Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Tool up

> Beaver which was made in Norwich England went pear shaped in the late
> 80's. I believe their is a company in Birmingham still doing spares
> for them.
> Other that main castings though nothing is really that special that
> it cannot be remade if there are problems. One of my main jobs is
> modifing electric motors to fit old installations, it's not that hard
> but don't tell anyone <g>

`.^) Ignorance is the key to £££'s.

> These are a very solid mill, not much bigger than a Bridgeport but
> way way beefier.

As I stood infront of the thing I could just feel the supreme power
eminating from within it. Something about the way it looked told me I could
drive our car into it without much to worry about other than the car. I
couldn't resist and had to have a couple of minutes cranking the tables
around... smooooooth stuff. I liked the scraped pattern on the ways that
made it look like someone had been spreading toothpaste on them, very
stylish.

> I have a Bridgeport that I got very cheaply but to
> be honest If I had to go out and buy a machine like this again I
> wouldn't touch another one.

An unsual statement, all I've ever heard is that Bridgeports are the be all
and end all of mills, they do look a lot skinnier than the Beaver I saw.

> I would much rather have a Beaver, Elliot
> or an Ajax.

I've seen an Ajax and Beaver, don't remember Elliot. I'll have a look for
some just out of curiosity. I've seen Semco's that appear similar but
they're made in Korea I read.

> The feed gearbox on a Bridgy is a joke. I've got bigger
> gears in my wrist watch. The book even says "Don't use quill feed
> with a tool greater than 3/8"
> 3/8" ?? On a one ton machine?? what a hoot.

There's something wrong there, our Boxford Union drill presses in school
will do 12mm with no problems at all and they're relatively small. I thought
I'd humor you a bit, when you say 3/8" I have absolutely NO idea in terms of
reality how big that is. I have to put it throught the calculator to see it
in mm. Imperial, the new anthrax.

> They list the Beavers as 30 or 40 but of the ones I know off, about 5
> they are all 40.
> I'm between Nottingham and Derby J25 M1 area.
> As regards the ball screw contact me off list if and when you decide
> to buy this - not before.

I wasn't thinking of actually buying any just yet, I've just been staring at
pictures of them and thinking "Hmmm no price.... that can only mean one
thing.".

> But if you do then I'd advise you to use it as a pure manual machine
> for a while to learn milling. CNC is Ok but it's nice to know what
> 250mm/min actually *feels* like. These's no better experiance than
> snapping an end mill in the job. That experiance, it doesn't come out
> of a book it's hands on.

Hands on the floor as you jump out the way? I'm concerned now. Perhaps
milling isn't such a great hobby. : ) I don't think I'll have the
£££'s right away to convert it to CNC anyway, I'll have to use it manually
whether I want to or not. It looks like it'd be quite a physical work out
since the handles are an arms length apart. Am I going to look like a
dancing chimp using a bigger mill?

John He.