Grizzly G0463/Sieg X-3 Mill Stand?

[DICKEYBIRD]

Just ordered an X-3 from Grizzly and a ton of accessories for my birthday/Christmas (with SWMBO's blessings, HOO-AHH!) and am needing a table/stand for it. Grizzly's recommendation looks a bit weak to me. http://grizzly.com/products/G7313

Any other suggestions? Also how far off the ground does this size machine need to live? Their standard mill stands look too low to me. http://www.grizzly.com/products/G5944

I've never owned a mill but it seems like it ought be up where the X/Y table is at a height that's comfortable for the hands to spin the handles. My main workbench is 36" high and I'm thinking that height may be OK. What sez ya'll?

[brettjones]

I've had that machine for about 2 months now (I need to shim the column to tram it, but I'm happy with it). I put mine up on the work bench to use it, with plans to build a stand for it later. The bench is 32 inches high and I think it's a bit too high for the mill so I'll build the stand at 30 inches. I've got some 3x3x1/8 tubing and 1/4 plate in the shop, so I'll be building the stand out of that.

Does anyone know if the mill bolts to the stand that Grizzly sells for this machine? I'm a bit worried about having a tippy top heavy machine.

[RobertLC]

How 'bout makin' a stand out of 4x4's? I just bought a dovetail mill from PennTool w/power feed...without the stand and the only reason I didn't was because of my low basement ceilings, so, I'll have to fabricate a stand from 4z4's.

[DICKEYBIRD]

Thanks guys!

Brett I'm glad to hear from someone that has an X-3 and is happy with it. Also, your wanting it down around 30" tells me my 36" bench would be way too high. I'm a tad under 6 ft. tall...what about you? Just comparing. I'd hate to get it too low and get the 'ol back out of whack again.

The cust. svc. fellow that recommended the 1st stand linked to above said the mill would have to be bolted down to the top with 1 3/4" lag bolts. It's 30 1/2" tall which would put it in the height range we're looking for and the price is OK. I just worry about it's rigidity. It's rated for 700 lbs so it may be OK.

I don't have any nice 4x4's squirreled away and heck, they're pretty darned expensive to buy these days.

My other option is a surplus phone equipment rack I have lying around that's built very strong. The main structure is 2" alum. angle (webs are 1/4" thick) with sheet steel sides. It's about 6 ft. tall but I was thinking about sectioning it down to the appropriate height and bracing the top. The only problem is that's another project to complete before I can get to milling parts. I wanna play with my new toys NOW!

[japcas]

****eybird, if you really want to get started playing right away then I would just buy the stand that you showed in the first link. It is not terrribly expensive and you can get a feel for what height you might want or need. If you decide to build one later on then that stand could be put to work doing something else. If nothing else it would be handy beside of the mill to hold tooling and setup stuff. Have fun.

[Spin Doctor]

For anybody owning or interested in the X3

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/X3_small_mill/

[brettjones]

I'm 5'10", so about the same as you. Looking at the fist stand, it does not inspire a lot of confidence in me.