Mill or Welder?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Mill or Welder?
I picked up a mill from where I work not long ago. I haven't installed it yet as we plan to move so I was waiting to get it into the new garage 1st. So my question is, I have some people interested in buying the mill, should I keep it and wait to buy a MIG welder or sell it and get the welder. I don't have an immediate need for either, but I'm thinking the welder may be more versitile.
What do you think?
What do you think?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Go with whichever you think you will get the most use from, neither one would get much use from me but the welder would get more than the mill 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 0
From: Union Ontario
Keep the mill. Chances are it would be expensive to find a replacement when you do want one. You can pick up a mig welder fairly cheap when you need it.
Once you have these pieces of equipment, you will wonder how you lived without one.
Once you have these pieces of equipment, you will wonder how you lived without one.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
It must be a pretty cheap mill if it is in the same class as a mig welder?
While you might not need the mill right now there are definite advantages to a mill. It is a fanastic drill press.
Keep the mill and save for the mig. Don't settle for 110 volt unit, 220 volts and gas is the only way to go.
While you might not need the mill right now there are definite advantages to a mill. It is a fanastic drill press.
Keep the mill and save for the mig. Don't settle for 110 volt unit, 220 volts and gas is the only way to go.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 496
Likes: 0
From: edinburg VA.
Keep the mill. Not to many people have them or access to one and if they did most don't know how to use it. You can probley make a few bucks on the side. Welders are fairly common but are nice to have also. I would keep the mill and get the 220 welder with gas latter.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Buying the welder later was my original plan, but people have been interested in the mill so it just got my wondering. It's an older manual Bridgeport with side to side table drive attachment. I have used them so at work so I do have some milling experience and the convenience of having one at home seemed quite enticing at the time when I bought it. I've picked up some new things for it, just need to get the phase inverter (3 phase motor) and a vice and I'm in business .
So it looks like I will keep it. Thanks
.So it looks like I will keep it. Thanks
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,154
Likes: 3,959
From: Connecticut, USA
The bridgeport is good, the welder is good , now get a lathe and surface grinder and you'll be in business.
If you have any questions on the Bpt let me know, I spend 5 years as a service tech and rebuild 1,000's of heads. There were 3 Bpt power feeds and many aftermarket brands. Some are no longer repairable.
If you have any questions on the Bpt let me know, I spend 5 years as a service tech and rebuild 1,000's of heads. There were 3 Bpt power feeds and many aftermarket brands. Some are no longer repairable.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 129
Likes: 1
From: Plano Texas
I would say it depnds on how far you're going to move.
Wait till you find out what it costs to move that mill.
I had a big knee mill and a 13/40 gap bed lathe in Delaware. The cost to move them to Florida was so rediculous, I just sold them in Delaware and bought again in FLA.
Wait till you find out what it costs to move that mill.
I had a big knee mill and a 13/40 gap bed lathe in Delaware. The cost to move them to Florida was so rediculous, I just sold them in Delaware and bought again in FLA.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
I'm only moving 6 miles down the road. The mill will be moved when the new garage is up
Gary I may have some questions for ya once I get it wired in. I still need to get a phase invertor once it's installed.
Gary I may have some questions for ya once I get it wired in. I still need to get a phase invertor once it's installed.