Vertical Mill for FRC

[FrankJ]

Getting a mill with digital readouts (DRO) is worth the extra money.

We have a Enco value priced mill with DRO at the build site. Within its limits it does better than my heavily worn Bridgeport at work & takes less skill to use. The skill part is knowing how to compensate for the wear more than one machine being easier than the other. We also have a 1940s vintage Southbend 9A lathe . I am really fond of it, but having it to do over again, I would have bought a new value priced lathe. While it nice to have industrial quality tools, you are not putting the same hours on them as commercial facility would.

Most of the small mills & lathes can run on less than 1 hp which means single phase 110 or 220 is a possibility. Best with a dedicated circuit though. You can get a single phase VFDs to convert to 3 phase if that is what the motor is.