Originally Posted by Jason3  Hi all, thought I might check in here in case I can offer something.
From my perspective, I believe it's quite possible to build your own desktop machine and have it produce parts with excellent accuracy and a very nice surface finish. The little machine I'm using lately runs a 50 Krpm spindle with pneumatic collet release, and feed is up to 200 ipm. Accuracy is better than .01 mm, the limit of my measuring equipment. The resolution is 0.00025 mm.
It's rigid enough to hold accuracy with this 0.5 Kw spindle with it's max. 1/4" cutters. I wouldn't count on that with a more powerful spindle, or a slower one with more torque though.
Here's a recent clip of this machine in action from my lathe build thread:
YouTube - ER32 spanner set
Best regards,
Jason |
i like youre machine alot. if you wait around ebay and are doing a one off, i know you can definitely built an amazing machine for a small price. people on this forum prove that every day. my original criteria for a mill though was "built like a production vmc, but smaller". it was meant to handle alot of torque, not just light cuts so alot of the hobby build techniques dont apply.
my ideas for the kx1 stem from it being cheap and small (and already owning it), and being able to use it to self replicate its own new components. scratch building is fun and all, but for myself, it takes too long to get up and running especially if you dont have any other equipment as is my case.