Nonoriginal
03-13-2005, 01:09 PM
After battling with myself for a month I decided to buy the HF Mini-Mill! It was an extremely difficult decision to make for me. Like many I'm sure, I had to really search and understand the limitations and capabilities of the different systems.
Originally I was going to get a mini/micro-mill (Taig, Sherline) ...then I was going to make a JGRO router...then I wanted to make a Campbell design router... Then I was just going to buy a K2 router...All while I was looking into the mini-mills like Pauls and Jon's. You get the idea and I'm sure many Newb's to hobby machining do this.
I finally came to the conclusion that I needed something that would work with me, not against me. All of my questions to the various threads have been Aluminum and tougher material cutting related. While I didn't want to be limited in my machining envelop (size of work), I had to be realistic about what routers and the micro-milling machines could do.... as relatively inexpensive as possible.
I bought the Mini because it will machine Aluminum and tougher materials like Carbon Fiber, Micarta and hopefully a little Ti. And it was on sale for $449 :D
I look at it like, you can always sell it if it doesn't work out! Anyway I hope this rant will help some newb cruising through the site. It doesn't have to break your bank and you don't need a full size shop or garage to get going in this hobby.
Here she sits... all manual like! (Don't pay attention to the dates...new camera I couldn't wait to use!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF1.jpg
I've ordered three 276 oz./in. Bipolars from Automation Direct. I'm going to order the Xylotex 4 axis drive board next week, as I want to add an 4th axis indexer. I want to go with ball screws right away...
I'm looking into the Ron Steele plans...anyone have any other thoughts?
Originally I was going to get a mini/micro-mill (Taig, Sherline) ...then I was going to make a JGRO router...then I wanted to make a Campbell design router... Then I was just going to buy a K2 router...All while I was looking into the mini-mills like Pauls and Jon's. You get the idea and I'm sure many Newb's to hobby machining do this.
I finally came to the conclusion that I needed something that would work with me, not against me. All of my questions to the various threads have been Aluminum and tougher material cutting related. While I didn't want to be limited in my machining envelop (size of work), I had to be realistic about what routers and the micro-milling machines could do.... as relatively inexpensive as possible.
I bought the Mini because it will machine Aluminum and tougher materials like Carbon Fiber, Micarta and hopefully a little Ti. And it was on sale for $449 :D
I look at it like, you can always sell it if it doesn't work out! Anyway I hope this rant will help some newb cruising through the site. It doesn't have to break your bank and you don't need a full size shop or garage to get going in this hobby.
Here she sits... all manual like! (Don't pay attention to the dates...new camera I couldn't wait to use!)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/nonoriginal/HF1.jpg
I've ordered three 276 oz./in. Bipolars from Automation Direct. I'm going to order the Xylotex 4 axis drive board next week, as I want to add an 4th axis indexer. I want to go with ball screws right away...
I'm looking into the Ron Steele plans...anyone have any other thoughts?