The BEST Benchtop Milling Machine - Initial thoughts Warco WM18B 

Hi Joe, Thanks for the shout . I've been pushing mine hard for around 3 years now , I was checking the tram every few weeks at the beginning. then months / had a few crashes and it has never moved. I have done some ridiculously large parts and extremely small on it. never let me down yet . I have done loads of mods on mine and I am still seeing others to do . Enjoy the journey , Cheers Ade.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this mill. I’ve just ordered the very same machine with the fitted dro. Should be here on Monday, can’t wait to put it to work. Happy machining, and keep up the great videos.

Ive got a similar mill. Super happy with it. Its a decent table size and plenty big for most jobs. Im glad I didnt go smaller but also glad I didnt go bigger. The Wm18B is a really nice size.

Nice mill. I recently bought a Warco VMC, it's a bit agricultural but I'm quite happy with it. I was amazed when I measured the spindle runout, 0.001mm 😯

Good choice Joe. I picked up the 16b earlier this year and have been really pleased with it.

Nice machine Joe. Enjoy.

Unless I missed it, you didn't check that the table was good in X & Y axes, other than that a fair review of a reasonably priced machine. If you're going to go chasing perfect tram and nod Stefan Gotteswinter has a very good video where he uses softened copper wire as a crushable spacer to hold up the back in the correct position and then injects turcite to cement it into that position. Best of luck with the newest toy in the shed.

Thank you sir for this video. This is exactly the milling machine I’m looking for. This warco seems to be the one for me.

Your presentations are always good.

Hey Joe. Thanks for this review. That Warco mill you have gone for is on my list as my round column mill is starting to brass me off. The dove tailed column must be so good and did I spy a tilting head on that? so that must be helpful. I have been sorely tempted in getting one myself. and you mentioned having to break it down and the wiring sounds daunting, I have to get it into bite size chunks as like you I dont have the lifting capability and it has to go through the house. do some more vids of this if you get a chance. Cheers and keep making swarf!

I have that mill 🙂 I made a smaller drive pulley to increase the speed a little, it now does 3300rpm. It is a superb machine. I’ve fitted a dro and eBay powered x axis.

hmmm I think warco could put some screw connectors in that would make taking it apart to move it easier without affecting the price too much, because like you many people would have difficulty getting it into a workshop thanks for sharing your thoughts and set up.

Good review of the machine. Hope you get a lot of use out of it.

Looks good Joe!

Hi Joe, congrats on the new milling machine wishing you many happy projects! Off topic: I noticed an interesting item in the background of the last shot, and I'm curious to know what it is and how it works. I'm referring to the electrical enclosure on the left of the mill fitted with a keyswitch and cables coming out of it. Do you mind elaborating on it?

Bubba says “you tram that Head boya.” 😂😂😂

Stefan Gotteswinter did a Video on tramming a chinese Mill with Epoxy Glue. I tried the method. Works really fine

Nice machine !

To measure the runout of the spindle it is best to take several measurements. Turn the collet 90°, use a cutter / collet with a different diameter. Sometimes you have a lot of spindle runout, but it is compensated by the runout of the collet/cutter. By turning this 90° the real runout will become visible, better or worse.

it looks like Warco is like Precision Matthews here. That looks like a PM 727.

Get some RB Spindle Collets so you don't have to use the ER Collets and adapter, a lot less stick out and better performance.

My bridgeport also has a 1.5kw/2hp motor. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you can cut.

Hi Joe, I know you've 'graduated' but do you still rate the Warco WM 180 lathe? Is it still decently usable without all the upgrades you did? Also interested to know, why didn't the experience with the previous mill put you off another Warco mill? Do you think it came rusted like that from the factory or was it not looked after?

I have an earlier version of this that I've converted to CNC - looks like they've updated the control unit - and what's that big box on the back? On mine the control unit was just a small box mounted on an arm on the side of the head.

Do the gib strip locks on the X axis still catch and bend themselves if you are not careful when taking the Y axis back, its a crap design that allows them to foul another part of the machine as my older model does. Better that the controller is remoteley mounted so reducing vibration that can destroy the pcb's.

That column looks hella skinny... The rest of the machine looks nice, but that Z pillar is a disgusting manifestation of corporate greed and FEA... The machine like this is as strong as it`s weakest component, and if that component is one of the main axes, even moreso the one that carries the head and is affected by all and any work done by the head, well, we have a problem on our hands... I`m hardly pressed to see how that pillar is any more rigid than the round column of my Emco FB2, which is from what i can see - a smaller mill than this... That single component could and should have had twice the material that it actually has in it to make a really fucking good milling machine, and that could be seen as The best benchtop machine, but this, nah, just decent... Also, what the hell man, spindle bearings should not even register on that clock... 0.01mm is not fine for a spindle of any sort of a precision machine... 1 micron is crude if we are talking precision, but for a hobby shop, 1 micron spindle runout(actual spindle, not a tool in the holder in the spindle) is very good, 2 microns is adequate, but anything more than that and you might as well be using a drill with an endmilil chucked with a jacobs chuck... 0.01mm runout is literally detrimental to cutters, and quite a lot if we are talking smaller cutters(like the ones a hobby shop likely uses) small endmills, drills, reamers, what have you, none of them like runout... Shit, my roller-blades with abec9 bearings have a lesser runout than that... Speaking of, here you go with a shameless plug - if you need some fucking remarkable bearings for small spindles(custom toolpost grinder or similar) you can get Bones Swiss bearings for skates, you will know which ones to buy, they don`t come cheap, but they are Swiss made and Swiss grade... You can get Bones Swiss Reds and others that come from China, but if you want savagely good small bearings - the Swiss made Bones Swiss bearings are the way to go... At least for high grade custom projects that don`t warrant custom ang. cont. bearings...

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that the scraping/flaking marks you can see are purely cosmetic and a bit of a con trick?

“I really like the brand Warco” is not a valid reason to choose it over a Bridgeport 😂 My guy, you will never regret getting a big boy mill

Buy old.. not China