Likely The Best "Mini" Mill For Knife Making & The Home Machine Shop | Sieg X2 vs LMS HiTorque
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2 жыл бұрынThe mill was one of the best equipment related decisions I made for my knife making work shop. They truly are handy to have around and will increase the level of precision in your fit and finish greatly. This mill from Little Machine Shop is hands down the best choice when looking at the SIEG X2 mini mill category.
⭐ LMS 3990 Mill - littlemachineshop.com/3990?So...
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@kenmueller8632 Жыл бұрын
I purchased that 3990, the Tooling Package, R8 Mini Mill Essentials and tramming kit based on your review. I’d been researching one for my hobby knife making and forge shop. This one checked all the boxes for me. Thanks man! 5/8/23 - UPDATE - I received the mill. It was packed and shipped solid. I had to watch and rewatch your video to get it trammel up. But thanks to you, it made that easy. I’m learning and having fun with this superior little machine from LMS. It’s sweet.
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Heck yeah! Glad you like it Ken. Cheers
@firecannon90 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you. I've been considering the harbor freight mill. But after this I think I'll just wait a bit longer and go with little machine shop. Love the videos!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Cheers Austin! Yeah, I just had too many issues with the HF version to endorse it... Buy once cry once?
@adventures_in_steel7007 2 жыл бұрын
I gotta say you make some of the most detailed and informative videos. Definitely one of my biggest knife making inspirations.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Heck yeah, thank you sir!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hope yall got something out of this one... I get a question on what mill I use about every 2 days... so I figured this video was necessary. If yall are interested in the 3990 mill I talked about in this video here is the link - LMS 3990 Mill - littlemachineshop.com/3990?Source=RedBeard ------ Cheers yall ⭐EDIT 11-14-21 at 4:05PM - The tilting column mills like the one from harbor freight are actually Sieg X2s.
@eddieeggleston6642 2 жыл бұрын
Any thoughts on the model 4190?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
@@eddieeggleston6642 Hey Eddie, I haven't put hands on that one... looks cool though
@eddieeggleston6642 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps I will have one end of next week. Hope it's all it's cracked up to be!!
@alwayscensored6871 2 жыл бұрын
LMS taught me so much over a decade ago. Done most of their mill and lathe mods. Did not know they now do their own version.
@tomt9543 2 жыл бұрын
I bought a Sieg X2D from LMS and have absolutely loved the thing! This mill looks like the HF mill, but there are several significant improvements on the Sieg branded model including the rigid non-tilting column, air spring, and a much larger table/travel. The cost difference is what lead me to the Sieg branded model instead of the hi torque mill, but I’ve been more than satisfied with it! Even built some of the PM Research operating steam engines (stationary, not locos) with it, and not had a minute of regret on buying it! Regardless of what mini mill or lathe someone buys, they need to get acquainted with Little Machine Shop! Hands down the single biggest resource for the small lathe and mill world!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
They are legit! Cheers Tom
@ljprep6250 2 жыл бұрын
Looks like I might join you. The larger table and travel would be worth the $115 price increase. I suppose a machinist might find the other model with extra horsepower and torque worth the money, but I can't think of any need for projects I'm thinking of.
@pbc1951 2 жыл бұрын
Yep Tom T .... I have the HF Mini Mill and really like it... I have my First Order coming from LMS right now... T Nuts, Center Drills, Tap guide & etc... soon I think I will get the Belt drive kit...
@tomt9543 2 жыл бұрын
@@pbc1951 I originally planned on doing the belt drive mod when I first got the Sieg mill, but after using it for nearly a year I’ve decided against it! Haven’t had any issues milling aluminum, steel or brass. I’d read reviews of people saying the top gear self destructed on a regular basis, so I ordered 10 of them from Grizzly (cheaper than LMS on some parts) at $1 each. A year later they’re still in the bag they were shipped in, untouched! As far as mods, I bought a Grizzly G0765 7x14 mini lathe, and when in the learning curve I was parting off a piece of aluminum too far from the chuck. The stock climbed the parting tool and locked down the lathe, destroying the plastic headstock gears! Again, after watching vids of people upgrading to steel gears, I ordered a set from LMS and installed them. The steel gears are a lot noisier than the plastic ones were, and since the destruction was caused by my lack of knowledge (part off up close to the chuck!) and I don’t think it would happen again, if I ever have the headstock off of it again I’ll put plastic back!
