On Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:16:43 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry Abrasha
wrote:


Don't get it! Rolling mills with both the sheet and wire mill on one
set of rolls are no good. They are like sofa beds!

Well, yes. Agreed. but I'd also offer that if one has more limited need for a
mill, or perhaps only occasional need, AND needs both wire and steet capability,
While the combo mills aren't as useful as dedicated ones, they're still usable.
I used a combo Cavalin mill for years after school before I managed to afford a
better setup, and I've never regretted doing that. It got me through those
years when economically, I simply couldn't afford or justify two mills at full
price. And my old Combo mill got pulled back out of it's corner a few years ago
and sold to a former student who equally had to pinch pennies (and still does).
That mill, now 30 some years old, of course cost her less than a new one would
have, and meets her needs now as well as it did mine when I was starting out.
Does she want a better setup? Sure. Someday. For now, it does the job. And
though the combo mills have somewhat more limited utility than a dedicated mill
(especially the dedicated flat rolls, since the wire rolls on a combo mill are
quite useful, just over a smaller size range.), if one is getting a combo mill,
the Durston mills are reliable and well built, and will do what they're designed
to do. That might not be the case with the lower quality mills. It all comes
down to not only getting the best value for the money, but also considering the
size of one's available budget.

Peter