Need advice on 80% lower

[fortdick]

Thanks for looking and hopefully y'all can give me some advice.

I picked up a couple paperweights while they were still reasonably priced and now have to get to finishing them off. I have read all the tutorials I can find and feel I can manage this without fecking it up too much. What I can't decide on is whether I would be better off starting with my drill press, or going ahead and getting a mini mill to do the work.

I have an old Craftsman floor drill press with a 2/3 HP motor, speeds up to 3600 rpm. Reading the how to's, I figure it would be necessary to add a milling vise to my drill press for best results. I would have to buy a jig to make it all do'able. That gets me into the $350 range without end mills and what-nots.

For around $600 I can get an X2 mini mill, or an X3 for about a grand. Either would perform the job without the need for a jig. I would still be more comfortable using a jig for the hole drilling, but the FCP would be easy without a jig. Plus, I can later upgrade the mill to a CNC machine and start working with blanks to make my own paperweights. I just don't know if an X2 is adequate or if I would need an X3 to mill from a blank.

Then there is the whole software stuff which I don't want to go into now.

Anyone out there have any advice which way to go? I want to know if I am missing something that would help make up my mind.

Here are some mills I am looking at:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Milling-Machine/G8689

http://www.harborfreight.com/two-speed-variable-bench-mill-drill-machine-44991.html

http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3960&category=1387807683

Am I out of my mind or is this something that may be worth going all out for?

thanks again,

Dan

[eyestothesky]

For $50-$60 per lower, you could probably join a build party or find someone with a CNC machine to do the milling in your general area. Unless this is something you are going to be doing a lot of, or trying to make a business out of in an already competitive market, I'm not sure it's worth dropping $600-$1000 on equipment.

[AVID HUNTER]

For $50-$60 per lower, you could probably join a build party or find someone with a CNC machine to do the milling in your general area. Unless this is something you are going to be doing a lot of, or trying to make a business out of in an already competitive market, I'm not sure it's worth dropping $600-$1000 on equipment.

X1000, save your money as you want that lower to be precise. Contact Jimi on here if you want your lower to be perfect!

[fortdick]

I would love to attend a build party, but I am in Del Norte county, about 425 miles north of San Fran. Not much in the way of machine shops nearby.

[fortdick]

X1000, save your money as you want that lower to be precise. Contact Jimi on here if you want your lower to be perfect!

Not sure Jimi would be able to help me. San Diego is quite a ways away.

[yari]

Save your money!!! I bought an x2 with the dream of cncing it as well. Not worth it. Save for a good Cnc mill of you are serious.

[fortdick]

Save your money!!! I bought an x2 with the dream of cncing it as well. Not worth it. Save for a good Cnc mill of you are serious.

Good tip, thank you