@jfriedman5274 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the 411 and additional feedback it's always helpful from real users and shop owners! I've always been a fan of little machine shops products they seem to do a rather good job putting a good solid product or regardless of the small sizes.....
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad to help! Cheers sir!
@CavanalK5 2 жыл бұрын
Just getting into making knives. Love your channel. This particular video is beyond my need at this point but I watched and saved it for later lol. Great video and clear explanation of features. Wanted to give it a like and comment since I watched it through in order to help your Tube stats. Keep pumping our great content sir!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you!
@MrDragonUTube 2 жыл бұрын
Man, my head is about to explode with all the information I ingested from this video! That's what I love about your reviews Red beard, they are very detailed and you don't miss anything.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad to hear it! Cheers Charles!
@armadilloforge 2 жыл бұрын
Great to see you upgraded, love mine. LMS has a reverse switch that will fit just above the on off switch. It plugs into the control board so drill a hole , plug it in and your good to go. Thanks for the link on the face mill.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool! I'll have to look into that. Cheers sir!
@philamundson6578 2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison video and you give a lot of great tips. I’m looking into getting a mini mill and you have given me some great tips on what to look out for
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@tymz-r-achangin Жыл бұрын
Nicely done video! Gave us a lot of details that many uploaders skimp on when doing a review of a product. Side note: youre absolute right about the feature of a tilting head. They are certainly going to allow for slop in it and thus inaccuracies later on down the road The user is better off buying an adjustable swivel vice so can tilt the part to the angle it needs to be machined instead of tilting the head of the milling machine
@drewdoesart9277 Жыл бұрын
I bought the Little Machine Shop mini mill before the end of the video. Thanks for being so detailed on everything. I really feel good about this purchase.
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Glad I could help! I'm a huge fan of the machine. Use it on every knife I make.
@mgannotti 2 жыл бұрын
Just rewatched this today. Just added their mill to my favorite list and hope to buy this either Fathers Day or Birthday this next year
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Nice!
@johnkoury1116 3 ай бұрын
Super cool!!!!thank you for sharing this video!!
@theplasticdesert2408 2 жыл бұрын
Looking into mills now and this video really helped thanks mate.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Great to hear!
@25centsapop 2 жыл бұрын
Howdy, from Belton, Texas. I have loved seeing how much your channel has evolved
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey, thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!
@ryansewell5878 2 жыл бұрын
Recently purchased the LMS HT-6500. This machine is AMAZING! Little Machine Shop has very high quality products. I was not disappointed.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the comment Ryan!
@tgirard123 2 жыл бұрын
I love my 3990. I actually bought a CNC upgrade kit for it and it has been such a nice little toy to dive into CNC manufacturing.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice!
@JoeBusic 2 жыл бұрын
Where did you get it?
@MarketingPowerhouse 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome man!!! Thank you as I’ve been looking for a mini mill.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad I could help! I love mine... Used the heck out of it recently on a dagger build... video coming out on the 15th. Cheers
@MarketingPowerhouse 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps Have you ever made a video on how you made the DIY spindle square?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
@@MarketingPowerhouse As a matter of fact! I do - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q7l8nq6iuJeXiWQ.html
@vbblades2776 2 жыл бұрын
That LMS mini mill is really nice, I've been eyeing there mills for awhile now. Your video quality looks really good
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you!
@jwilsonhandmadeknives2760 2 жыл бұрын
I’ve got the Little Machine Shop SiegX2 and it has paid for itself many times over. For a knife shop it is fantastic. It isn’t what anyone would call heavy duty, but for small stuff it’s great.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I agree sir, these little mills are great for the knife maker
@kenluning909 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice video. Well done with the comparison. I had forgotten about this brand. Will be taking another look at this one. Or maybe a little larger model. Thanks Again. !!!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@austinst6146 2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely awesome, best knives on KZfaq! 🇨🇱
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Austin!
@mgannotti 2 жыл бұрын
Great post!!! Especially to someone looking at various mills
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you liked it! Cheers Michael!
