Lift or Milling Machine?

Lift, but they aren't without cost growth either if you have more than one car-- you'll want a second lift, because the project car is up on the lift and your DD needs work...

I have a lift, mill and lathe. The lift gets the most use by far. I'd vote lift just for the wear and tear it saves on you.

If your budget is $2,000 could you find a used lift and put the savings towards a mill? My two post lift came from a body shop that as moving. I paid $600 for it and it's an industrial unit rated for 9000lbs. If you shop around you can find a good deal.

fidelity101 wrote: How many days out of the month will you use a lift v a mill? and should you buy a mill how much harder is it to find a lift to utilize and the flip side of the coin is if you choose a lift how easy would it be to find a machine shop to do your mill work... I vote lift.

Well... the thing is - for 30 years I've done what needed doing with jack stands so the lift is really a luxury item that I can make due without. I don't really ever need to "find a lift" to get a car in the air. I do really, really hate lying on my back to wrench though and it would certainly be a welcome luxury.

The mill represents unlocked potential to do things I cannot do right now. I can't even say how many times I wanted to slot a plate, cut a groove, hog out a clevis, etc... I have walked away from hundreds of neat little ideas or projects over the years because I would have had to pay a guy a couple hundred bucks to make me a one-off part. I do know that I can do some milling on my lathe but having just spent a couple days looking in to it - it appears that isn't really the silver bullet to having both that it sounds like and I'd be in for a 1/3 of the cost of the mill.

Decisions, decisions...

Wayslow wrote: I have a lift, mill and lathe. The lift gets the most use by far. I'd vote lift just for the wear and tear it saves on you. If your budget is $2,000 could you find a used lift and put the savings towards a mill? My two post lift came from a body shop that as moving. I paid $600 for it and it's an industrial unit rated for 9000lbs. If you shop around you can find a good deal.

Now we are talking... $600 for a 9k lift!? I see $1500 all the time for a used one I have to go figure out how to uninstall, load and transport (rather than just take off a truck brand new at $2k) but $600 would change the cost/value balance on that one big time.

Wayslow wrote: If your budget is $2,000 could you find a used lift and put the savings towards a mill? My two post lift came from a body shop that as moving. I paid $600 for it and it's an industrial unit rated for 9000lbs. If you shop around you can find a good deal.

At first thought I was thinking mill. After reading the post I think a lift will be value. The year I spent working as a technician I was amazed how much faster both simple and complicated jobs were with a lift. Think about all the time you'll be saving, time you can spend enjoying the cars or finding something else to modify/fix. I vote for a used lift because you will also want a tranny jack and under-hoist stands. Also a used lift gives you a chance to get a used mill.

Lift.

I have the Harbor Freight version of the X2 mini mill, it's been handy, but has cost me significantly more in tooling, than just the cost of the mill alone. I want a lift, but only have room for a mid-rise scissor style lift. Even so I vote lift.

• Lee

Whichever turns up first as a used bargain, followed by whichever one turns up second as a used bargain? If you keep chipping into that tool savings bundle, bet you'll be able to nab both as they come up.

I'm just jealous you have the ceiling height for a lift. 8' ceilings means... Well, nothing. I'm not even to the lathe yet.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Wayslow wrote: I have a lift, mill and lathe. The lift gets the most use by far. I'd vote lift just for the wear and tear it saves on you. If your budget is $2,000 could you find a used lift and put the savings towards a mill? My two post lift came from a body shop that as moving. I paid $600 for it and it's an industrial unit rated for 9000lbs. If you shop around you can find a good deal.

Now we are talking... $600 for a 9k lift!? I see $1500 all the time for a used one I have to go figure out how to uninstall, load and transport (rather than just take off a truck brand new at $2k) but $600 would change the cost/value balance on that one big time.

I took three car guy friends with me to pick it up. It took us about 1.5hrs to disassemble and load it on my trailer. I took care to label every connection and wire as well as take lots of pictures. Have some patience and you'll find one. Once you own a lift you'll be amazed at how much easier every project is.

BTW the lathe below isn't mine but my buddy picked it up for free from a local HS that was down sizing their shop program. Deals exist.

In reply to Wayslow:

Damn. I thought I got a good deal on a lathe - but that is roughly the same size as mine but beefier, with a massive rigid stand and FREE.

Mine was $600 with some tooling, a grinder and a pile of metal but it needed repairs to run the feed and a couple new bearings to make it accurate.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Well... the thing is - for 30 years I've done what needed doing with jack stands so the lift is really a luxury item that I can make due without. I don't really ever need to "find a lift" to get a car in the air. I do really, really hate lying on my back to wrench though and it would certainly be a welcome luxury.

With all due respect, when will it be time when you no longer just have to just "make do?"

My lift data- I found a nice 4 post lift for $1600, and the company who locally installs them picked it up and moved it for me. So you should be able to find someone who can help.

Anyway, I got really tired laying on my back, and fitting under my car trying to do work. Having access to a lift making my challenge car really opened my eyes. And speed. Someday for that real present to yourself has to come someday- no reason that can't be now.

Lift.

I would say it depends on what you primarily do in the garage. If you mainly prep race cars,which have to be done quickly and finished by a deadline, a lift will make this way faster and easier. If you are doing long term projects, where the extra few hours spent bench-pressing a transmission up into the car without being able to sit up don't matter, get a mill.

Me, I would rather have a lift.

No brainer.

Get the mill for two reasons. What will a lift allow you to do that you don't already do now (aside from whining that you don't have a lift)? And since you already have a lathe, you really should have a mill to give you that much more flexibility when repairing, or fabbing stuff for your race cars. It's like love and marriage. You can't have one without the other.

If you have a lift, guys who own mills will seek you out. It will be easy to trade lift time for some mill work.

If you own the mill, you still have to find the guy with the lift.

Get a lift ... If you were closer I'd do all your mill work free in exchange of using your lift to swap the stupid rear subframe bushings on the e30

Lift.

I'm considering buying a bigger house, or even building, just so I can get a proper lift.

lift

Lift

Get the lift first. You will use it more than the mill. Then look for a rotary index table to use on your lathe. My father used one of them mounted to the tool post on his lathe to do a fair amount of milling.

GPS, clearly you want the mill, so get that. Or waste it on hookers and blow. Your choice

Are you 100% sure that milling attachment will have the capability and rigidity you'll need?

If I were in your position I'd hold out for a used bridgeport. That is, unless that milling attachment will safely and reliably do everything you want it to do.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

oldtin wrote: lift and mill. Mrs. GPS & minions don't need new clothes this year - they would want you to be comfortable. If they insist on eating - maybe lift first. I suspect things are on jack stands more often than you need a slot.

Ha. Things are permanently on jackstands around here. I'm afraid if I had a lift it would be all the way up, with a car on jackstands under it.

That has never happened in my shop... Ever... I swear.

Lift!

I have obviously been outvoted.

For the record. I use my mill 2-3 times more often than I use my jack and stands. The only large power tool that gets used more is my air compressor with the welder a close 3rd. After a while doing without a mill would be akin to doing without a welder. You might as well lock the door and never come back.

The ability to look at just about any piece on anything and know, "I can make that," is worth more than any lift to me. It will open doors you never knew were closed.

Lift = convenience item. Nice to have, not necessary.

Mill to complete machine shop = Power of God. OK, not quite but close.

Besides, if you have a mill, a lathe and a welder, you can build a lift. A lift is just a fancy set of jack stands.

In all honestly, buy both. If I had room for a lift, I'd probably have one of them too.

A mill is a new rabbit hole. Do you want that?