Hello all,

This is my first "new thread" so I hope it goes well. I have a couple of things I would welcome some advice on. I do a lot of work with high powered lasers so I am good there. I am in the development phase of my own CO2 laser. Unfortunately, I sold all of my machining equipment some years back (like a dunce). I once designed and built my own cnc system with a rung fu mill. Back in the days of windows 95, so I am quite familiar with how to. My issue now is my time is limited. Unlike most things these days, my laser business is buisier than ever. I find myself getting parts machined by some old business contacts, but it is putting a dent in my finances. Most of my parts are under 2 x 2 x 2 turned things. I do not need to hold tenth's. Mainly within 5 thou. I guess what I am looking for is something along the lines of a retrofitted harbor frieght machine. So, what I am looking for is:

1) Cheap mill, larger than a sherline. Preferably could work 10" x 4" or more. I work with aluminum, and plastic mainly. This is probably a dream, but a cheap bolt on cnc system that could be set up in a day or two. Maybe one designed and built for my particular machine, as I have no machine tools currently.
2) Lathe, same criteria as above.

3) Maybe a source of low cost machining?

I was also thinking, if one of you had a machine you could part with, I have a huge assortment of cutting laser parts and machines for trade. Maybe someone is thinking of building a cnc laser cutter or engraver and needs a laser or parts? Maybe just want a laser to vaporize stuff? I have a very small list of potential things for trade on Ebay. Look under my username for my bits.

I welcome any ideas. Thank you all for any help you can offer.

with the down turn in indiustrie, look for a used knee or bed mill, it will be bigger than you want, but I have seen a few mills with a 25" X by 12 Y 3 axis going cheap for under 8K, same with some of the small teach & turn cnc lathes
there were a few desktop cnc lathe from schools that had 4 & 6" chucks, good luck in your search, do not forget the shipping fees, and who will pick them up for you

Sir,

In terms of economics, a friend bought a Bridgeport Boss I, used, bad CNC, and retrofitted it with a PC based CNC. He kept the steppers and added his own drivers and PC based CNC. He does custom machining for a living. His website is www.outbackmachineshop.com

Regards,
Jack C.

Hi ”Protomate”

From what i can tell you might want to have a look at www.cncfusion.com they do basic bolt on kits for the Harbor Freight / Sieg type mills (the small ones anyway) and personally i can only recommend them. Although you do have to bear in mind that they are mainly hobby machines.
Anyways… combining one of these kits with a standard www.geckodrive.com or www.xylotex.com kit and you’ll be up and running quite quickly.

That just leaves the actual work setup :-)

Getting bolt on kits for the small lathes is a different matter.

Alternatively you could have a look for a Sieg KX3 CNC mill. I don’t have any personal experience with it but just might be what you’re looking for.
+ They do a ready to go lathe as well called KC6 but I haven’t been able to find them for sale anywhere. I’m quite sure someone else in here can help you on that one.

I guess that concludes my two cents.
Happy Hunting.

Kindest Regards.
/Stig.

Dear...
...first...find some laser driver software...it is so painfull to drive with regular nc routins...you need like "HP" driver to run machine directly from drawings...
second...unless you keep carving or cutting same routine..if your laser has a worm-up time...you need to tell your driver for delays... new generation lasers, triggering times is almost "0"..or some microseconds .
also ...I dont know power of your laser...but ...even on the market...10 watt co2 able to cut 1/4 " let say ...aqrilic..speed of inch per 2 or 3 sec.So basiccaly you need speed ...if you slow start melting and makes cutting holes
larger...if you thing of going stepper...(wich is slover than servos) I'll go belt drive...cheaper ...no backlash...also gives you the speed you need...you can adjust speed with diameter of pulley...So basiccaly you need a 2 axis ,beld drive sample table...for small size cutting...if you need bigger cuting area...I belive...laser beam motion is better.(moving the laser beam not the table)..with tree mirrors and one lens.you need the lens in anyway....
OK...after all BS...for drivers...check Microkinetics..electronics and software
for laser...if you need laser..check...Synrad...if you need used...google..Laser resale....huge inventory...very freindly people...somewhere Boston or Mass.
If you need a simple design of table...let me know...I can send some drawings..I have good colections of it....
Good luck...
Cem

I would check out Microkinetics for a mill and lathe. You can buy brand new high quality machines at low prices. Every now and then they have a demo machine that has been lightly used for sale. www.microkinetics.com

Thank you all for your help! I have purchased a nice precision CNC lathe. It has a 6 tool auto tool holder system, coolant system, basically everything a big one has. I am still sorting out what smaller CNC millt to pick up. I do not need machine anything othe than plastic, composite materials, and aluminum from time to time. I would like the capacity of the Rung fu large benchtop mills, but cnc. Probably used if such thing exists.