@mike-carrigan 2 жыл бұрын
Heads tilt so you can do an angle when you may not be able to hold the work piece in a way to put the angle in or you can't remove your piece from the table until you are done. Bridgeports heads tilt as well. You are right though, it is a major draw back to those hobby mills.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Yes sir! I agree. I haven't found a need for the tilting feature for the work I do. I'd rather find a way to tilt the work piece instead of messing with the column. I could see this being useful maybe with a beffier machine, but with these little guys, I don't know.... seems good on paper and bad in practice. Cheers Mike!
@bradleyroon7639 2 жыл бұрын
It would be interesting to pull the plastic gears, cast them, and make some steel or good aluminum alloy gears, lol.
@troyam6607 2 жыл бұрын
Well Done! another fantastic video!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Cheers!
@pharmdiesel Жыл бұрын
I'm not sure how much time we have left as it is the end of the age. I Love your videos and tooling though and I model my home hobby shop much the same. Thank you for ypur time and efforts. GOD bless and Maranatha!
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Good luck with your builds sir
@oliverworks5469 2 жыл бұрын
Good info, Red! I have been looking at the older mill/drills recently. Some of them are equipped with 2 hp motors. That’s what I’d like to go with for my setup. But, LMS makes some nice stuff!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Right on, thanks for stopping by sir!
@m9105826 2 жыл бұрын
It's worth keeping in mind that when comparing an older brushed motor with a modern brushless one, HP isn't going to provide a complete picture of how they stack up in terms of performance. I moved to a brushless hand drill not too long ago that just about broke my wrist the first time I used it because of how much additional torque it puts out.
@m9105826 2 жыл бұрын
It's worth keeping in mind that when comparing an older brushed motor with a modern brushless one, HP isn't going to provide a complete picture of how they stack up in terms of performance. I moved to a brushless hand drill not too long ago that just about broke my wrist the first time I used it because of how much additional torque it puts out.
@keithmonarch447 2 жыл бұрын
Hello friend, Keith is from Michigan. I'm we could have a wonderful conversation together versus this comment box. You pretty much nailed it on these two Mini Mills. I only got the Harbor unit, cause it had a 200 bucks off. So I bought the belt drive conversion. Since I've overhauled a few machines, I completely stripped it down, this one had some decent Ways. So I just did flaking on the Ways. I had to retire early 🙃. The Mill will be doable for mid size Milling. Also have nice Lathe and do some hobby stuff, watched 😀 on KZfaq. I enjoyed your Mill comparisons, again very nice 👌
@OregonBladez 5 ай бұрын
What a dream machine, I can only dream Some day, some day.
@DoingMoreKustoms 2 жыл бұрын
I've been making my knives with the Grizzly Mill for a year now and love it. Beats cutting liner and frame locks with the angel grinder.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
That is awesome! Sure does!
@tomt9543 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps Angels don’t like being ground on!
@roblegrange473 2 жыл бұрын
Now that was in depth. No intentions on every buying a mill but now i know alot more then i did 😌
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Rob! Glad you enjoyed it!
@letscheckitout1985 2 жыл бұрын
Great video and well executed!!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you kindly!
@ryansimmons3818 6 ай бұрын
Great video, Red!
@RedBeardOps 6 ай бұрын
Thanks! Cheers Ryan!
@edwilliams9914 Жыл бұрын
Terrific review. When I was looking for a mill (building underwater robotics, not knifemaking, but would love to try that out too) that fit my apartment bedroom shop, I researched the heck out of everything from Bridgeport down to Sherline and "Sieg X2 style" won. But then when researching the heck out of "generic" Sieg vs LMS, spec by spec, feature by feature, LMS blew them all away. Totally agree with every point you raised and 9 years on, I am still delighted with my LMS 3900. So I felt I had done several months of ridiculously, obsessively thorough nit-picky research. So I was *very surprised* to see a few extremely important points in your review that I had completely overlooked, most notably the shocking difference in column wall thickness. No wonder people always howl about how "Sieg mills aren't stiff enough for real work". Also terrific to see the actual torque curves you came up with. So from somebody who spent about 5 months researching the difference before I dropped cash for the LMS, you get a big GOLD STAR for your extremely thorough and detailed research and presentation. Subscribed, and when people on forums ask "Generic Sieg or more expensive LMS, instead of trying to explain it I'll just point them right to your channel. Well done, sir! (I'm more than confident you make a very fine cutting tool so I'll be watching your vids on that as well.)
