# HM52 horizontal-vertical mill ?



## Xiansheng (Mar 22, 2014)

Have any of you recently purchased a HM52 horixontal-vertical mill and had any problems with it?


----------



## Tin Falcon (Mar 22, 2014)

That number is not familiar to me. I expect from an Australian vendor?

The SEIG U1/ SU1  is sold by many vendors under there label, color and model number sold by grizzly tools in the US as the G0727 Mini Horizontal/Vertical Mill.

There is a gentleman that posts here from mainland China that has one of these mills he likes it a lot. 

Here are my observations. from photos and reading the specs. A sturdy machine at almost 300 lbs but should not be hard to move if dissembled. 

Look at this primarily as a horizontal mill.  The z axis seems very limited.
Most vertical mills are very capable of drilling as well as milling.  This machine in addition to limited z movement has no quill for ease of drilling. all movement is in the knee/table. 
Max distance table to spindle is 6 1/2 inches compared to 11 1/2 inches on an x-2 mini mill. 


It would be helpful to us if you post an introduction . Tell us about yourself you shop and your interest in model engines.  


Tin


----------



## Xiansheng (Mar 22, 2014)

Hi Tin,

Thanks for your response.  The HM52 is not the Seig SUI.  I encountered the SUI and the diminutive workspace was not only off-putting, but difficult to understand, in the sense of wondering why any manufacturer would seriously market such a machine.  The HM 52 can be found here: http://www.machines4u.com.au/view/advert/HM-52/96466/.

As for the kind of workshop I have, I retired a couple of years ago and now have the circumstances where I can have a decent workshop after a working life of longing for one, so I am presently setting mine up.  My backbackground is that I was once a s Scientific Instrument Maker and have other trade qualifications as first class machinist and fitter.  I have worked in many areas of instrumentation but also in heavy engineering, machining such as large marine diesel engine gearboxes (the size of a small car, pistons the size of dustbins and huge crankshafts.  My tertiary qualifications include production mechanical engineering and physics.  That said, I have been away from practical machining for a long time and need to pick up the threads (no pun intended).

Regards

Xiansheng


----------



## Swifty (Mar 22, 2014)

I just wonder how often you would use the horizontal spindle. Side and face cutters are expensive, and limited with what you can do with them, sure, you can mill the top and side in one set up, but an angle plate on a vertical mill will let you achieve the same thing on large workpieces. If I was in the market for a mill of this size, I would be getting a vertical mill with a reasonable amount of travel in the z axis. 

Paul.


----------



## Tin Falcon (Mar 22, 2014)

OK  a very different machine looks quite capable.And sound like you are also quite capable of building model engines. 

Tin


----------



## Tin Falcon (Mar 22, 2014)

I see grizzly  has a similar one the G0757 9" x 39" Horizontal / Vertical Mill with Power Feedhttp://www.grizzly.com/products/9-x-39-Horizontal-Vertical-Mill-with-Power-Feed/G0757

It realy helps to have a link when asking such a question or at least a vendor name . Like I said most of these machines are made by sieg then they get painted different colors and get different importers name tags and model numbers put on them it can get confusing. 
Tin


----------



## gus (Mar 23, 2014)

Hi Xiansheng,

Welcome from faraway Singapore. 
For our model engines,i.c.,steam,compresssed air etc, a mini/medium vertical mill would take care of all the milling. I make do with a Japanese Sakai Mini Lathe, Japanese Sakai Vertical Mill with 12mm end max.and a 12mm max drill capacity Chinese Drill Press,  a Makita Portable BandSaw. 

It is true some forum members collect big&med lathes,big&med horizontal mills,big&med shapers etc. But when it comes to build small model engines,these machines will be a wee bitty clunky/chunky/clumsy. Most of us have machineshop located in our residential home and hence min lathes and mills. Mine is located in a open sided balcony. The climate and weather here in Singapore is OK and not to wet. Rust is not a big problem with WD40.

The HMEM folks are very helpful professionals. We have highly skilled machinists, tool&die makers,foundryman, boilermakers,electricians,engineers etc.

Gus Deng Shi Chen. Aka Gus Teng


----------



## Wizard69 (Mar 23, 2014)

Xiansheng said:


> Have any of you recently purchased a HM52 horixontal-vertical mill and had any problems with it?




No experience at all with this machine.   It is a large machine and should be versatile.  The nice thing about a combo vertical/horizontal is that you always have that horizontal capability even if it isn't used often.   The only problem I see with a big mill this size is trying to do the small stuff that is common on model engines and the like.   You simply may not have the feel to work with a 2mm end mill for example. 

However don't let the lack of feel stop you from going this route if you really think you need the capacity.   The problem with small mills is that it can take forever to do something a large mill can do in one pass.   

Since you aren't getting hits here from current owners you may want to find out whom in China actually makes this mill.  A manufactures name would be more searchable.    In this context there are many many machine tool manufactures in China so you may come up with several candidates all making similar machines. 


Sent from my iPad using Model Engines


----------

