I have both the mini-mill and mini-lathe being discussed in this thread. Actually I have a couple of each from different vendors and setup differently. They are good machines for the money but they are very limited in capacity. If you have a small shop and/or a limited budget and limited capacity needs they are a good option. If anyone is considering buying either (or both) of these machines think of them more as a “kit” than a ready to run machine. The first thing you are going to want to do when you uncrate these machines is completely disassemble, clean, debur, and then rebuild and adjust the machine before you ever even plug it in and turn it on. When I say disassemble I mean COMPLETELY. You will be surprised what you will find in all the nooks a crannies. The fit and finish on these machines lacks a lot to be desired out of the box but if you think of them as a kit that has been pre-assembled to show you what goes where but that you are supposed to “finish” then you can have a good machine, albeit small and limited, for a reasonable price. Don't be afraid of this whole rebuild concept on these machines. They aren't that complicated and you will learn all the in's and out's of the machine along the way. We build robots remember. These machines should be a snap to tear down and rebuild for anyone that has made it through a 6 week FRC build season!
There are endless modifications that can be made to these machines as well to “customize them” and make them “better”. DROs are a popular mod as the dials are a bit quirky especially if you get one of the versions that aren’t true inch. There are also many folks out there that have CNCd these little guys. If you are considering these machines I suggest you start reading up on them here:
www.mini-lathe.com. There is an endless amount of great information on both the mini-lathe and mini-lathe at that site.
There are lots of variations of both of these machines out there. Shop around. The cheapest source (usually Harbor Freight) isn’t always better. For example, the mini-lathe Harbor Freight sells is a 7x10. Most other vendors sell the 7x12 version, which oddly enough is actually 4” longer than the 7x10. H.F. sort of cheats in the way they measure theirs. Most people would call the H.F. version a 7x8 rather than a 7x10. That 4" is HUGE on one of these things. For that reason alone I would stay clear of the H.F. 7x10 machine. IIRC H.F. has also started selling a 7x12 version as well. On the other hand,
Micro-Mark sells a new 7x16 version of the mini-lathe that also has a brushless motor for $750. If the thought of a lathe “kit” turns you off and you just want to take it out of the box and start making chips then you should probably stick with the Micro-Mark 7x16 as the fit and finish are supposed to be the best on them. You get what you pay for…
If you are considering these machines but are worried about replacement parts and accessories have no fear.
Little Machine Shop has every part for any of the variations of these machines you might ever need. LMS also carries lots of great accessories and tooling targeted at these size machines and at the “non-professional” (i.e. hobby) machinist. LMS sells a larger replacement XY table for the mini-mill that really adds a lot of table area over the original. Chris and all the folks at LMS are all top notch and have always been super to deal with.
If you are interested in the 8x14 lathe also being discussed in this thread you should also checkout
LatheMaster. LatheMaster sells their version of the 8x14 lathe also being sold by Harbor Freight which I have been told has better fit and finish for more money (of course). LatheMaster also sells a 9x30 version of the H.F. 9x20. One of the issues with the 8x and 9x machines is they do not have a reverse gear but that may or may not be an issue for you. I would guess there is a limited need for left hand threading on an FRC bot anyway. LatheMaster also sells some parts and accessories for these machines such as gear sets, etc. but you can also get parts for them at LMS. LatheMaster also has some decent small mills that are a step up in size from the mini-mill that may be worth a look for some teams. Finally, good or bad keep in mind that the 8x14 lathe is MUCH heavier than the 7x mini-lathes. I have seen a lot of the 7x mini-lathes in various team’s pits over the years. The 7x machines are reasonably portable. The 8x machines are not. Something to think about if you feel the need to have a lathe in your pit at competition.