Clausing 8520 or Sieg X3?

[Phil3]

Which is preferred? A used Clausing 8520 knee mill or new Grizzly G0463 (X3) mill? The two are about the same price. The mill is to complement hobby work done on my Southbend 9A. Mostly aluminum, some stainless and brass, nothing bigger than a cigar box.

Thanks.

- Phil

[rudd]

OK, here we go again!
You might do a search, the "new import v. used domestic" topic gets beaten to death regularly.
For me, if the clausing is in decent shape, it's not even a question. Mass= rigidity=accuracy.
Is it in decent shape? http://www.mermac.com/freemill2.html
Does tooling come with it? This can quickly equal the cost of the machine. Is tooling available? I don't know what the Clausing takes. Power OK or do you need a 150.00 VFD?
On the Grizzlys - some swear by them, some swear at them

Looking at some photos, the Clausing's head will tilt. Means it has to be trammed, but that odd job where you need to go at an angle can be done without using a tilting vise or angle blocks.
It will also swivel around the base, something the Grizz won't do.

The two machines really aren't even in the same class.

[EdK]

If the Clausing is in decent shape then it's a no-brainier. Those Clausings are nice little knee mills. Much more rigid than the Grizzly mill you're also looking at.

Ed

[Phil3]

I don't know if the Clausing that I found for sale was in decent shape or not, but tried to be first in line since the asking price was $800. I got to it too late...was sold.

I very much like knee mills, since to my newbie mind, having a table substantially supported by the screw and GUIDED by the dovetails is preferable to having a head that is hanging off the dovetails. Maybe I am wrong.

- Phil

[rudd]

I very much like knee mills, since to my newbie mind, having a table substantially supported by the screw and GUIDED by the dovetails is preferable to having a head that is hanging off the dovetails. Maybe I am wrong

You are correct, a knee mill is highly preferable to the X3 arrangement, for more reasons than you mention.

Patience grasshopper.. the right mill will come along. If you've already blown your cash and available space when it does....then you have to stick with what you have or sell one to buy the other.

[61-63]

You are aware are you not that Grizzly, Wholesale tools, and Harbor Freight sell Chinese copies of the Clausing 8520 that run on 220, some 110/220 switchable. I have one and feel it is a good machine. I would have preferred a Clausing but none ever popped up near enough for me to go see exactly what I was getting.

[Phil3]

Yes, I know the Clausing 8520 clones are available from Grizzly, etc., but had hoped to spend less than what they cost. May have to just bite the bullet, but then to add the DRO.

- Phil

[rudd]

http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... 18&t=88690

Now that's a mill! I looked at prices in your area, WOW. THis looks like a screaming deal, a vert and a horiz. for 1200.

[Andypullen]

I have a Clausing 8520 for sale...But shipping it to CA...I don't think so. I would prefer somebody coming to get it.

Andy Pullen