IH Bedmill vs Square Column Mill Drill     A few facts to show the common mistake being made of comparing an IH 12Z Bedmill to a RF45 Mill Drill

In 2003 we began the project to re-design the Square Column Mill/Drill. 

Our CNC kits were limited by what a RF45 would support.

We needed a base mill that could handle all the speed and side loading our Full Servo CNC System can generate. Not a clone nor a copy, but a fully designed and engineered Heavy Duty piece of machinery .

We believe  that we have achieved what we were after. A Mill that is a great Manual Mill with a DRO or as a Full Servo CNC Mill capable of 12 hour days of hard production.    

Although inexpensive mill drills are great and have there place in the shop, they just are not up to the task of being the base mill for our Turnkey CNC Mill Systems which have to perform to a higher standard.

 Key Problems RF45 Mill/Drill;

• Small Travel 7.5" x 21"

• Low Rigidity limits Speed & Feeds

• Soft Drive Gears

• Poorly Finished Ways

• Undersized Castings

Early IH Mill with 10” Slide

·         9.5 x 40” Table

·         12" x 30” x 22" Machine Travel

·         2hp Motor

·         Hardened Gears

·         Superior Lead Screws

·         Weight Approximately 1000 lbs

Machine castings were completely redesigned for this Mill.  Substantial amounts of ribbing and reinforcement points were added.  Column is now 8 inches wide with a thicker casting and    5  reinforcement points.  Slide is now 10 inches versus 7” on a RF45.  This machine was a vast improvement over a RF45 Mill Drill. Over 250 lbs more of reinforced casting than the average RF45.  Early models still had milled ways not yet ground.

New IH Manual Mill 12.5” Slide & Collar

While the Head Slide & Collar are the major visible differences between these 2 IH Mills, there have been substantial changes.  Today’s IH Mill is in fact competitive or superior to similarly sized Knee Mills in power and rigidity.  The ways are now ground,  fit & finish is great and lead screw dials are accurate to tenths.                

Ability of a Milling Machine to effectively transmit power is primarily limited by Head attachment and Column support to it’s base.  Increase those 2 factors and you are able to effectively use more power.  An RF45 head attachment is 7” high and weighs 14.5 lbs.  IH Mill head Slide & Collar is 12.5 inches and weighs 45 lbs.  Slide assemble is attached to a wider, heavier and significantly more re-enforced Column. Which in turn is attached to a much larger base with 4 reinforcing points.  Now nearly 300 lbs more of reinforced castings over the average RF45.  

Note; we are using Rigidity to express what happens when machine surpasses its point of effective power transmission.  You experience increased to extreme noise and vibration and cutter shake.

A 40 inch Table with 12 x 30” travel! RF45 has 7.5 x 21” travel 158 sq inches of machining area. 

 IH Mill has 360 sq inches, twice as much. RF45 32” Table shown on Left with a table mounted Mini-Mill on the right.

IH Mill is still a small package able to be placed in garages and even basements. 

Power Transmission

First thing you’re going to notice when you turn on an IH Mill is how quiet it is!  Why an IH Mill is so much quieter is a Precision cut and Hardened Gear set.  Higher Mill speeds and more power transmission requires a superior Gear set.  While a Standard IH Mill max speed is 1600rpm there is a VFD motor option with a max spindle speed of 3600 rpm. Both motor versions require only 220 volt single phase power.

Ways & Lead Screws

Precision Ground Ways and Quality Inch Lead Screws make movement with an IH Mill a pleasure!

Head movement to crank is smooth and easy compared to most mills. 

You are also able to do far more rigid Column Milling using an IH Mill.

Lock Spindle and do Vertical movement using Column.

* These machines feature hardened gears in the head, which allows 1750 rpm motor to be replaced with an optional 2 HP VFD driven 3400 RPM motor.  VFD option allows operational spindle speeds up to 3600 rpm.

Want more pictures and descriptions go here.

Mill only $2399.00

Shipping Information

Freight is terminal or Business with offloading capabilities only.
Residential customers NOT selecting additional Residential with Lift gate services are responsible for finial delivery charges or will call pickup.
If Residential with Lift gate services are chosen (EXTRA $150.00) the freight company will contact you for final delivery instructions and deliver it to your location.  They will only move machinery to wherever they can easily roll a pallet jack.  They will not take it up or down stairs. 
Freight services are provided by  Farmore Transportation
For international shipping rates please contact us.

Shipping Damages:

It is an unfortunate fact of life that shipping damages do occasionally occur.  Please note any damages to Crate or ANY other discrepancies WHATSOEVER on the Bill of Lading.  Industrial Hobbies will not cover shipping damages unless they’re noted on the Bill of Lading.  If there is shipping damage notify Industrial Hobbies IMMEDIATELY.

*The actual weight of the mill is 1000 pounds; we had to change the weight to 0 pounds because the store does not understand freight.