I've heard that you can pick up new Fadal vertical machine center w/o covers for around $20k. I would imagine you could pick one up used for less.
Try cutting a piece with a bolt pattern on a manual mill, okay. Try cutting an odd pocket or a groove for a gasket seal and your going to likely take two days, so much for reducing down time. Try to thread mill an odd diameter hole like many mfg’s will use, or a cam………. I could go on and on.
You can do a lot with a properly tooled manual mill and an ace machinist. There are many other things that arise you can’t. Having a CNC wont preclude the need for skills by any means, but if you screw up a part on the last operation, you will fix the program, reload a new billet and press go. If you trash the manually made part, you will start over completely.
Get a CNC VMV! |