Small mill / drill recommendations?

[Russell]

The purchase of some carbide drills via the special offer put together by Des has brought this question off the back-burner.

Any recommendations for a well made but small bench mounted miller / driller?

It would be used for our type of model making plus producing small metal parts for vintage air pistols.

I've got a floor mounted Tom Senior M1 miller which stands head height so I don't lack for raw capacity but whilst a big machine can do small jobs there is a point where it becomes ridiculous plus the top spindle speed wasn't designed with tiny milling cutters in mind.

Many of the modern drill presses I've seen & even some of the current 'hobby' millers exhibit visible 'flutter' at the tip of the drill or cutter due to run-out on the shaft or play in the bearings - this isn't good when trying to use 0.2mm diameter carbide drills.

Cowells here in the UK do a suitable miller but at £2500 it's not exactly a giveaway - my budget has some flexibility but it won't 'flex' that high.

The smaller imported machines (typically Chinese made) seem a very mixed bag.

Recommendations would be welcome.

Regards
Russell

[Des]

I'm not sure if this is what you are after Russell but have a look anyway, there are other types also listed.

Des.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sieg-X2-Variable-Speed-Dovetail-Milling-Drilling-Machine-Mill-Drill-/351046447843

[uncletony]

I was in the same boat two years ago, Russell. I settled on the Micro Mark micro drill press, which is Chinese made of course. Maybe I got a good one, but I am really happy with it. There is no apparent play in the shaft still  I can drill .15mm and .2mm holes all day with it. I use it for (very light) milling operations as well. The X-Y table they sell for it is pretty good, but a little lightly constructed, it rocks ever so slightly in the X plane when you wind it, no matter how I adjust it. good enough for me though.

http://www.micromark.com/microlux-benchtop-variable-speed-mini-hobby-drill-press,8283.html