Thanks for the replies.
I'm pretty patient and if a part takes a few hours to machine that's fine. I'll build some sort of coolant system and just let it run. As for machine wear and slop, this concerns me a bit more. Just how quickly does the machine wear? I know I'm getting a machine with an acme lead screw which is a sub-optimal solution but I'd be willing to retrofit with ballscrews at some point in the future. As for wear on the ways, well this is a bigger problem because replacing the ways/retrofitting them with something else really means rebuilding the entire table, maybe something I'd get to eventually but not right away. I don't know how this is typically measured but i'd say that in a year if I reduced 30lbs of aluminum to chips that'd be a really large amount for me in my after-work tinkering time.
I hear the new mills are shipping with a 1/4hp motor now, and if thats not enough retrofitting something else, like the sherline motor shouldnt be a problem either. I don't mind spending some money on upgrades as long as I'm not wasting just throwing money away.
As for fly cutting, well if I cant flycut, even with a bigger motor then forget it, this isnt optional.
So if anyone has any suggestions on other machines I should look at within my ~3000cad price range let me know. The machine still needs to be a "benchtop" type machine or the lightest and smallest floor standing machine ever. I dont have the desire or the space to have a bridgeport sitting in my basement.  |