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Thank you greatly for your comment! I’m happy the video helped you. The 3990 is a step above the standard for sure
@toddhaines5245 4 ай бұрын
It's always a good idea to checks the gibbs and ways adjusting for slack, backlash and foreign bodies that may scar. If you know someone with a surface grinder that will be an asset.
@DotaBillfuc 2 жыл бұрын
Although I'm not a knifemaker, somehow you manage to post videos that hit the spot again and again!🤣
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I appreciate that Bill! I do my best. Cheers!
@nickatronic1721 Жыл бұрын
I am currently doing a CNC modification on my Sieg X2 (branded Einhell BT-MR 550). As you can see in my vids i also converted the gear transmission to a ribbed belt, which was the best I could do, it's much quieter now!
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Nice!
@billclancy4913 2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison video!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill!
@pbc1951 2 жыл бұрын
Great Video.... I broke my gear on Day 2.... Face milling 1/4" bar of Copper, "" I Forgot to lock in "Z" about mid way column dropped a tad, stopped the bit, broke the top Plastic gear"" Ordered the belt drive from LMS.... It is my first Mill, Live and Learn ... I'll be watching more of your videos.... Thanks...
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Paul! Cheers sir
@leec2106 8 ай бұрын
Thank you for your review, now I wish I bought that mill over the SIEG X2 mill, I do like the better motor curve and the larger table size. Sometimes we do learn the hard way. Thanks again.
@RedBeardOps 8 ай бұрын
Don't feel too bad about it! You can always upgrade your SIEG as you go or sell it down the road. Good luck with your work sir!
@jamesfair9751 Жыл бұрын
The tilt heads on those other mills if for milling angles. Works good for putting a 45 flat on the corner of square pieces.
@williamweesner1191 11 ай бұрын
Love LMS. This is a great video. I’m in the market for the PM728 but I have no reason to spend that kind of money. But I don’t want anymore sloppy stuff that needs rebuilding out of the box. This mini might be just what I need.
@RedBeardOps 11 ай бұрын
Glad you found it helpful William! Cheers
@halfbaked4life 2 жыл бұрын
Great video, but I’m sure you made a mistake in using the Jacob’s Chuck to tram your table. Jacob chucks have an excessive amount of runout no matter the brand. A collet is the best option. I love my LMS 3990 HiTorque.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info sir! Yeah, I should do that again
@GoodPimpofTheNorth 11 ай бұрын
You can indicate your chuck by putting a dowel in the chuck and put an indicator on the dowel and find your high and low spots then tap it with a mallet to get it zeroed.
@MrCoolAttitude 3 ай бұрын
I wish these were available in my region.
@yrigoyen0108 2 ай бұрын
Excellent video!!!
@RedBeardOps 2 ай бұрын
Thank you very much!
@nimousa6990 Жыл бұрын
Before you tram the spindle with shim, you must first check the Z movement perpendicularly to the table X and Y. Once you achieve that than you can start tramming the spindle. To tram the Z perpendicularly to the table you add shim under the column. To tram the spindle to the table you loosen 4 nuts that mate the spindle housing and the Z slide dovetail block, and tap CW or CCW for X direction. To tram the spindle in y direction you add shim between the mating of the spindle housing and the Z slide dovetail block. Now you got a true perpendicular spindle to the table.
@ChristopherJones16 Жыл бұрын
commenting so I can find this comment easier in case I need help tramming mine when it arrives.
@jclark845 Жыл бұрын
I just knew there would be a LMS discount code for watching this great video.
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Hey James, sorry about that! I don't have a discount code for you. I can say the mill is kicking ass.
