# Space driven decision 3 in 1 Lathe Mill



## rsuarez (Mar 16, 2016)

Hey all,

First post here Ive read a lot and its just now that Ive decided to get some help on deciding which machine to get. A little bit of me.

My name is Ramon and I live some time in Mexico City and I say some time because I travel through Latin-America for business 3 out of 4 weeks. 

I have a chronicle weakness for motorcycles and tools. This is my small shop some two years ago. Now where the XR is I have a sandblasting cabinet and a Lincoln multi-process welder.





Now to the topic. At 12 I learnt some basic machining in an EMCO Unimat lathe and mill my father had and now I own. I want to grow to something bigger and as you can see from my shop picture space is a very critical criteria. Space is the most valuable asset in my shop to be honest.

I want something good (who doesnt) that can cover my hobby and curiosity necessities. Enough power for hard materials (Unimat frustration) and I think that 10x24 would be enough even I am not closed to something bigger. 

Ive read a lot about not getting a 3 in 1 but frankly I dont have the space to do it  so please dont try to convince me of getting separate machines. Financially it would be very expensive because I would need to buy a new house

These are the options I have looked so far and to me the closest to my liking need. They are in order and will appreciate any comment you have mainly over quality, reputation, functionality or so. 

In preference order

1.- Bolton Tools 11" x 28" High Precision Variable Speed Combo Lathe W. DRO - Combo Lathe/Mill/drills | BPD290VF (http://boltontool.com/Lathes/lathe-mill-drill-combo/high-precision-variable-speed-combo-lathe-w-dro)

Seems very complete for the Price but I dont have a clue if its worth. It seems to me that this is the same (or very similar) as the Optimum TU2506 which gets some good reviews and can also be adapted with a mill. Unfortunately I have not found a good distributor for these in the US. Only Grainger but they dont carry the 3 in 1 option.

2.- Grizzly G0791. (http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-X-36-Combination-Gunsmithing-Lathe-Mill/G0791)

I like it also but again I have no reference about the quality and reliability of Grizzly.

3.- Smithy Granite. (http://www.smithy.com/3-in-1).

I found more information about this one and seems to get from average to good reviews. My concern with this one is the distance from the mill to the table. It looks that for any serious work I would need a table raiser.

So, there are other options Ive looked at but these are the ones I think will fit better. If any one thinks I should consider something else please jump in I will appreciate it.

Its tough from a novice perspective to make this decision. So many things to consider and I guess so many other I am not even aware of that are important.  Maybe I am another dumb guy getting into a 3 in 1 mistake please speak up, I will be humble to listen from you guys that clearly know better than me.

I really will appreciate any help.

Best 

Ramon


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## Wizard69 (Mar 16, 2016)

You have other options.  For example:

Buy a lathe of the size you think will serve your needs and then buy a smallish mill to replace the drill press you already have.  It is possible to do all drill press work on these small mills.    Even a small milling machine will be more useful than the 3 in 1 solutions out there.


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## ninefinger (Mar 16, 2016)

Speaking from experience the main drawback of my 3-in-1 machine was a complete lack of rigidity for either turning or milling.  It was closest in design to the Smithy (their Midas, not the Granite you linked).  However the Granite does appear to have some of the same drawbacks - the Headstock casting isn't very beefy and sits relatively high to the bed due to the size of the cross slide table, and the mill has a really long overhang.  I personally think that either of the other 2 are much better in that they at least started out as respectable lathes and have an added on mill portion that may be functional enough for your purposes.
If it were my money the Grizzly would win simply for the cam lock chuck - not having to unbolt a chuck has been the greatest upgrade for me in my shop when I went from a 3-in-1 with bolt on chuck to a lathe with cam lock spindle nose.  Now going from 3 jaw to 4 jaw or 5C is a breeze...(still need to buy a face plate).
My 2 cents
Mike


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## bazmak (Mar 17, 2016)

I would not buy a combination machine unless absolutely necessary
With a lathe and small mill you can go from one machine to the other
without time consuming setups.The combination mcs just get in each others way for different ops.Tried it and wouldent go back.Bought the sx2 mill
and sold my drill.Far superior


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## Wizard69 (Mar 17, 2016)

I might add that the "mill" solutions on a lot of 3in1's are extremely limited capability wise.   That is why even a small milling machine can out do them in capability.


