opinions on the rodney miller

[cox24711]

hello everyone
lately I have been looking for a small milling machine and I was wondering what you opinions were with the rodney miller for my ml7?
also any suggestions on mills would be greatly appreciated
thanks all
Greg

 

[bazmak]

Nothing wrong with the Rodney miller.It was the next step up from the vertical slide.However it has the same problem
setup time to change from milling to turning.Always the problem with a combo machine.To the old school machinist
from many years ago it was heaven sent.In this day and age cant go much better than a separate mill.Even a small Sieg
is much better and more versatile

 

[cox24711]

thanks bazmak
what sieg mill would you recommend?
thanks
Greg

 

[bazmak]

I bought a sieg sx2 with long table and fixed column. See my full thread from delivery to mods.My opinion for $1200 au
its money well spent.Obviously it depends where you live,how much you want to spend and what use you want to put it to
Look at my thread Bazmak-Diary of a sieg sx2l bench lathe.Should answer all your questions. If you have any problems
let me know and I will resurrect it. Regards Barry

 

[goldstar31]

In no way, do I disagree with Barry's comments. As he says, the Rodney was a very valuable addition to a Myford in the days when the mill was not available and we were assisted by the shaper or the vertical slide. With a LONG slide on the saddle , all things were possible. Clearly, it and similar went out of production when the first homeworkshop mills arrived. I made a Westbury from homemade castings from the local college and a headstock from Woking Precision Models - under the Forth Road Bridge! So at the right price, a Rodney with obviously additional tooling, might be ideal. If you read some of my own 'Moonbeams from the Lesser Lunacy', I have just added a more up to date milling attachment to go on my rather older Sieg C4 lathe,. The logic is that it was- the same price- as secondhand Rodneys in the UK and would fit onto my old office table in the warmth of my bungalow. I have a mill/drill and a Super7B in my workshop- attached to my garage.
Arguably, the Sieg milling attachment is by far better price for price to the Rodneys here.
You know the price of the offered Rodney and the uses and conditions for your needs.

As I said, you will certainly welcome it- if the price is right.

Regards

Norman

 

[Wizard69]

hello everyone
lately I have been looking for a small milling machine and I was wondering what you opinions were with the rodney miller for my ml7?
also any suggestions on mills would be greatly appreciated
thanks all
Greg

I have no opinion on the devices itself having never even seen one. However if you have nothing in the way of a milling capability it might be a smart move if the price is right. Unfortunately on this side of the pond milling attachments for lathes are strangely expensive, so they don't get considered for additions to most shops when new mills and used shapers are fairly easy to come by.

So buying a mill is generally a better approach than milling attachments for a lathe. You asked which mill to buy and frankly that depends upon you. Take your time figuring out what you need and go to the next size larger mill. It doens't matter if it is my wood working equipment or metal working equipment, I have a tendency to buy too little and often that leads to frustrations latter. I would also suggest that the machine should be one that will be easy to upgrade to axis drives or CNC. Even simple motor drives can work wonders for milling and boring finishes.

 

[John Antliff]

What will do large jobs will do small jobs - not so true the other way round. I settled for a Warco Turret mill and exported it half way round the world. Well actually it traveled the whole way round the world because it was made in Taiwan, then shipped to a warehouse in England and from there shipped to me in Wellington NZ (2002). What I should really have done was wait for a downturn in the engineering sector (GFC) and then bought a good condition secondhand Bridgeport mill - bigger, but then see my opening statement!

 

[cox24711]

thank you john and wizard
Sadly being 15 and having a Myford lathe taking up half of the garden shed.
A half ton Bridgeport mill isn't the best idea! being that I only want to make relatively small stuff, and not 1/4 scale merlins, I think that a smallish sieg mill is for me, for if I got a Bridgeport, I would probably need a Colchester chipmaster as well! possibly when I get my own house and garage I could perhaps upsize, a little

 

[bazmak]

Don't fully agree with the statement what will do big will do small. I would rather make small intricate parts to close tolerances on a small lathe

 

[goldstar31]

Maybe at 15 years, I would think that there are greater priorities for a future life.

My opinion, of course

N-- at 88 years

 

[Wizard69]

thank you john and wizard
Sadly being 15 and having a Myford lathe taking up half of the garden shed.
A half ton Bridgeport mill isn't the best idea! being that I only want to make relatively small stuff, and not 1/4 scale merlins, I think that a smallish sieg mill is for me, for if I got a Bridgeport, I would probably need a Colchester chipmaster as well! possibly when I get my own house and garage I could perhaps upsize, a little

Mulling attachments for a lathe can and do work but are significant compromises. Going that route should come down to “is the price right”. As I mentioned in the USA mulling attachments are often too expensive to justify in my opinion.

Now in the UK things might be different. In any event the point is even the cheapest of Chinese mills are a better solution. You don’t need a Bridgeport to improve upon a lathe style milling attachment.

By the way the trade war has significantly impacted the value equation over here. We may end up paying far more for our tools. Probably still cheaper than the UK though.