G’day Ted. This is an excellent milling machine. Having two spindles is a godsend. Looking forward to see it in action mate. Cheers 🍻

Hello, Your video helped me a lot. I use the same machine and I'm very happy with it. I'm looking for a spare part for the machine and can't find a supplier. It's about the adjustment bar 6-27 in the parts list. Do you know a dealer where I can order in the shop? NB. I live in Switzerland. Greetings, Walter

I had forgotten all about the cooling fans on the motors, drove me spotty. I started out by fitting quieter fans, unimpressed. Then I added thermal switches to the fan wiring, wrapped the switches in shrink wrap for insulation and then wedged them in to the motor cooling vanes. If either motor every passes 30 centigrade then the fan will come on, not happened yet 😁 Robin

I am fixing up much the same machine sold as the Warco HV mill in the UK. A toy for my retirement. I put a Bridgeport style crank on the Z, same as you, and I have a nod error, same as you only mine is bigger, about .0055" and goes the other way. The other big problem I had was that they had wired it so one VFD was driving 2 motors through a mass of wiring and at least 5 contactors. It was already dying when it arrived. I fitted 2 new VFD's and emptied out the control box. All good fun 😁 best regards and have fun, Robin

Thanks Ted for your review. I was interested in the variable speed, I have not seen that in use before.

I bolted- welded mine to the 6x4 shed beam lol .

Great video mate I’m really hoping to buy one next year 🤞

I have a very similar mill from Hafco. the biggest problem with them is the lack of a forward/back tilting cutting head. You can only tilt it sideways. This is apparent if you look at the head adjustments in this video. This really is the only downfall of what is otherwise a very handy milling machine.

Good looking machine. Very versatile too.

Gday Ted nice thorough review, I also have the HM54GV mill which I bought around 8 years ago, the horizontal function is definitely a cool feature to have. I have also fitted a power feed to the Z axis which was not an easy job. And I put a switch on that cooling fan as it only needs to be running while the spindle is going. The only complaint I have is on my DRO the PCD function does not work, sadly I didn't discover this until after the warranty had run out. All in all though I think it's a very good machine and will suit my needs for years to come.

I'm envious! Question: What is the "Spindle Adjustment" ?

Great review Ted. I have the AL346 lathe, and only occasionally think I should have gone for the AL356 that you have. For my first mill, I went with MH28V, and much more often think I should have gone with a bigger mill. At some point I'll probably upgrade, and the HM54GV seems like a good candidate.

Excellent review Ted, many thanks. What a pity there is no 'nod' adjustment on the head and you have had to shim it. It's the same on my HM 46 mill, except you have to shim the whole column, but I suppose it's built to a price.

I have just purchased one of these myself. Do you have any other modifications in mind. Like folding handles, additional lighting, or work holding fixtures.

That’s a really good thorough review Ted & covers everything about the mill very well. Anyone doing their research on what mill to buy - will get a heap of very valuable information on the HM54GV Mill & all of its functions & capabilities. It’s a shame Hafco haven’t put out as thorough video reviews on either there AL356V (14x40) Lathe or this HM54GV mill, as what you have done in your two reviews. As you correctly point out, they are a well matched pair of machines for a home shop, both single phase, and within realms of affordability for the average guy. Congratulations on all your efforts, & take my hat off to you for all the work you have put in to get yourself so well set up in your home machine shop. It’s been quite the journey, when you look right back to the start videos on your channel - extending your shop build etc, to where you are at now. Keep up the good work. 👍

lookin good, I put folding handles on my hand wheels to avoid belly stabs when reaching the table. Later from Texas.

Well done Ted, you persevered and got it all done. Looks & works a treat. You’d have to be happy with that! 👍

Very nice work sir

Thanks Ted, always enjoy your videos, cheers.

That’s coming along Ted, almost done now! 👍👍👍

Really coming along very well indeed Ted. Slow & steady wins the race. This should help anyone else with the same model Hafco Mill achieve the same results if they want to add the two power feeds to Y & Z axis’. 👍👍👍🇦🇺

very well explained

Great video thanks

That’s coming along really well Ted - it’s not at all easy by the looks, but should be well worth it in the end for the convenience & time saving it affords over the years. Looking forward to the next instalment. 👍👍👍.

Thanks Ted, whats your view on the overal quality/ prescision of the lathe? if you were in market again would you buy same?

Hi ted I've got the same machine im setting up at at home. Just wondering how much space you left between the wall and the machine.

Excellent build Ted. I've made up something similar with casters under base with jacking screws outboard from casters. I have one of those hare & forbes rongfu column mill drills. Are are bloody heavy.

Great to see another user of the Siamese twins (AL-356V & HM-54GV), might have to share some pics of mods I’ve done to my pair

Very nice rotary table. Nice job sir

Very nice work sir

Nice and simple. Looks like a win there.

They both came out well Ted. You’d have to be pleased with the results. 👍

👍🛠️

Very nice work sir

Quite a bit of challenges to over come there. Looks like you about have it licked.

Nice one Ted 👍

That’s come along nicely Ted. Making really good progress. 👍 That alloy “gunge” as you call it, I’m reliably informed is actually “robot spaghetti”. 😜😂😂 Looking forward to part 3. 👍👍👍

when you run out of adjustment using that engagement method you can move the pinion in or out to engage on the wall of the curved driven gear. Are the old R8 spindles on these mills hollow where a drawbar would be used on the MT3 spindle ?

Looking good!

Olá amigo gostei do trabalho!!! Boa sorte sempre!!!

They came out well Ted. 👍👍👍

Very nice.

Hey Ted, any chance you can show the inside of the electrical cabinet please?

Appreciate your videos Ted! Great to see another Aussie machinint on KZbin

I think I’m having a problem with my mill where I think the quill is hopping up and down. I’m getting a lot of vibration and I’m tying everything down that I can, but flycutting right now is pretty scary. lol

Made in China CRAP

Nice lathe. Perfect size to get some good work done, but not take up too much shop space.

I have the AL346V, a little smaller. but a very capable lathe. The variable speed drive on these machines is a vector style, which is excellent at maintaining speed as it comes under load. One common "mod" is to adjust the brake setting on the drive to get a faster chuck stopping action that's closer to a mechanical brake, handy when threading up to a shoulder.

Chinesium garbage.

Awesome review thank you Ted. Learned a few new things about my new lathe, especially the saddle lock & how the speeds & feeds selections work, which as you well know from our frantic discussions on my end, had me totally bamboozled. 😂 I can see myself returning to this well done review multiple times in future as I come to grips with setting / selecting feeds & speeds. It’s always handy to have a review like this to refer back to, to refresh the memory from time to time. I was re-watching your carriage stop video only last night & thinking that it might well have to be one of my first projects, just for the protection factor that it affords. If you still have the diagram / plan I would appreciate a copy immensely please? I have seen online there’s a few others looking at the AL356V as a potential purchase who will no doubt find this invaluable as well. I’m glad you took the time to make this more detailed review,because you have had a year of actual use to figure all this stuff out, which was why my vid was only an “overview” not a review because I haven’t owned mine or used it at all long enough to give a detailed user review as you have done here. Between us we at least might be adding to the corpus of knowledge on KZbin about this specific model which has been sadly lacking up to now. Thanks sincerely for your top effort. Praise well deserved IMHO. 👍👍👍🇦🇺