I am new to cnc-zone, I am looking for cnc mill and can't decide between the sieg x-3 and the townlabs TL512. There is quite a bit of info on the x-3, but i can't find any feedback on the TL512. Townlabs machine is advertized to be made of cast iron, but compares in weight to the alum machines (170 lbs). Townlabs machine has servo motors, most other machines have stepper motors, which is better.

The TL512 is a revamped Harbor Freight micromill (Sieg X1) THose show up on ebay all the time - I'm not too excited about a 1/5 hp refiited drill, tacked on to a heaver base
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47158

http://www.siegind.com/Products/blackred_milling-machine.htm

Sieg Has its own CNC version of that machine now its called KX1, but its only avalible though smithy in the USA right now (I dont like the Smithy CNC Warranty - read it close before you get too interested), other places can get dealer info through Sieg
http://www.siegind.com/cnc_machine.pdf

DonF Thanks for your reply. I belive taht the TL512 has more XY travel than the X1, but I did not like the way head bolts to the base,very small.What is the best bet,I need a min of 12 X 6 Y travel and will be cutting mostly alum. I know where i can get a X-3 4axis about 1000 more than the TL 512. Will the X-3 cut alum and not take all night. Thanks again.

I found this post about the TL mill....

Pretorien,
I own one of those mills listed on ebay and sold by alexbrod.
It is an extremely light duty mill and a lousy drilling machine.
The cnc electronics are way higher quality and price than what
is needed. The machine starts as a Harbor Freight mill. Supposedly
made by Sieg but I think they are Sieg's rejects. Plastic gears in the
head that don't take much abuse at all. I can't count how many times
I have replaced or repaired them. Thanks to Littlemachineshop.com I
keep a supply on hand. The spindle motor is way light duty
and I had to change to slow-blow fuses. Alex changes the table to
a much larger one. That is a good thing although the quality is poor.
Does not have ball screws and the backlash is horrible. The programmable
indexer is very sloppy POS. I have had to repair mine a number of times.
My advise is step up to at least the x2 if not even x3 or super x3 and
cnc it yourself. By the way, it will handle up to a 1/2" shank tooling.
I do not mean for this posting to reflect badly in any way on alexbrod.
His role in this is cnc'ing the machine and as I stated earlier the electronics
are top quality for a machine this size. The mechanics of the x1 just don't
don't cut it. I do use mine on an almost daily bassis and it has payed
for itself a few time over, but not without a lot of frustration and it just
can't mill fast. Depending on material and depth of cut etc. the best I get
is 3 IPM feed rates. Also, if you need parts from harbor Freight, it takes
months.
Al

I have one of these with mach controller and bobcad V21 and V22. It works. It is low end. I also have a bridgeport clone RAM MILL, 14 x 30 x4 work cube with a anilam 3100 servo controller. And a Techno-isle gantry mill 20 x 39 x 6. That is all I can use to compare the TL512 to.
The Z axis on the Tl512 is a dove tail. The ball screw mounts on the back. When the Z axis moves some thing like backlash occurs. If the gibbs are to tight it become worses. One way surface cuts give the best finnish. The low quality soft cast iron ways seem to work fine. 5.5 by 12 is the limit of XY. It think stepper motors on this machine would also work. I think any machine with type of dovetail on the Z axis will have this problem.