Newbie here

This will be my first mill. I am into RC cars and trucks (radio control) hobby. I want a benchtop mill that will do accurate work on small pieces. My dedicated mill benchtop area is 2 feet deep by 5 feet wide.

So, I'm looking for somewhat small size machine, and I want good accuracy. I think I could fit a X3 on my benchtop, but would a slightly bigger machine be worth it for accuracy? As I said, small RC parts is all I will be doing.

Many thanks for any opinions...................

:confused:

The X3 is more than slightly bigger. It is much larger (almost 4x the weight). It also has a quill and a better Z axis mechanism. The X3 may be slightly more accurate, but the main advantages come from the different design. If you have space and budget, the X3 is certainly preferable.

i would agree from a theoretical point of view, as i have none thus far, but reading all i have, and knowing that once you can do this, you'll wanna go bigger the larger machine will allow you to do it... plus from everything i can find its a stronger machine, so if you stick to little stuff, you'll be working it much less and it should last all that much longer...

I always say you can never have enough machine, even though the price is more I would not think twice about the x3, if space is the only consideration.

chris

let me throw this into the mix.. i'm also considering either an x2 or an x3 from syil... they have a package that has a bunch of extras for the x2.. like bobcad.. im just wondering, since i already have rhino, would i be better off getting the bigger machine, without all the extras, or should i get the smaller machine, with all the extras?
since i'm starting from scratch, i need everything...well except rhino that is..

let me throw this into the mix.. i'm also considering either an x2 or an x3 from syil... they have a package that has a bunch of extras for the x2.. like bobcad.. im just wondering, since i already have rhino, would i be better off getting the bigger machine, without all the extras, or should i get the smaller machine, with all the extras?
since i'm starting from scratch, i need everything...well except rhino that is..

I suppose that has as much to with what you are going to as what you need.
Keep in mind you still have to get a computer, and tooling. The tooling can be several to several hundred dollars depending upon what you need, again that also goes with the change in size of the machine also. I was also told that several times this last week that syil does not have x3's right now, I would contact them and see. I know that of the 2 phil is starting to sell me on the tormach(vs syil), but I have not researched the tormach all that much yet. If I was to go the out of the box route that is.

I know that my wife said she was concerned when I threatened to borrow the torch from work this week and start melting the snow. I have a spot cleared and a nice shinny table sitting there waiting for that sieg mill.

chris

well i have a pretty good idea what kinds of things i will be making... i have a buddy that had told me that he wants a custom set of emblems for his new car, some accent peices and things of that nature.. i have also been working with a local bike shop and thier interested in having thier buisiness logo's made, and some keychains and things.. so it looks like i'm going to be doing some piece part stuff and maby even some production run types of items... thats exaclty the kind of business i wanted to do, so finding these prospective clients is great news...
99% of what i will be doing is alum parts... but i'm sure that some of my own projects will include some mild steel... from what i'm seeing the bobcad is going to take considerable additional monies and quite a learning curve, while i already have a computer and rhino, i cant justify that cost of the bobcad right now, unless it comes bundeled, but again there is still the learning curve.. it sounds like i would be better off just sticking with the rhino, and finding a good post processing software...

as for tooling, i'm holding a budget of $1k just for tooling and the occasional "OOPS" situation, either when i break a cutter, or if i find that i need something additional... if i can get the machine and the basics up and running, for about $5-$6 then i think i should be in pretty good shape...

Well, I've decided to go with the X2, simply as I don't want to do any larger pieces. My hobby is RC (radio control) and I just don't have a huge garage or workspace...................

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I'm currious, if you dont mind telling, what kinds of parts are you looking to make for your RC's?

I'm currious, if you dont mind telling, what kinds of parts are you looking to make for your RC's?

For now, just odds and ends, nothing spectacular. Plus. I'm modding some existing parts to increase durability.

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Chevy-SS, just to give you some RC inspiration - here are some parts I made on my converted X2 for my RC hobby. You will love it. I use my machine pretty much every day.