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## Blogwitch (Mar 17, 2016)

Ramon,

As mentioned by Wizard, you already have a drill press in your shop, get rid of it and install something like a sieg X2, then you will have free reign to select a lathe in the size you really require, and it will most probably cost less all in than the 3 in 1 combination.

I have seen these 3 in 1's in action, and in all honesty, they are very limited in their capabilities and very costly in setup times. OK, things can be made on them, but with little experience, you will suffer badly in the size and quality stakes that you can achieve compared with two seperate machines.

John


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## ShopShoe (Mar 17, 2016)

Ramon,

I would echo what others are saying: Separate machines would be better than a 3-in-one machine.  I have also seen that others with space limitations like yours have used them for the reasons you say. I can suggest that perhaps another path does lie open to you.

Go ahead and consider one of the 3-in-ones you have selected. Focus on the lathe capabilities when making your final decision. Prepare for the day you will decide that you can still use the lathe and want to buy a mill for your milling needs. At that point you could maybe decide that the drill press is no longer needed.

Would moving your sandblasting cabinet outside be an option?

ShopShoe


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## bigfoot21075 (Mar 17, 2016)

Blogwitch said:


> Ramon,
> 
> As mentioned by Wizard, you already have a drill press in your shop, get rid of it and install something like a sieg X2, then you will have free reign to select a lathe in the size you really require, and it will most probably cost less all in than the 3 in 1 combination.
> 
> ...



I too am new and have a very old craftsman drill press.  Is it not useful to have a separate drill press or is something like that Sieg X2 able to to most all of the general drill press work? This idea would help me out tremendously. 
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=4962&category=1387807683


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## rodw (Mar 17, 2016)

The best thing I ever did was to get rid of my Smithy 3 in 1 and drill press and buy a Seig SX3 mill and a good sized 13" swing lathe. I managed to fit them both in a 2.4 x 4.8m shed. It took 3 months to work out where to put my drillpress as I knew if I could fit it in I could fit in a mill.... you have more space than I have... I found putting the mill on an angle near the door solved the space problem. I don't miss the drill press.


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## Blogwitch (Mar 17, 2016)

Bigfoot,

Something like the X2 would be fine for use as a drill press as well as a small mill, and if you wanted really big holes, then you could bore them out much larger than you could with a normal sized drill press and twist drill. It also has the advantage that accurate coordinate drilling can be done as well, which can be rather difficult on a standard drill press. Except for the cost, it is win win all round.
I am lucky in that I run a rather large mini bridgeport (Chester 836), but I have recently bought a Super X2 as a CNC project, and after giving it a good dose of looking at, it looks to be a good, all round capable machine.

John


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## bazmak (Mar 17, 2016)

I got the sx2 mill and got rid of the drill press,dont miss it.The mill is far superior drill press,especially for drilling at accurate centres
Changinging from from mill/collet to drill chuck is the only minor inconvenience
and only takes a minute ,I can live with that.If I had space and money then I would have 2 mills.One setup for drilling


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## 110samec (Mar 17, 2016)

What about getting a normal lathe but purchase a milling attachment to go on the cross slide like this http://www.warco.co.uk/mini-lathe-accessories/302794-mini-lathe-vertical-slide.html ? I would imagine it would be slightly more rigid than the combination machines and wouldnt be in the way


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## Blogwitch (Mar 18, 2016)

Basically 110, fitting a vertical slide is putting machining back 30 years.

Many people think they are the best things since sliced bread, and each to his own, but after a while using one with ALL of it's limitations, the decision to buy a dedicated mill usually soon comes along.

There are many of those horrid things hiding under benches after people realise that they had thrown good hard earned money away. I turned mine into stock for making little engines.

OK, they did function at the time, when nothing else was available, but now, I wouldn't give one to my worst enemy (well maybe I would).

John


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## rodw (Mar 18, 2016)

110samec said:


> What about getting a normal lathe but purchase a milling attachment to go on the cross slide like this http://www.warco.co.uk/mini-lathe-accessories/302794-mini-lathe-vertical-slide.html ? I would imagine it would be slightly more rigid than the combination machines and wouldnt be in the way



This is not such a bad idea and was always my fallback until I worked out how to dump my drillpress and install a mill. Follow my journey
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=19885


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## rsuarez (Mar 21, 2016)

Hey, thanks to all... very good information.

