Vertical Mill for FRC

[Mr. Mike]

Originally Posted by vertigo

Thanks for all of the great advice that has been provided in this thread. The consensus seems to be that it is very much worth spending the extra money to get a full size Bridgeport machine, which I definitely agree with. With a few changes and the addition of a 220V power source (or a converter) our shop could accommodate a full size machine. My main reasons for seeking out the Grizzly machines is the price. Our team has only been around for two years and is still trying to establish steady fundraising and team structure. Until that happens, I'm not super comfortable spending a large portion of our budget on a nice, full-size machine (especially when there are other tools that we need to acquire). I'm glad to hear that people have had some success with the G0704. I'm going to keep and eye on Craigslist and check around local tool shops to see if I stumble on a well priced full size mill, but I would like to have a machine in place before the Fall to begin training the students. Thanks again for the help!

Try contacting the National Tooling and Machining Association. They have a chapter in L.A. www.lantma.org, or San Diego http://www.ntmasandiegochapter.org/

They might be able to help out.