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Mill Drill Mini FAQ

Index:

Use these links to jump to sections within this document.

Introduction:

Most of the information in this document was taken from posts to the Mill_Drill discussion list hosted by Yahoo. When I joined the list there were about 1500 posts. I went back in the archives and read just about every one. The first 500 to 1000 messages contain 90% of the useful information that I've found there. Certain questions get asked over and over again, and here are a few of them.

Choosing a Mill Drill

Which brand should I get?

This is one of the most asked questions. Mill Drills are sold by a number of different vendors under a number of different brand names. The only consensus is that the "genuine" Rong Fu, ie. made in Taiwan, machines are of somewhat better quality than those made in Workers Paradise (China). Whether or not the extra quality of the Taiwanese machines is worth the extra cost is not clear.

A few tips:

  • Compare carefully
  • Remember to consider shipping cost
  • Don't always trust the catalog photo/specs.
  • The "Tech Support" person may simply be reading out of the same catalog (see above).

Which is better, the belt drive or the gear drive machine?

Again, opinions vary.

Belt drive:

  • May run quieter.
  • More speed choices.
  • Belts can be replaced with standard belts when they wear out.

Gear drive:

  • Speeds are easier/faster to change.
  • Some people find the tilting head useful.
  • If you break a gear, you will have to get replacement parts from the manufacturer.

Initial Setup and Modifications

How do I get this monster off the floor up onto its stand?

Brute force muscle is not recommended. The best way seems to be to rent/borrow/buy a "cherry picker" type engine hoist. Slide the machine over where you want it, lift it up and slide the stand underneath it. Make sure your ceiling is high enough, the hoist is rated for the load and the legs of the hoist are wide enough to clear the stand. Safety first.

Should I replace the belts on my machine?

or My machine vibrates an awful lot, what can I do?

The stock belts on these machines are often of very low quality. If your machine vibrates a lot, new decent quality belts may be all it needs.

My machine still vibrates, now what?

A few people have had success filling the very bottom of the flimsy machine stand with concrete.

Milling Vices

What kind of vise do I need?

First, the vise that comes with the machine is a drill press vice and is not designed for milling. You need a Kurt brand (expensive) or "Kurt Clone" (cheaper) milling vise with "lock down jaws".

What size vise do I need, 4" or 6"?

This depends on the individual. If your work is too big for a 4" vise, you need the 6". Duh. However, many people don't know exactly what they might end up making with their mill drill. Keep in mind that the 4" vise is slightly cheaper and significantly lighter (30-50 lbs) than the 6" vise (80-100 lbs). Naturally, Murphy's law applies: If you buy the 4" vise, all your parts will need to be 6". If you buy 6" vise, you'll drop it on your foot.

Should I get the swivel table with my vise?

Again, some people never need one, others can't do without one. But if you do find that you need one, its probably better to get one with the vise for an extra $5-$10 than to buy one by itself later.

Tooling

Still working on this section...

CNC

I want to convert my mill drill to CNC, where do I start?

Go to CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO and start reading. Note: Please do not post general machining questions to this list.