@spudnickuk 2 жыл бұрын
I bought an identical one to the your SIEG. The tilting part is a great idea because you don't get much height on a mini mill, and so if you add a tilting vice then you lose a lot of height of around 170mm and in most cases you can't do any machining. so by having a tilting head you can achieve much more, and plus you don't have to spend more money. So far I have had no movement at all, and is still 100% level Also these mini milling machines are built to the clients price & spec. meaning if you get a cheap one then there will be issues, as a shop with a good reputation and put their own brand name to it is that they will want to sell only good tools/machinery that has had good quality control, so you do get what you pay for. And Sieg are well known for quality as well as Machine mart. so that is why they cost more than other similar models.
@aarontracy6015 2 жыл бұрын
LMS makes a great mill. I have an android DRO on mine and love it. Yuri sell it under TouchDRO. Totally worth the money.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I’ll be getting a DRO soon! Can’t wait! Cheers
@aarontracy6015 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps I have a power feed Y Axis too. I sent you an email.
@kentac1911 9 ай бұрын
Probably the best review I have seen on mills! Will this mini mill take a 3/4" ball end mill?
@RedBeardOps 9 ай бұрын
With the appropriate R8 collet, I'm sure it will!
@jwspock1690 2 жыл бұрын
Interesting test. As always ... very good video. Nice day and always sharp edges. ;-)
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching! Cheers
@brianmoore1164 2 жыл бұрын
I have had my LMS 3990 for a few years now and it has been trouble free and I have no reservations recommending it. If anything I would say that it punches well above its size.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Very good to hear Brian! Glad you like it
@lisag2771 2 жыл бұрын
Good to hear this. I’ve been debating wether to get the one above this model for a home hobby shop. Not sure if it’s worth the extra money.
@fredfarnackle5455 2 жыл бұрын
Good comparison. I'm surprised you didn't (couldn't?) get the new mill trammed better than that. I have an old X2 that had the tilting column that I replaced with a fixed one from Little Machine Shop. It proved to be quite well trammed after install but I was able to get it spot on with a few strategically placed thicknesses of ordinary printer paper. Here in Australia A4 sheets are 4 thou thick and remarkably consistent. Yep, that spring for the head is rubbish, I tried several methods to replace it but got a custom air spring made and installed it on the left side of the column, made all the difference. I also got rid of the gears and installed belt drive from LMS, installed stepper motors and ball screw Z axis years ago and run it under CNC using Mach3, works like a charm. I am currently installing a 1HP 750W sewing machine servo motor as I find the stock X2 motor underpowered. I also recently replaced my old DRO's with an Optimum 3 axis DRO set, works well.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Cool stuff Fred, I may go back and try to dial it in better now!
@ChristopherJones16 Жыл бұрын
I read guys buying used treadmills on craigs list for $50-100 just for the motors and getting 1hp motors out of them for their mills.
@chrisweller81 2 жыл бұрын
I just bought that same mill 2 weeks ago 😂 love it
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Heck yeah man! Glad to hear it!
@chrisweller81 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps now I just got to learn how to use it roflmao
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
@@chrisweller81 I'm in that boat!
@neko8715 9 ай бұрын
First off, amazing video. Second, Im looking at getting one for making folding knives and other small edc pocket junk. Will the 4700 micro mill suffice? I feel like that huge platform on that 3990 is a bit overkill, plus i do not have a lot of room. Im not sure if the torque on the micro will be enought for titanium and hardend steel. Will it be precise enought to mill intricate folding knife parts? any input would he fantastic!
@RedBeardOps 9 ай бұрын
You may want to ask the folks at LMS; having not done what you're asking about I'm not sure. I think it would work just fine, but not 100%
@tomjohnson6036 2 жыл бұрын
When tightening those bolts on the column would it be better to use a torque wrench? Not that I know of any particular torque spec but am just thinking it would make the tightening more consistent and remove a variable in the process.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Tom, I'm sure that would help! Good point
@MG-kk8cw 2 жыл бұрын
Been looking at the HF mini mill for months. Have been hesitant to but it because of some negative reviews. With I had the extra cash for the LMC mini mill.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Man I feel you. At the end of the day I probably ended up with around the same amount of cash into the HF mill after upgrading and repairing it... Not to mention when it broke (twice now) it's a terrible feeling.
@prawny12009 Жыл бұрын
Worth rechecking trim with each axis at the end of their travel to see if they are flat across their total travel.