Even though I wrote that this was a space driven decision and to please restrain from suggesting separate machines, we ended up there.

I guess that if here, and in any other forum, all 3 in 1 threads end into separate machines suggestions there has to be a really strong reason from the people who know.

So, thanks for getting me out of that idea... I will scale down a little bit the machines and will go separate. This will requiere some redesign of my shop but thats part of the fun.

Any brand suggestion? Grainger Mexico seems to be importing Optimum which are popular in Europe. And then I can import from the US... Grizzly? Jet? Little Machines?

Again, many thanks.

Ramon


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## Nick Hulme (Mar 21, 2016)

Unless you can find an Emco VP11 with milling head? ;-) 
Another option is a milling head which mounts at the tailstock end like the Amolco, if you search and have a look at some photos of the Amolco I can't see any reason not to pull a nice small column and head off it's base and make your own mount for the lathe of your choice. 

 - Nick


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## rsuarez (Mar 21, 2016)

Well you see, in part one of my thoughts about getting some of those 3 in 1 I proposed was that since they have actual milling towers I could eventually detach them if I found more convenient to have two machines. I still see logic in this, but there are such amount of negative opinions in 3 in 1s that prefer to trust the wisdom here. 

Best. 

Ramon.


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## petertha (Mar 22, 2016)

rsuarez said:


> Grainger Mexico seems to be importing Optimum which are popular in Europe. And then I can import from the US... Grizzly? Jet? Little Machines? Ramon


 
I don't have personal experience with Optimum, but check out Stefan's site & Youtube channel. I think his mill & possibly lathe too?
http://gtwr.de/?page_id=9&lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/user/syyl

If you can source from USA with reasonable shipping, lots of good options. PM gets good reviews from some guys here in Canada for international shipping. I heard some machines are a bit better if Taiwan models. Maybe larger than what you are seeking, but just throwing out more options to check.
http://precisionmatthews.com/index.html


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## Rhynardt1 (Mar 22, 2016)

Hi Ramon

Are you by any chance from IFDC?


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## grapegro (Mar 22, 2016)

Hello Ramon,
                   From my experience, a lathe/ mill combo is hard to see what is happening to some processes, but very clear with a separate mill. I have just recently bought an Optimum mill, and can only speak loads for the quality of this machine.
             Norm


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## Wizard69 (Mar 22, 2016)

rsuarez said:


> Well you see, in part one of my thoughts about getting some of those 3 in 1 I proposed was that since they have actual milling towers I could eventually detach them if I found more convenient to have two machines. I still see logic in this, but there are such amount of negative opinions in 3 in 1s that prefer to trust the wisdom here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Realize that everyone has opinions that they tend to express here.     Look long enough and you will find somebody happy with a 3in1.   There are three major issues with 3in1s:
1.     The build quality on many of them is wanting.  
2.     The milling capacity is often very limited.  
3.     Finally you often want to keep a setup on one machine function when you need to use another machine function.  This can really kill process flow.   


Also consider this, cheap milling machines for model engineering are a recent development.     For years the model engineer survived with just a high quality lathe.  Use of faceplates and milling attachments kept many a model engineer going for years.


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## bazmak (Mar 22, 2016)

I agree wizard,as a model engineer for years I could not afford a mill
and made do with the lathe and vertical slide etc
I bought my first mill recently a sieg sx2l and would not go back
Its the bottom of end of the mill market but what a diiference
Even for a small mill its far superior to lathe/mill and what a bonus
to be able to exit the lathe without disturbing the setting and go straight to the mill.Trouble is you get spoilt,i get impatient just changing from milling cutter
to drill chuck even though it only takes a couple of minutes.And the mill was say a nom $1000 and the lathe the same,the combination machine works 
out at say $1500. Its A no brainer and don't say you have no room
I now have the bigger lathe Sc4 and the mill,bandsaw,linisher and grinders
as well as a welder all set to go in a 1.5m x 4m shed


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## goldstar31 (Mar 22, 2016)

Wizard69 said:


> Realize that everyone has opinions that they tend to express here. Look long enough and you will find somebody happy with a 3in1. There are three major issues with 3in1s:
> 1. The build quality on many of them is wanting.
> 2. The milling capacity is often very limited.
> 3. Finally you often want to keep a setup on one machine function when you need to use another machine function. This can really kill process flow.
> ...


