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Sorry for the lag Dennis! I replied once, but I guess I goofed up and didn't actually post it.
In the last several months working with the rolling mill, my opinion is that its a "nice to have" thing, but its far from a "must have". It draws out stock quickly, but thats about its best point. Its not something I would spend the time and effort to build if I had a good press (which I do). Mostly because building a decent one is gona mean a LOT of precision. I've had to adjust/shim the rollers on this one several times, and its still not "right". Running stock through it at even a few degrees off 90 causes terrible curves, which are a bear to get out once the stock is less then 3/8" thick.
Probably the area where I like the press the most is when it comes to the initial drawing out, after the first weld on a billet of damascus. Just a couple of heats and its ready to grind/cut/restack.
As I've always told others, when it comes to using a rolling mill AFTER patterning, I simply don't. After just a couple of passes through the rollers, everything turns into chevron. Which isn't bad if you want a chevron pattern, but it makes ladders into chevrons, and turns pool-n-eye into "teardrop" pattern.
Overall its a handy tool to have, but had this one not already been built, and came with the press, knowing what I do now, I wouldn't spend the time/effort on building one.
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