@RobertLBarnard 2 жыл бұрын
I ordered a lathe and mill from Precision Matthews. They are made in Twain (rather than China) and the level of quality is a step above. Standard features include: English threads (not metric) on leadscrews, hand scraped ways. Options include: hardened ways, brushless motors (up to 2 HP), roller bearing screws ("economical" and "regular" options) for CNC conversion, and higher-precision on certain models. However, for the price, I will look at Little Machine Shop machines when I need to buy more.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Good to hear that. Thanks for the info
@NelsonJ1 Жыл бұрын
PM mills are mostly made in China, some of their products are from Taiwan.
@edwilliams9914 Жыл бұрын
@@NelsonJ1 Exactly right. The *do* say which are which, but Caveat Emptor -- ya gotta look yourself.
@ronaldlantz5988 2 ай бұрын
When you check your Tram for square is it out of adjustment often on the Harbor Freight model?
@RedBeardOps 2 ай бұрын
I've only had one, but I'd guess it's out of tram from the factory to some degree. Especially with the non-fixed column
@AlSayre 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the head to head comparison. I'm pretty much sold on the LMS now, too many bad reviews and videos of the HF.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Glad to help, cheers
@MichaelPontisso-mx1bq 10 ай бұрын
i have the lms mill and it is a good little mill .
@KnightsArmory 2 жыл бұрын
Humm, good timing. I just decided I wanted to get mill the other day. lol
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice!
@SteveC38 2 жыл бұрын
Nice!
@BrighamKindell 2 жыл бұрын
I want one now !
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Heck yah Brigham, I don't blame you... It's a slick machine!
@BrighamKindell 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps someday :)
@jncmotorsports7437 10 күн бұрын
Question here I do a lot of go kart cylinder head work but have to go to buddy’s for machine work what would be some tools I would need to mill them ? I’m assuming a fly cutter of some sort
@RedBeardOps 9 күн бұрын
Man I'm not sure exactly what they look like, but a fly cutter sounds like it could be a good solution. You may want to ask your buddy who has been machining them what he uses. Cheers!
@whdbnrm3023 Жыл бұрын
Harbor freight is good if your going to use the tool one time , Of course the LMS is double the cost but over ten years it's not a factor
@toddmcclellan979 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the breakdown between the two mini mills. When tramming with a flex arm and Interrapid style indicator, the indicator case should sit at 30° parallel to the table, and the needle should sit at 15° parallel to the table. You had your indicator at waaay too steep of an angle, I could see it catching on the T slots...
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Good stuff!
@theplasticdesert2408 11 ай бұрын
Awesome video. And this maybe a what the question but any idea how many decibels this is when cutting steel?
@RedBeardOps 11 ай бұрын
Good question! I have no idea. I generally have hearing protection in 100% of the time in the shop.
@theplasticdesert2408 11 ай бұрын
@@RedBeardOps cheers mate
@tonycstech 2 жыл бұрын
Question: How are the holes ? Are they drilled where they suppose to be drilled ? I have chinese lathe and mill, both of them have problems with holes, to a point if being unable to crank all the way.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Everything seems in order on my machine. Cheers Tony
@covad7686 2 жыл бұрын
I'm currently making small but very rigid cnc router for milling steel for a customer who wants to make knifes... uploaded couple of videos of the build. My customer has such small mill in his shop, like the one you're showing, Proxxon brand, and it's quite limited and not really rigid, well maybe this LMS mill is better. But for such price for a new mill it's better to purchase used large milling machine. Lile your projects, subscribed.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool! Thank you for your thoughts!
@emilvlahovic3917 2 жыл бұрын
I agree that larger used mills have their plaće, but , you will need to rebuild it as it Will ve worn , and that requiers time effort and money , they do bring alot of function with them tho. I gor one am looking at theese mills because i want to build 2 stroke stuff , mostly quite small , and aluminium , and in my basement i dont have alot of space , well i could fit a larger mill inside , but only in pieces as it would not fit trough the doors, but than i need 330v ,more concrete on the floor etc ... these things do havr their plaće
@EZ_shop 2 жыл бұрын
Nice review.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! Glad you liked it
@Mikesmeyer88 Жыл бұрын
Have you ever cut stainless with those? That's what I'm looking to do and was just about to go get a central machinery mill tell I saw them advertised as aluminum and softer materials I'm looking at the little machine shop now.
