Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Syil America Mill???

Jack Mc Kie wrote:

> Now I am considering a mini-mill retrofited with CNC. Most of what I
> will cut with it would be brass or plastic so I think the machine will
> be up to the task.
>
> In my search for information I ran across Syil America products. The
> Syil America CNC X2 mini-mill seems to meet my needs but being a newbie
> to CNC I am looking for more info before I purchase. My only
> experience in CNC is using a high end retrofited Bridgeport
> with "canned" programs.
>
> I am wondering if anyone on the list has had first hand experience with
> the Syil America CNC X2 mini-mill or other Syil America products? If
> so could you comment on the product explaining what you think the
> strengths and weaknesses are?

Most of what little I know about the Syil comes from a picture
in a magazine. But, it appears to be the same under $500
minimill that is being sold by a whole bunch of dealers from
Harbor Freight to Travers Tool, but with a CNC add-on. I think
they put in ballscrews, which should keep backlash from becoming
a problem. But, I have the same basic machine with the original
square-thread scress on the X and Y. I had to install a
ballscrew on Z to replace the terribly sloppy rack drive.

So, you are paying $3000 for the CNC conversion. Of course, the
minimill costs them even LESS that I pay for just one. For what
you get there, I'm not so sure this is a great deal unless you
are horribly averse to doing part of this yourself.

I also have Bobcad, it isn't horrible, but it has a lot of
quirks and takes some time to learn. I found it cumbersome
enough that I rarely use it, preferring a bunch of C programs
that I wrote to create almost all of my G-code.

The spindle drive, both the electronics and the mechanics, have
been troublesome. The nylon gears tend to wear out fairly
quickly. The gears limit the speed. A Taig "CNC ready" mill
can do 10,000 RPM. You are lucky to get 2500 with the minimill.
There are belt-drive conversion kits for this machine. The
electronic spindle speed control has been so troublesome that a
guy near me has a VERY nice business going repairing them! Mine
went out, but I found the bad solder joint after looking at it
for too long.

Finally, one thing you really CAN'T fix on this machine is the
4" Y travel. That is a BIG limitation to me. Maybe I should
explain, I use my minimill for demos at shows because it is
portable, but I really don't MAKE anything on it. I have a
Bridgeport for actual machining. I do occasionally drill and
countersink stuff on the minimill, though.

Anyway, unless this machine fits some special requirements, I'd
think real carefully about dropping $3500 on such a package.
There are some slightly larger benchtop machines that ought to
come in CNC turnkey condition for only a couple hundred $ more.
Just for a couple inches of extra Y travel, that would be WELL
worth my money!

Jon