Reply with QuoteLook at the Tormachs. Their quality is excellent, and their support is the best in the business. They're by far your best option in your price range. All the others are more "kits" than ready to run machines.
Regards,
Ray L.
Help picking my first turnkey table top CNC machine.
Hello all, I'm new here; been lurking a few days reading as much as possible without making my head explode from all the info on this site
I'm looking to buy my first table top CNC machine, but would appreciate some input from others who've already been down this road.
I like the IH turnkey mills but have read several complaints on this board as to customer service and/or actually getting machines/parts/service after payment has been made. If I pay for a machine, I need it yesterday; can't wait 4 weeks for it to get here and don't want ANY hassles what so ever as far as setup or customer support after the sale.
I've also ran across the CNCMasters Baron XL machine that looks like a good little machine for a starter (I said looks like).
I've seen a few threads on the Grizzly G0740, but I think that machine is a little too small for me and don't want to under buy on my first machine.
I'm looking to stay under $10,000.00 USD on this first machine if possible. I don't want to build my first one; I'd rather buy one that's ready to go as soon as I get it. I'm not a computer expert and damn sure know absolutely nothing about electricity, so a build is not in the cards right now.
I have an ENCO manual table top mill with a round column that I've been using for about 6-7 years; it's a heap of junk and is not reliable at all for critical milling with tight tolerances, but it was a good first mill to start learning with.
I do a lot of milling in tool steels and titanium and carbon fiber/g10, etc. I would like a machine that is capable of cutting parts out of 1/4" thick tool steel, engraving in tool steel or carbon fiber or g10 as well as titanium and other materials I may venture to use.
I also need something that will hold tight tolerances if necessary. I've read a lot of threads here over the last few days and finally decided to just join the site and get some input from the pro's who've already been down this road.
I don't have room for a floor model Bridgeport or that's what I'd get. I need a table top mill that's about as good or close to it; and don't plan on buying another mill for several years after this purchase.
If you were going to buy a table top CNC knowing what you know now that's turn key, has great customer service/support, super stout and capable of milling heavy tool steel or doing fine intricate detailed engraving, that was already setup with a good driver, x y z motors, ball screws, plenty of room in all directions, that comes with a computer/monitor and software already installed, which machine would you recommend?
I may build one later, but for now I want to get something that is very reliable and I can start machining parts with asap.
Any input would be greatly appreciated and taken under advisement.
PS: It's late, I may call it a night, but will check this thread again in the morning
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Look at the Tormachs. Their quality is excellent, and their support is the best in the business. They're by far your best option in your price range. All the others are more "kits" than ready to run machines.
Regards,
Ray L.
I will check out the Tormachs tomorrow; thanks for your suggestion
I would have ot give Tormach a ref also. They really stand behind there product and do all they can to help there customers. The machine will do about anything you need a hobby/production mill to do. Not the fastest machine around but very stable and with the right toooling and aproach it can get the job done, over and over again.
Now not knowing about the electronics in these mills is nothing to be worried about. Infact even with a turn key setup in time yuo will be forced to learn how these systems are made/built because you will have to service the machine. Now with that said it still can be a benefit to go turn key becuase there is plenty of other stuff to learn and you can be making parts while its going on.
The biggest question I find is how much money do you really have to invest. Is ten grand your limit, or is there more even if it takes a bit of time. To truely get a turn key Tormach and really get productive with it you will spend more. Tooling, work holding, software, measuring equipment, and more tooling(always replacing bits & needing new types) will take way more than you expect. BUt you may have some of these things already.
Still alot depends on many things, and you can start slow and build a little at a time. One problem I see is your wanting to go from one extreeme to the other in your work. You need rigidity, but also high speed spindle. It will be hard to find any machine in this price range that is not going to have to be a bit of a comprimize to do these jobs. WHat you really need is something like a Sharp Mini mill, or a Haus mini. Ofcourse the prices jump a ton to even think like that. But that would be the real anwser to your work needs.
Now dont get me wrong, the Tormach and a few others will do these jobs you need but speed and how you aproach the jobs will be according to the limits of the machine and you will have to deal with this. The TOrmach is a pretty good comprizing setup that will get the job done. A Optimum BF-46 is another mill which I fill is a slight step above the Tormach ( stronger better built) in several ways. But you cant beat the Tormach's backing or track record. It will last, and you would always have good help from both Tormach themselfs & the community. A lot of these machines out there with a lot of expeirance. This carries a lot of weight for someone like yourself and it will be worth having this help and expeirance there with you when you start trying to do work.
There is alot to this stuff, even at its best you will be finding that you need info/help pretty often. This is where the Tormach really shines, there is always someone with a anwser to what your trying to do, or fix/figure out ( its a CNC machine, yes you will be working on it at times). Newer tooling coming out these days are really helping these lower powered machines make better progess. All though it may be expeincive the right tooling will help a machine in this range perform alot better than a benchtop could be expected to do. Tormach themself have started coming ouot with some affordable tooling that really works good with a machine like this but as you start perfecting a job and it gets to be something yuo will run for a long time them going on up the price range can really make a big difference. Specialty end mills when working with tool steel can get pretty pricy, but it can pay for itself in time.
Jess
GOD Bless, and prayers for all.
Thanks for the input Jess. I've been checking out the Tormach pretty hard over the last day or so and it looks like a real nice machine.
10K is what I'm looking to stay close to on the initial purchase, but I know I'll eventually want to get the ATC, 4th Axis, Lathe, all the tooling etc.
I've got a lot of measuring equip. bits, standard shop and milling equipment already, but know I'll always need more.
I just want to get the most bang for my buck coming out the gates on a machine that I will have no problem milling stainless tool steel, titanium, aluminum, etc.
I'm looking pretty hard at this machine; still a lot of studying to do.
Thank you both for your input
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