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Sure have! Check out some of my Bowie builds. Lots of stainless fittings.
@newtoncondict528 Жыл бұрын
What is the needed becnh footprint with this mill? I see the specs on their site, but I was wondering with the table being all the way left or right how much space is needed.
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Hey Newton, I'm away from the shop and don't have a good measurement for you. But these guys should be able to help - info@littlemachineshop.com
@joevaldez2939 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent video. Where did you get the gauge and shim kit?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Joe, i have a link in the description. Cheers
@markgrimm3564 7 ай бұрын
could you tell us where you purchased the surfacing bit you where using .i'm also filling out my order off your link for the 3990 and r8 essentials thanks for the heads up on them
@RedBeardOps 7 ай бұрын
Hey Mark, I think I put a link in the video description
@leonstern765 2 жыл бұрын
What tooling did you use with this mill? I intend to get one when they have them in stock again. Looking at the Delux with the dro because I need all the help I can get.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I used it heavily here. Should give you and idea - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pNypjNOdy86dZpc.html
@PatheticPeasant 2 жыл бұрын
Can you mill steel, like guards or flattening stock or is it really only good for aluminum and wood?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
100% yes on steel My next build will demo this
@PatheticPeasant 2 жыл бұрын
Ok cool. I look forward to seeing it.
@davidroan9652 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Red Beard! I've been looking for a good guide on the first essential bits/end mills to buy for CNC knifemaking. I haven't been able to find something comprehensive. Do you know where this info might be?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey David, I don't know where a guide is. I've just bought what I need for given projects.
@binnicksforge9359 2 жыл бұрын
Hey man. I started knife making over the pandemic. I'm using my dad's wrought iron 210lb. anvil. But it likes to dent. I can't get a good level on my knives. How can I flatten out an anvil? What kind of anvil should I use to keep a smooth finish on top even after I pound on it?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Ryan, I'm not sure on your anvil. Good anvils have a hardened face and will not dent. They'll rebound your hammer blows
@nicolashuffman4312 2 жыл бұрын
I had a G0704, which is a bit bigger than either of these mills. I kept running out of travel on the Y and Z axis. No disrespect to LMS, who support the hobby community, but my advise is to buy the biggest mill you can. You will not regret it.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Nicolas, I have heard this advise before! I'm sure it's good. Cheers
@alwayscensored6871 2 жыл бұрын
The next size up X3 has some good mills, got an Optimum version that had a wider X table than most. Not even close to Bridgeport but bargain for about $2000 Oz.
@oldpathscutlery 2 ай бұрын
Does this one have "slop" in the z axis fine feed knob?
@RedBeardOps 2 ай бұрын
There is some slop/backlash in the z axis. It’s nice having the strong air shock pushing up though
@gregoryreynolds9412 Жыл бұрын
Wouldn’t torquing the tram bolts to a specific tightness make leveling more accurate?
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
I'm not sure, I just kinda tinkered with it till it was all squared up. Torquing seems smarter
@markramey5437 4 ай бұрын
As a follow up, after having the LMS Mini Mill for a couple of years now, would you still recommend it?
@RedBeardOps 4 ай бұрын
I would! Great little machine
@provenancemachining 2 жыл бұрын
Picked up an HF mini mill over the memorial day sale ($200 off). Locking down the column with scrap steel, throwing out the chuck, and eventually getting the belt drive aren't an issue for me. I'm honestly more nervous about the electronics going out, but we'll see, I guess. I think with light cuts and not trying to use this like a 1500lb Clausing it'll be fine for what I do.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Sounds like a good plan man. If the electronics do go out there is a guy who repairs and upgrades the boards for a reasonable price. You can find OEM boards online too if need be. For knife making... these little mills do a darn good job
@provenancemachining 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps I noticed that LMS also offers steel gears as an upgrade for these things as well. If I'm not mistaken, I believe you do lose a bit of torque on the low end needed for drilling larger holes. Opinions between the two upgrades?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
@@provenancemachining I really don't have an opinion. May be best to ask LMS
@rickward4384 2 жыл бұрын
Been looking at mini mills and LMS always showed up. Was unsure if the differences were worth the extra money, thanks for your input.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Cheers rick! IMO, by the time you upgraded the X2 you'd be money and time ahead with the 3990
@rickward4384 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps Doesn't look like they will ship to my area, they list Canadian shipping but no options or pricing. I have sent an email we will see.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
@@rickward4384 Damn, sorry to hear it Rick! Maybe they'll make an exception. Let me knw what you find out.
