine last year - Just checked the review I looked at then and it still gives the MT3 spindle though!

I agree with you on the tooling, but you would only need to make a few M6 T-nuts to fit the new slots.

I have an X2 Mini mill, and bought the clamp set that fits it; it's too big really, and I'm seriously considering making a more useful, smaller set using M6 fasteners rather than the massive M10.

My sx2p came with 4 t nuts as standard. I went for this machine because Of the R8 spindle. Morse taper in a milling spindle is an abomination