Metex Opti BF20L Mills?

[wm460]

I was looking at these mills and wondering if any one has any experience with them, good or bad?

http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=4268...xtz=-570&abp=1

They appear to be the equivalent to the Seig Super X3 is this correct?

Which is the better mill?

Optimum is a German company that have a factory in china to make their cheaper lathes and mills, I understand the Grizzly G0704 is a copy of these mills.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...asRICVxE4w56Vg
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[stevec]

The links don't work for me.

[wm460]

Sorry about that, try again.

http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=42682X1 ... -570&abp=1

Second link,

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct= ... SwPS3Nk3dw


Since came across this one, which seem to be a variation of the mill in the first link.

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/M650

[WJH]

Just your standard BF20 mill.. German's don't own a factory, they simply import them like everyone else does. They are supposedly nicer quality than Sieg products so I've been told. I like my Sieg X3, but I'd rather have a knee mill.

[rustyh]

I have been satisfied for what I paid for it. It has taught me a lot but leaves me with the feeling I wish I'd bought better...more expensive....but it was what I could afford at the time.

The good points were it's size, the variable speed, spindle DRO, and R8 spindle. The bad points are it's size, trying to tram...as you tighten up the nuts it goes out of tram....can be very frustrating, and the brass gib on the column is tapered and tightens when raising, kills my shoulder (maybe a bigger wheel would help). I suspect the dovetail on the column is not parallel all the way, as halfway up, it gets difficult to raise, then gets easier again near the top. Someday I'll tear it down and figure it out.

Handy for many of the projects I have, but accuracy and precision makes me wish for a much bigger and better quality mill....someday...

If this is your first mill....just wait....accessories and tooling, I have more in that than I paid for the machine....

[wm460]

If this is your first mill....just wait....accessories and tooling, I have more in that than I paid for the machine....

I found this to be true when I bought my lathe.
So the Sieg SX3 is the better of the two.