 
Of course W69 is so right.  Actually he is even 'righter than right' because 3 in 1 lathes were commonplace in ship's engine rooms.  Today, bargain basement lathes - whatever type and origin are expected to achieve miracles and the poor little things have only a really limited three jaw.
I wrote to MechMan183 exactly reminding him of the problems. Whether he or anyone else does anything about it, is up to them. 

Yesterday I was buying a NVR switch to replace one with asbestos in it:wall: I inspected   a set of new lathes and one was nowhere near the quality of my little Myford and the available tooling was 'zilch' or whatever the present expression is.

The answer is stark. One can buy good quality new stuff today but it still needs the ability to accept that it is going to cost a lot of money. It did in the past.

Bluntly, those who expect bargains using their limited experience are going to fill up pages here and eventually wander off East to look for the next miracle.



Oh and my little £500 ancient Myford with all those faceplates and chucks and vertigo slides and whatever is now working.

Happy Easter


Norman


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## bazmak (Mar 22, 2016)

Hi Norm,you are usually right.I have had 6 myford lathes,ranging from
the ML10 to the super 7 with gearbox.To my mind the oldest and one of the best lathes on the market.Would love another if I had the room
However I am very impressed with the cheap chinese lathes Namely Sieg
Big advantages are COst ,size/weight and lower noise with the variable speed motor.Myford had more grunt and noise due to gears but was far supierior
in build quality.Sadly no room for 2.My last Ml7R was almost unused with
more attachments than than everything I have ever owned See p

hoto


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## rsuarez (Mar 23, 2016)

Rhynardt1 said:


> Hi Ramon
> 
> Are you by any chance from IFDC?



Hi Rhynardt, no I work for an american tech company overseeing their Latin-American business.




bazmak said:


> Its A no brainer and don't say you have no room
> I now have the bigger lathe Sc4 and the mill,bandsaw,linisher and grinders
> as well as a welder all set to go in a 1.5m x 4m shed



Bazmak, I guess that yes, I do have space, but my concern is that I must leave free working space since not all my projects are mini. Look at this one... Then I needed space for the chasis, the tank and all the bits. It gets really tight.







goldstar31 said:


> The answer is stark. One can buy good quality new stuff today but it still needs the ability to accept that it is going to cost a lot of money. It did in the past.
> 
> Bluntly, those who expect bargains using their limited experience are going to fill up pages here and eventually wander off East to look for the next miracle.



Norman, I really try to stick to the "Listen, Learn, Ask" drill. I am certain I know nothing about machines and machinery but going to your answer, thats what I would like to know... Which are those quality equipments I should be looking at? Getting something used is not really good option to me since Mexico's used market is very limited and legislation is very tough on used imported stuff.

I Called Grainger Mexico and they have discontinued the Optimum imports... It was too good to be true. It also seems that there is limited offer of Optimum in the US. I found that the ones from Bolton Tools and Palmgren seem to be the same lathes that the Optimum but who knows if the quality checks are the same... or even if they are copies.

Help please.

Ramon


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## goldstar31 (Mar 23, 2016)

Probably, I'd follow Bazmak ( Barry) if I were you. I feel that his advice is sound. I'm in a very different  position with age, experience and money coupled with being in the UK rather than elsewhere. 

However I hope to read how your new workshop is progressing and hope that you will enjoy it as much as I still do with mine.

I'm almost 86 and claim to be somewhat different. 

Salud Pesetas!

Don Norman


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## bazmak (Mar 23, 2016)

If you have an 8ft wide shed then its twice my size.A bench on 1 or more walls
to sit the lathe and mill etc leaves more working space,all problems to overcome


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## rsuarez (Mar 26, 2016)

goldstar31 said:


> Probably, I'd follow Bazmak ( Barry) if I were you. I feel that his advice is sound. I'm in a very different  position with age, experience and money coupled with being in the UK rather than elsewhere.
> 
> However I hope to read how your new workshop is progressing and hope that you will enjoy it as much as I still do with mine.
> 
> ...




Gracias Señor Norman.  I guess you represent what many of us aspire to. Retirement with a nice shop and time to go over different projects. I wish I could reach your age and still work on my stuff... 


There is white smoke already. I will go with a Sieg SC4 and a mini mill. It's smaller than originally planned but I will be fine. The reviews seem to be good also. Now I just have to figure out how to import them into Mexico.  

