Re: Wanted to buy - Small CNC Mill

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "peppermark1" <pmark@e...>
wrote:

>
>
> Dear Forum Members - Have been interested for some time in

purchasing

> a small CNC Mill. Would somebody be able to give me some

information

> on where I may purchase a small CNC mill? There are a number of

small

> desktop CNC mills available. MaxNC, Sherline, Taig, come to mind.
> What would be other Mill manufactures to check out? Does not have

to

> come with a spindle. Platform would be fine. This will be my first
> CNC adventure. Mill can be new or used. If there are any dealers on
> the list please do not hesitate to email. Thank you all very much!
> Pete

Hi Pete,

There are a few ways to go. Not sure where you are located, but
there are auctions here on the East coast where people sell some
pretty nice equipment.

There are some vendors who re-work chinese benchtop mills like the
Rong-Fu and IO recently heard that one of the other CNC vendors is
currently importing some X3 machines for conversion.

Check out your local used equipment dealers for a Bridgeport.

Also, talk to everybody you meet. A friend of a friend may be trying
to get rid of one.

Homier moble merchants sell a cheap Rong-Fu knock off for $600.00,
but the catch is you either need to toss in a couple hundred more for
shipping at the highest shipping rate possible, or wait for a road
show to visit a town near you. These are NOT CNC, but more like a
basis for a kit. there are plans for conversion as well as a kits.

Check out the links section of the web site, there are some vendors
who sell kits and I think at least one that is selling finshied mills.

Mikrokenitects (check spelling) is one of those who sell a complete
CNC mill.

If you can afford the $15,000-20,000 you can buy a CNC knee mill,
new, or for about $35,000 you can buy a complete machining center.

If you are just toying with the idea and have the deep wallet, buying
a full CNC sherline is not a bad investment. it will sell for a
pretty high price if you chose to 'trade up' in the future.

I think the real question is more of what parts do you need to make,
what do you want to make, and what is the once-in-a-blue-moon stuff
you think would be cool to make ? That would (hopefully) point out
your size.

How big of a mill can you fit into your living room or workshop or
basement or apartment. (no really, I know of a guy who keeps his
bandsaw behind the sofa and lathe in he closet of his 3 bedroom
apartment and another who melts metal in the kitchen for castings and
lives in an apt/condo in NYC.)

Metal cutting requires mass and regidity so if you plan on a
purchase, see if there is a yahoo list for a specific machine and
then find out what actual people can do on that machine.

Also, let us know if you want to retro-fit a mill as there are kits
available for Bridgeports and clones.

Dave