Minitech or Wabeco

[roger_e]

Hey!!


This machinists quit his job a year ago to get degree in Mech engineering..now they all want me to make small parts!!(aluminum, PCB, Acrylic, occasionally steel and ceramic)

(it figures you get a rid of a job and you get more work but when you want work...)

I've been using a Mazak and cinicinati mill for awhile now and lots of experience with Thermwood routers..familiar with Unigraphics, Mastercam and Auto Cad (as well as mazatrol and fanuc controllers).

I have narrowed the search down to either the Wabeco/Prazi mill or The minitech beefed up with a bigger controller...

Comments suggestions...on..

Mach3 controller
Software for the minitech..or toolholders

Thanks Roger

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[jalessi]

Roger,

Minitech has there own OEM version of Mach3, it works very well.

Both of the CNC bench mills you are looking at are nice however they are very small and cant be compared to a Mazak or Cincinnati.

What size tooling do you want to run and what is your budget?

Jeff...

[roger_e]

Oh I know about the size issue...right now I have been cutting parts that are 10mm square on a mazak...it is overkill and just silly...

The jobs in general are small 5-8 inches per side...lots of irregular shapes etc....

The tooling is of course job specific...the minitech is pretty low wattage 150 I think...I will be getting an upgrade to boost HP...The guys at NSK said controllers and spindles could be swapped out pretty easily by minitech...

[jackch3]

I do not know about the Minitech, but I can vouch for the Wabeco. Its a very solid industral type machine. I have a Wabeco 1200 and also a Sherline, both good machines both priced differant but the Wabeco is solid and accurate takes less time to make something. Oh by the way I build models as a hobby.

[Harryman]

I've got a Minitech MM3Pro which I believe could handle the job. As you noted a spindle swap is easy as pie, you can put whatever you needed on it. Jack would I'm sure, set it up to your requirements or you could order it without and do it yourself.

The Waebco looks like a substantial machine as well, a little bigger and heavier.

They both seem to have a similar range in accessories, 4th axis, trunion table, and the Minitech has an ATC too.

[geo.agun]

You are trying to compare two very different machines. I to make small parts that can become quite complex. It is amazing just how much machining you can do all in a half inch block of aluminum, but it still requires a substantial machine to do the work.
If you are just doing it for a hobby or if you never need to rely on keeping anything tighter than plus or minus .005 go with the cheaper solution, I am certain it can manufacture excellent dominoes, dice, door plaques.
In the small sizes it is even more critical to control backlash, you can not rely on compensation to be accurate enough in small moves to keep you on your mark. When you are cutting with smaller than a .05 end mills you do not have tool loading to bias the machine, lightweight less ridged machines will float causing uneven tooth loading which in turn will cause uneven deflection of the tool bit.
I am explaining too much again, bottom line if you are used to a real machine get a real machine. Spend the money.

My two cents worth
George