Thanks to all. I will keep you posted on the progress. 

Ramon


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## bazmak (Mar 26, 2016)

Hi Ramon,i have the SC4 and very happy with it.I also have the sx2 mill
with longer table and fixed column and R8 quill.Very happy with it but I have raised the column to give me 10" z axis travel The x axis has 12" travel but some more would be nice as with the y axis.Depends what you will be making


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## 1dbweldor (Mar 27, 2016)

rsuarez
What's with the CBX engine? I have a lot of hotrod parts for these from back in the day. I mean cranks, rods, cams, valves, springs, and pistons. These things would sing if done properly.


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## rsuarez (Mar 28, 2016)

bazmak said:


> Hi Ramon,i have the SC4 and very happy with it.I also have the sx2 mill
> with longer table and fixed column and R8 quill.Very happy with it but I have raised the column to give me 10" z axis travel The x axis has 12" travel but some more would be nice as with the y axis.Depends what you will be making



Thanks Bazmak, thats the way I will go. 

I don't want to be the noob that wants everything already peeled but since we are already here I will ask. For the lathe and the mill what would you recommend as "starter kit" accessories/tools? 




1dbweldor said:


> rsuarez
> What's with the CBX engine? I have a lot of hotrod parts for these from back in the day. I mean cranks, rods, cams, valves, springs, and pistons. These things would sing if done properly.



Hey, I bought that bike around a year and a half ago. Like in any old bike we optimistically buy, initial inspection seemed not so bad but as soon as I got into the first cam chain and vale adjustment that very fast went into a complete engine rebuild.

This engine is not tuned... no need frankly as it is one of the bikes I use to commute. It just have a 6 onto 2 open exhaust that makes the most beautiful note an engine can make.

I bet those bits you have laying around must have their value now. Either you sell them or you buy a CBX to make a good use of them. I would go for the second.

Ramon


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## 1dbweldor (Mar 28, 2016)

Unfortunately MY motorcycle days are over. I don't have my balance anymore and don't trust myself on the one I like to ride. (BMW K1200Lt) that's an eleven pound pig but smooth as silk. I still have my old Mile bike and a couple others that were my favorites for cow trailing but no more riding for me. Some times it is hard on me to look a these things just sitting. Like my mile flat tracker, I have a lot of miles racing and not to mention wheelies on that thing, but anymore they are just memories.


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## Nick Hulme (Mar 30, 2016)

1dbweldor said:


> I don't have my balance anymore and don't trust myself on the one I like to ride. (BMW K1200Lt).



Have you considered a bolt-on (thus fully reversible) trike conversion for it? 
I know three wheels aren't two but you still get a very similar feel on the road and any trike is better than any cage (a cage is a car or truck if you're not a bike rider) 
ATB, 
Nick


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## 1dbweldor (Mar 31, 2016)

Personally I don't see a trike as an option. However I did buy my wife a sporty two seater a few years ago. That's about the only way I can get my speed thrills anymore.
 As a side note, I did consider building a side car for the Beemer a few years ago. Then looking back at my youth I decided to abort this idea.


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## rsuarez (Mar 31, 2016)

Well, I agree. I would not go for a trike myself. I guess that when the time comes I will just hang the helmet and focus on something else. Hopefully by that time my memories are good enough to bring me joy and hopefully I reach 86... 86 still working on my shop would be a dream to me. 

So, As I am concerned about space I did these two renders. Seems that it will be tight but will fit. I am still not sure if I will move the sand blasting cabinet out of the shop. What do you think?


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## Blogwitch (Mar 31, 2016)

Where you have placed your sink is forcing you to lose space, that gap between the machine bench and the wash up/work bench. 

By the looks of it, the sink should be at the other end of the bench it is sitting in, once moved, that corner can be reclaimed for benchtop space, giving a good clear run of an L shaped top.

Where the blast cabinet is could be  a bit of a compromise. If it is anything like mine, some dust does come out of it, and those machines nearby could do without that highly abrasive material near them. I moved mine into a 'dirty' area to keep my machines safe. You could maybe, if you have nowhere else to put it, fit a cheap roller blind to the ceiling, and pull it down to the floor between the blaster and machines when the blaster is in use. I have done that between my surface grinder and polishing area and between my mill and tooling shelves, they really do stop dirt and swarf from hitting places you don't want it to be.

