[mfalonzo9]

I've recently been working on some metal projects which require fairly accurate drilling. I've been working with a small drill press which gets the job done, but mostly because the pilot hole is already there. I'm thinking of upgrading, basically because the drill press has a couple of problems:
-Loose spindle
-Short throat length
-Lack of rpm control for metal drilling.

I've read in different places that "the best drill press is a mill", which could be an interesting investment as the shop grows, and may be worthwhile for accurate, perpendicular drilling.

As of now, the parts I'm working on don't exceed 12", so it would be nice to have a throat length of about 6.5" or higher to be able to drill the center. I found this mill online which looks like a strong competitor, although it is above my budget (I'm hoping to find something under $500, this mill is $900 not including shipping)

HiTorque Mini Mill, Solid Column with Air Spring - LittleMachineShop.com

Besides drilling, I'm not sure how much I would really use the mill, so I'm still skeptical about buying. It would also be nice to have a bigger throat depth for larger pieces in the future, but the mill gives a much higher spindle alignment and drilling precision, so I'm between worlds here.

So, which tool would you recommend? Is there any brand which works better? By the way, I'm looking for a benchtop model, nothing too extreme but big enough for large pieces. Any help would be appreciated!

[awerby]

As well as being above your budget, that mill isn't big enough to drill to the center of a 12" square part, since its Y travel is only 5.1". Ideally, you'd want something with a table that's 12" wide, so the whole thing is supported when you're working on it. But I don't think you'll find a new mill that's big enough for the money you want to spend. Have you looked into used equipment?

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Like awerby said, see if you can locate a used turret mill (Bridgeport or clone). much more solid and adds to your shops capability.

[mfalonzo9]

Although the price is above my budget, I could consider making the investment. I did see that the Y-travel is only 5.1", but I also read that the throat distance was 6.5", so I'm assuming I can fit a 12" stock in there? (I'm not sure if I could, I don't mind if i cant machine the WHOLE piece, I just need enough space to reach the center.

Basically, I have some gears that are too big to place on my mini lathe, and I need to make the center hole bigger. I've been using my drill press for a while now, but I'm also limited with a small throat distance, lack of speed control and an uncontrollable spindle. Assuming that a mill will provide better results, I feel more inclined to it.

Is there anything slightly larger than this mini-mill? I only have a benchtop space, so I'm not really willing to buy a big machine.

[LeeWay]

How close are you to South Alabama?
I will sell you the Zay maroon colored mill on the right in this picture. It's a geared head mill.
It has some surface rust on it, but it is new. Several years old, but has not been run. The only thing I did to it was break in the spindle and motor for about an hour. $500.00 pick up only.
Close to 700 pounds but manageable in pieces.
HF geared head mill #42827

[mfalonzo9]

Thanks for the offer LeeWay. It looks like a good machine, maybe a little bigger than what I was looking for, but I could also go for a size like that.

Unfortunately I'm way too far from Alabama (New York) to attempt any transport.

Is there any machine in between LeeWay's and HiTorque Mini Mill, Solid Column with Air Spring - LittleMachineShop.com ??