Harbor Freight Mini Mill

A quick review of the Harbor Freight Mini Mill. In this video, we take a quick look at the mini milling machine. We go over some of the features and answer the question should you get a mini milling machine or the mini lathe first.

[Joeak]

I'm a manual machinist at home too. I have the big bridgeport clones (2) and 4 full size lathes. Not bragging, just saying. Thats how things ended up. What I wanted to say, is thank you for the video content and effort you put into it. Thumbs up. I wanted to comment on these little machines and say that they can be fantastic little machines! Bare none! Even though I have the full size 3500 Lb machines, The little one have lots of advantages! Get both the mill and the lathe, and don't look back! With some fine tuning on both and some simple upgrades, you'll be self sufficient, and just laugh at broken parts your trying to replicate, or perhaps one you just designed yourself. No more worrying about, or thinking to yourself "what do I do??? I can't get this part anymore". That thought never enters your mind! Now go get these mighty little machines people!
Just for the Record, I machine parts at Tesla. We can make cuts easily to 5 microns. (millionth of a meter), which is the width of a human red blood cell. I still enjoy manual machining. I also just subscribed, so don't let me down. :)

[sean-lloydroebuck]

I got both, 3 year ago. Got sick and haven’t recouped enough to set them up, but soon it will happen!

[martik]

Seems like yesterday these were $499 as was the 7x10 lathe.

[anelpasic]

I know it's a lot less hassle to use a drill chuck for holding you endmills, but just a word of caution, there is a high chance that you will end up doing unrepairable damage to your spindle. I wish you good luck with your future milling work.

[howardsnyder]

I am a retired tool maker. No way in hell would I put an end-mill in a drill chuck, no matter how good the chuck. Collet only.

[paultrimble]

Nice 👍🏻. I have a unimat db200 like brand new. Has milling attachments. Only thing it’s small. Have drill press. Don’t know what I want next bigger lathe. 8-10 x16-20 ish size. Or mini mill. Or get 1500$-2000$ combo lathe/ mill. As it will be towards end of year or first of year. So I keep researching. Right now learning this ender3 max got few months back.

[Tricknologyinc]

Harbor Fright doesn't have any of the X-Y-Z travel specs and you didn't mention them either. This is pretty critical for selecting a machine for a specific project and the first thing someone looks for when shopping for a machine tool. I saw 6" marked off on the milling table and nothing on the Y cross slide. Do you know these specs?

[davidrule]

If I was gonna take this rout. I would get a sureline lathe and mill.

[RustyInventions-wzir]

Just found your channel and subscribed. Very nice mill

[badmaverick]

I wonder if I can get bits and the depth needed to mill the slots for my BAR semi auto weld up. It's kind of a deep receiver.

[volcombait]

What brand is your Vice .. need one .. that is accurate enough

[arbjful]

Harbor freight should make their own Bridgeport style mill…

[shanenagore]

Sir, how would this work as a wood mortiser? And what end mill/cutter would you recommend for doing so?
Thanks!

[David-hmic]

If I had to choose between a mill and a lathe I would take the lathe hands down. For the kind of work I do a mill is a great supplement to a lathe but having only a mill wouldn't help me much. I have two good drill presses though so that takes care of the drilling aspect of a milling machine.

[jncmotorsports]

Would this be a good option for cutting like 212 go kart motor heads?

[Austinificationify]

Nice video. Have you milled any steel on this yet? How did it go?

[ammerudgrenda]

Maybe good for rough cuts on plastic and wood.

[titanhangman]

Which size milling vise did you buy? I just bought this mill from HF today and I can hardly wait to get milling.

[davidrule]

6:14 He's using wood for a reason.

[colevarela]

I wonder if there is a way to hook up a DRO to this. Would make using it a breeze