# small Grizzly knee mill



## gbritnell (Oct 27, 2011)

I think it's time to move on from my round column mill to something with a knee. I know that Bridgeports and Bridgeport clones can be had for much less than the new asking price of this Grizzly mill but I want to put it into my basement shop and moving a Bridgeport column is out of the question. So, onto my question. Is anyone familiar with this mill?
http://www.grizzly.com/products/VS-Milling-Machine-with-Ram-Head/G0695
Thanks,
George


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## pete (Oct 27, 2011)

George,
Nope, I don't know anything about that exact mill other than what I've read and seen on the forums. I can't recall reading anything bad about them. After seeing your work, I hope you don't mind an additional suggestion. They make a Rong Fu? 45 I think, And nope Grizzley doesn't sell this model. It's your basic dovetail type for the head with around the same weight, travels as what you've listed. It's a geared head but with one important differance. It's got a 3 speed power down feed on the spindle. Ideal for boring those engine cylinders. It should break down pretty easy to move anywhere. I seriously looked at one before buying my 3/4 sized B/P clone. Last time I checked it was about $1,000 more than the Grizzly machine your looking at though.

Pete


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## ChrisB (Oct 28, 2011)

George

I have that exact mill myself and am more than happy to answer any questions you may have. The version I have is not the Grizzly one, rather a UK badged machine running with metric leadscrews.

I do have some niggles with the machine at present, but overlooking them for the time being all in all it is not a bad machine. I would say it is not a bad base machine but does lack some of the useful features of its bigger brothers. No power down feed for example. 

Happy to discuss in more detail if you wish. PM me if you want and I can go into greater depth.

Chris


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## Omnimill (Oct 28, 2011)

Not familiar with that type of machine George but I'm not a great fan of variable speed drives, especially of asian manufacture judging by the problems some folks have. I have one of the belt driven ones similar to http://www.grizzly.com/products/Vertical-Mill/G3102 which I'm well pleased with. Some folks don't like the belt drives due to speed changing etc but I personally don't seem to need to change speeds that often (unlike my Lathe) but when I do it only takes 10 - 30 seconds. Just my 2p worth ;D

Vic.

PS there are also gear box types as well that may suit you?


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## gbritnell (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the responses. Chris I sent you a PM.
George


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## RonGinger (Oct 28, 2011)

One good point - it is painted white. In Grizzley terms that means its the premium line, the green ones are the standard.

I did a CNC conversion for my brother when he was teaching of a Rf-45 machine. I didnt like it for our kind of work because of the gear drive- its top spindle speed was 2000 rpm. I think the machine was really designed to be a big drill machine running some kind of hogging operation. I thought it was to slow for small cutters. The dovetail head is a nice feature.


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## Bernd (Oct 28, 2011)

Just to give you a poke here George. I moved a Bridgeport into the basement back in 2008. 

Gives you a chance to take it apart, clean it and then put ti back together again. :big:

Here's the thread: http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=3080.0

But then again you may not have the help I had, my diesel tractor.

Bernd


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## Lew Hartswick (Oct 28, 2011)

First I've never used one, BUT I'd be very hesitant of a round ram head. It could 
be a problem to tram. and if you have to move it in the Y direction to get the 
required coverage it may not be the same. Dovetails, no problem.
  ...lew...


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## ChrisB (Oct 28, 2011)

George

YHM. Comments re Y axis tram, there is no ability to tram the Y axis at all on this mill, bar shimming. 

Chris


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## kvom (Oct 28, 2011)

It also appears to have no back gear. Assuming the top speed listed is at 60Hz, then the minimum is at 10% max frequency. 3ph motors lose a lot of torque below 20%. On my BP (1HP) I use back gear if I need speeds below 400 rpm.

A Bridgeport breaks down into fairly manageable pieces. I'd go with one of the those if you can manage the move.


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## Swede (Oct 28, 2011)

Power down feed is nice, but so long as there is at least a fine hand feed, it'll be OK. I've done without a power downfeed for 15 years now with my mill and haven't missed it. You can still bore fine. In fact, doing it by hand sometimes gives you a better feel for the cut. You can slow down or sped up as the situation demands.

The mill itself looks OK. The thing about weight, and moving machines... once you tip about 500 lb, the methodology is going to be similar whether it's 600 lb or 2,000 lb, in the sense that you'll need chain hoists, that sort of thing. The only limiting factor might be wooden stairs, but as far as simply moving and placing it, it'll take rigging equipment, machinery dollies, and the like. So if you have the space, don't let mass stop you.


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## Omnimill (Oct 29, 2011)

The problem with Bridgeports (and similar) is not just the weight but the size. I went to look at one going for a good price years ago but it was just too big for my workshop. Height and width weren't too much of a problem it was the depth that blew it.

Vic.


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## S3MIH3MI (Oct 29, 2011)

Did you notice that it is three-phase. Not very many people have three-phase coming into their house.


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## kvom (Oct 29, 2011)

S3MIH3MI  said:
			
		

> Did you notice that it is three-phase. Not very many people have three-phase coming into their house.


There's a VFD integrated to the mill. 220V single phase input.


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## ChrisB (Oct 29, 2011)

Mine is single phase, but then I do have that fancy 240v UK supply ;D

It was size that killed it for me too, I have the ability to move a bigger mill but not really the space to keep one.


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## Mainer (Oct 29, 2011)

I don't have that particular mill (G0695), but I have a Jet mill I bought in 1985 that has a great resemblance to it in many respects. Mine didn't come with variable speed. It had a 2-speed 3-phase motor and step pulleys. When VFDs got down in price so an ordinary mortal could afford one, I added a VFD. It's been great. Using the VFD and the slowest belt position I can get down to about 30 rpm, although there isn't any excess of power at that speed.

With the one-speed motor and no step pulleys, I notice that the lowest advertised speed is 200rpm. That's a little high for things like 4" diameter slitting saws, but usually manageable.

Assuming it is like mine, the round ram is keyed and won't rotate. Head angling is accomplished through a face-to-face bolt-up joint (3 bolts) that lets the head rotate left or right if you loosen the bolts slightly. All in all, it looks like a better-built machine than mine, but it's hard to tell from a picture. My only complaint would be the 200 rpm lower limit. If it gets to be a real problem, I suppose it would be possible to install a 2-speed motor, if you could find one, and afford it. Or, get an 1170 rpm motor instead of the 1725 it comes with. The problem with that solution is that it would also drop your top speed, probably too much.

Anyway...you could certainly do a lot worse. I think you would like it.


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## Omnimill (Oct 30, 2011)

Thats interesting. As mentioned I have a VMC mill and it virtually "lives" in 560 RPM ;D The machine does go down to 190RPM but I've not used it that slow yet.

Vic.


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## Mainer (Oct 31, 2011)

Really slow speeds become an issue only if you are using things like slitting saws, which have a large diameter compared to an end mill. A 4" diameter sawblade has (about) a 12" circumference, so to get a 100fpm cutting rate, which might be about right for mild steel, you would need a speed of 100rpm.


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