This is the drop down one for my surface grinder, the black thing hanging from the ceiling.







And the same for my mill.






I would also make up a couple of covers from poly sheet and gaffer tape to cover your machines when not in use. 
Things like that don't make your shop look pretty, but they do make your machines last a lot longer.
Unless you have loads of space to work with, which you don't, then everything is a bit of a struggle, and you really do have to use your experience and brain power to overcome problems like these. Just look at things logically and try to forsee the problems before they happen, and have your 'fixes' in place before you start your machines up in anger.

Hope this helps

John

BTW, this is my bike I used to ride until my body told me I couldn't do it any more. It even had a custom trailer that it dragged around. It broke my heart to see it go not many yeags ago.


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## bazmak (Apr 1, 2016)

The grinder does not need to be mounted permanently it takes up space
I store mine under bench and bring out and  clamp in available space as needed


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## ShopShoe (Apr 1, 2016)

I agree with everything Blogwitch said. If you could move the blast cabinet out of the shop you will have more room and less concern about grit ruining your machines.

I agree with bazmak too. You might get by storing the grinder somewhere when not in use. I personally don't like a grinder too near metalworking machines or "clean" work areas. If you got the blast cabinet out, you might be able to locate the grinder farther away from your machines as well.

If you keep the layout as-is, covers and roller-blinds are probably your best approach, along with a good shop vacuum.

--ShopShoe


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## 1dbweldor (Apr 1, 2016)

You might want to consider building a small shed outside to put the bead blaster in. Myself I put mine outside as well as the cyclone and baghouse. This made a world of difference. No more glass on the floor or surrounding metal.
 That's a nice looking Aspencade. I've had a couple through the years and loved each and everyone. Many many miles on them through the years, never any problems.


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## rsuarez (Apr 1, 2016)

Good advice on the blasting cabinet. I did not think of the powder flying around and reaching the machines. One of the mods I had planed is to install rollers in the cabinet. Given that the access door is on its right, it would be imposible to open because the garage door is right there. With rollers I will be able to move it forward to access it. i could well also roll it outside for use and avoid the dust inside shop.

As for the grinder, good advice also. I would not put it away completely but maybe keep it to the extreme left for fast jobs. One thing important to me is the readiness of the tools. I don't have much time free and setup time in my shop is very important to me. The grinder is one of those things we use for fast simple tasks.

The sink is fixed now and the pipe is on that side. On the other side, as you can see, there is a locker for the bike gear. 





I guess the central question is the blasting cabinet. There is a place in the house where I could maybe hang it from the ceiling and out of the way. i will have a look today to see how feasible it is and how fast I could take it out.

thanks to all for the great advice.

Ramon


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## BillH (Apr 1, 2016)

Unless you are on an actual submarine, don't get a 3 in 1. If you can't get separate machines than perhaps a different hobby is in order


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## Carbuilder (May 3, 2016)

BillH said:


> Unless you are on an actual submarine, don't get a 3 in 1. If you can't get separate machines than perhaps a different hobby is in order



A bit harsh. Since I seem to be the only one here that owns a 3-in-1 machine, I'll give my opinion.

I've got a Busy Bee Tools B2229, which is the same thing as the Grizzly G9729; one for Canadian market and one for the US. I've had it for about 8 years now and really like it. Now it won't hog off .25" in a single milling pass, but it is as precise as the operator is. I've added a DRO kit (DRO Pros) on it and it is fantastic with that. I've made tiny parts and I've made large parts. Yes, sometimes setup does take a bit of time but is a couple minutes really significant for an hour of work?

I would not talk anyone out of getting one. Are separate machines better? No doubt. But that doesn't mean a 3-in-1 is garbage.

Small parts or large parts (how many machines this size can swing a 16" wheel?).


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## rsuarez (May 5, 2016)

Thanks Carbuilder, very valuable point of view. Even if I have decided to go for separate machines, I still think there is a very practical use outside of submarines.


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## Rickl (May 16, 2016)

Sorry.  Wrong thread.


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## Rickl (May 16, 2016)

I have SEig C6 and X2 mill.  Couldn't be happier.

Rick


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## gweloboy (May 19, 2016)

I would go with a decent lathe and buy an XY axis vice for the drill and like the others say replace it with a small mill later. A good used lathe would save you money. Remember the biggest issue with all machine tools is moving the things!


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