@rickward4384 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps all good I don't discourage easy, we will see what they say.
@rickward4384 2 жыл бұрын
over two weeks and no reply from Little Machine Shop...maybe a good mill but they really need to learn to reply to their emails. Their competitors did.
@jmbstudio6873 2 жыл бұрын
LMS for the win! Update. I went with the Grizzly Mill G0704 and Lathe G0752. Variable speed and the quill micrometer on the mill is super uber uber handy. Did I mention handy?
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
Have a great day!
@Asdasd-kb9ib 2 жыл бұрын
Good luck 👍
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks! You too!
@CliffDiseker Жыл бұрын
Hey Red, What is the cutting capabilty (4140 ordinate steel) of each ofthe mills?
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
I'm sorry Cliff, I really don't know.
@jessevann7720 2 жыл бұрын
Red Beard Ops, My question is when you received your HiTorque 3990 Mini Mill do you have to reset any of the ways?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I didn't have to reset anything. What I did do was tram the mill... but other than that nothing.
@Joe_Bandit 2 жыл бұрын
Have you seen that video from Stefan Gotteswinter where he uses a special epoxy to bed the column down so it has a solid base to sit on? I understand it's better than relying on shims alone. I'm thinking to try it myself at some point.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I have not, I'll have to give it a look!
@Joe_Bandit 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps I'll post the link if I can find it!
@Joe_Bandit 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i52BppB7l9nbeZc.html
@jakewood4329 2 жыл бұрын
Man that's awesome job on Spindle Square do u use it alot?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I used it a lot with the HF mill. I don't think I'll use it much with the 3990
@Vitor_A. 2 жыл бұрын
com certeza ambas são um sonho de consumo. um dia compro uma :D
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Obrigado pela visita, Vitor! Tenha um ótimo dia!
@Vitor_A. 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps it is always a pleasure, my friend. I wish you and your whole family have a great week!
@michaelk5889 Жыл бұрын
How has this mill served? I’m thinking about getting it this week. Thanks
@RedBeardOps Жыл бұрын
This mill has been great, Michael! I'm a big fan of it. Cheers
@randallrun 2 жыл бұрын
Liked and subscribed! Fantastic knife Making;g channel, I sincerely thank you! Could a small mill like this alleviate having a drill press? I’ll have to look and see what the maximum drill bit the chuck holds. Maybe this would be a waste of a nice tool.but just wondering. I’m kind of wanting one now, darn you!
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I think so man! I use mine as a drill press all the time.... I rarely use my WEN drill press for knife making any more other than odd tasks... Basically it could all be done on the mini mill
@randallrun 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps Many thanks!
@glinester 2 жыл бұрын
I understand that the blue mill is better than the Harbor Freight mill, but is it worth the $500 or so difference in price? What little I do or want to do, can be done with a drill press with a fair X-Y vice. If I had a mill I might do a bit more but I doubt it.
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I think it's worth it, but thats up to everyone to decide on their own. I have more than that into repairs and upgrades on the HF version.
@glinester 2 жыл бұрын
@@RedBeardOps Unfortunately the cost is about twice what I get on disability in a month. At least with the HF I can spend less to begin with and add belt drive and so on a little bit every couple months.
@littlecabinknives8954 2 жыл бұрын
So would you say it's the best for the money or will the harbor freight model work for a novice to start on
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
Personally I wouldn't buy the HF model again. It did work for me as a starter mill, however, I had to get the circuit box replaced/repaired, and the gears broke. With the time and money I spent on the HF model (repairs and upgrades) I should of bought the LMS version from the start. Would of came out ahead for sure. Just my opinion...
@Orcinus24x5 2 жыл бұрын
How did you get the torque curves for each machine?
@RedBeardOps 2 жыл бұрын
I got that data directly from Little Machine Shop, I'm not sure where they got it form.
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