Alloy drift car wheel:
http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/191641796.jpg

Custom race suspension arms, c-hubs, shock towers...:
http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/232619273.jpg

Ventilated brake disc parts:
http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/181988016.jpg

Complete custom vehicles:
http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/122288755.jpg

Thanks! That DOES give me some inspiration, LOL!

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Cool pictures LongRat.

I have both the x2 and the x3.

The x3 is much better made, however if you've got your mind made up that's cool.

Personally, from my own experience of dragging this whole cnc process out and never seeing anything made. It's important to set a goal.

Also, as many people will suggest. You need to buy better this and that. I think it's important to actually get the stuff made.

I've got alot of time and money invested. If I could go back to the beginning. I'd buy something like that taig. Learn what I need to do. Then sell it and recoup most of the money and buy what I've learned that I need.

Someday, I'll see my machines move under their own power.

I hope.

I agree, if I had the space I too would have gone for the X3 (not available when I got my X2 though). However I am certainly happy with what the X2 can do. I guess if you got the chance to run an X3 you wouldn't want to go back to your X2, so just don't play with any X3s!

thats an awesome picture of the wheel! see thats exactly the kinda stuff i wanna make.. can you explain the process that you used, what material you started with, and so on on how you did that wheel?

I want to know if you turned the diameter on a lather or if thats an interpolated circle :)

Very nice pics though - as I'm looking to make parts for my helicopters, it's inspirational here too. I'm also wrestling with the X2/X3 dilema. X3 will let me make custom CF side frames without breaking the path in half, but everything else I can do on an X2 with room to spare. I do like the notion of a quill though...decisions, decisions.

Glad you liked the pics.
Here is a picture of the completed wheel with a Yokomo drift tyre fitted.

http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/191641807.jpg

Process:
Bar stock 6082 aluminium turned to diameter on lathe, bead grooves added. The central axle hole was drilled at this point too and then the wheel was parted off and faced to the correct width for the tyre.
I then bolted the same lathe chuck to the X2 table and indicated the central drilled hole of the wheel blank to set my co-ordinate origin for CNC operations.
I designed the wheel spokes etc in 2D CAD and use Sheetcam to generate NC code. Then ran it.
The back face of the wheel was hollowed out using a 10mm 4-flute TiAlN coated HSS cutter. I switched to a 3mm cutter to profile out the spokes, and finally a 1.5mm 2-flute tool to make the 12mm hex to engage on the car's axle.
The wheel was flipped in the chuck and the visible face cleaned up. I also put a few 'bolt holes' around the central hub area for realism.

As you can see, the main OD of the wheel was turned, but everything inside that is interpolated circles.

Just finished a set of suspension arms for the XRay T1 fk05 touring car.

http://pic16.picturetrail.com:80/VOL660/2777486/6270454/236079341.jpg

thats an excelent process... i was thinking about cnc'n my lathe for a similar operation... then using the parted off bits to go into the mill to make the wheels... i gotta say, with just a tiny bit of time and a dremel, that would be a sparkley part... or you could allways powdercoat them...

Yeah, in the end I only made one wheel because it didn't come out like I wanted. If not for that I would have polished it up.

Here's a picture showing the size of the x2 compared to the x3.

http://www.legendarylands.com/PDR_0232.JPG

well thats the majic of cnc, now that you have the basic process lined up, you can just modify what you dont like and try again... i'm still in awe.. i love it..

Here's a picture showing the size of the x2 compared to the x3.

http://www.legendarylands.com/PDR_0232.JPG
If its your picture,
I hope you were not planning on putting it(x3) up on that table with those legs, just tried to move my shaper onto the exact same kind, needless to say I am glad my wife was around. Its getting reinforced with wood now(under the table top), and the legs are getting extra cross members( I already had one more then you across the bottom) maybe some 4x4s also. The weight was not so much of an issue with the top, but with the wobbling around, I had hoped to get the shaper and the X3 onto it when done.

chris