Used vertical, horizontal, universal, turret milling machines for sale.

A range of used Milling machines is available from Machine Tools Online. Take your pick from bridgeport type turret, vertical, horizontal and universal milling machines for use in tool and keyway making. Our milling machines are available to clients in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia. Looking for new milling machines? Click here.

What is a vertical, horizontal, universal or turret milling machine?

Milling is the machining process of using rotary cutters to remove material from a workpiece advancing (or feeding) in a direction at an angle with the axis of the tool. 

Vertical mill

In the vertical mill the spindle axis is vertically oriented. There are two types of vertical mills:

A turret mill has a stationary spindle and the table is moved both perpendicular and parallel to the spindle axis to accomplish cutting. The most common example of this type is the Bridgeport.  Turret mills often have a quill which allows the milling cutter to be raised and lowered in a manner similar to a drill press. This type of machine provides two methods of cutting in the vertical (Z) direction: by raising or lowering the quill, and by moving the knee.
In the bed mill, however, the table moves only perpendicular to the spindle's axis, while the spindle itself moves parallel to its own axis.

Horizontal mill

A horizontal mill has the same sort of x–y table, but the cutters are mounted on a horizontal arbor across the table. Many horizontal mills also feature a built-in rotary table that allows milling at various angles; this feature is called a universal table.

Computer numerical control mill

Most CNC milling machines (also called machining centres) are computer controlled vertical mills with the ability to move the spindle vertically along the Z-axis. CNC machines can exist in virtually any of the forms of manual machinery, like horizontal mills. The most advanced CNC milling-machines, the multiaxis machine, add two more axes in addition to the three normal axes (XYZ). Horizontal milling machines also have a C or Q axis, allowing the horizontally mounted workpiece to be rotated, essentially allowing asymmetric and eccentric turning.

All of our used machine tools are:

  • Multi-point checked by our fitters and electricians

  • Quality checked and/or refurbished and painted

  • Supplied with a 3 month guarantee (where applicable)

  • Can be supplied at your request with new wear and tear parts such as blades, vee dies and other tooling.