Need help on choosing/buying a decent CNC mill

[ThaiCho]

Hi there...

I'm an apprenticing machinist in an Industrial shop in town where I live. We usually work with huge parts, have 3 massive Giddings & Lewis 4/5 axis boring mills, 4 large lathes, 1 CNC mill and one lathe, nothing small thou. I would like to start my own hobby/business outside of work as doing things in the shop can be in conflict of intrest, expecially if I profit from it =) then they'ld want me to pay engineering/milling time, and I feel I can do this entirely on my own... but I NEED a decent CNC mill with perhaps the option of a 4th axis. A mill that will hook to my computer, use G & M code produced by CAD programs, provide fairly precise machining/repeatability, handle decent sized peices, is well built and with proper care... will last a while.

I had a few mills I have looked into extensively... my budget is at MOST $8000.00 but I don't think I should have to spend this much. The machines I have looked into the most are CNC MASTERS Jr. CNC MILL/DRILL, Grizzly's G0519 & then adding a CNC conversion kit, and Tormach's P CNC 1100.

I'm not too keen on the CNC MASTERS jr. because it's a drill/mill conversion (sceptical about quality) and there's no dovetail on Z-Axis. The grizzle machine has a dovetail... but I would have to change screws and retro fit a CNC pkg myself... not that I probably am not capable... but I'm not that brave... The Tormach CNC 1100 I really like.... ball screws (good ones), large table size and weight cap., looks well made (iron casting solid frame), oiling system, R8 collar for tooling, and seems to handle a decent assortment of G & M codes & programs. I read some controversy over the motors they used.. but I'm not in a rush for jobs to be done... if my work load picks up... then I will think about upgrading.

I was hoping someone who HAS one of these mills, or has used a PCNC 1100 would give me some insight as to what I should expect.. the company looks relitively new (2002) and only offers a 6 month warranty. $6800.00 US is a lot of money considering I'm from CAN and that's about $8000.00 delivered to my door. It's like buying a car from a new car maker you know nothing about...

Thank you people, any help is appreciated.
Derek

[RTP_Burnsville]

The Tormach's CNC 1100 looks very nice to me. I have not scene one but everything I have read gives it good reviews. For the price point not sure how you can do much better. I have been seriously considering one for my home hobby shop as it appears to offer so much for the dollar.

[expotec]

Hi Derek. I'm a supplier of CNC's. Please send me an e-mail with specifications and I'll be happy to send you a quote.

Best regards,

Ernie
eee.cadforjewelry.com

[KevinWilkins]

If you enough space for a bigger machine why not try and find a deal on one of the smaller Haas machines used? I have a TM-1 and it is a very nice machine for the money... but $8000 won't buy a new one.

[pstockley]

I've just bought a PCNC1100 including 4th axis and it should arrive this week.
Where are you located?

[cnc_fred]

Originally Posted by ThaiCho The machines I have looked into the most are CNC MASTERS Jr. CNC MILL/DRILL, Grizzly's G0519 & then adding a CNC conversion kit, and Tormach's P CNC 1100.

Have you consider a Seig X3, and converting it to CNC?

You can see what one looks like at:

http://www.lathemaster.com/SIEG%20X3...%20MACHINE.htm

There are some people that have converted it to CNC at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lathemaster

Since you are in Canada, shipping from the USA is pretty pricey. I looked into what would be involved in ordering one or two directly from the manufacturer, and you'd save a few hundred dollars, but spend a bunch more time. If you don't mind me asking, what part of Canada are you in? I'm in Southwestern Ontario.

[ThaiCho]

Originally Posted by RTP_Burnsville The Tormach's CNC 1100 looks very nice to me. I have not scene one but everything I have read gives it good reviews. For the price point not sure how you can do much better. I have been seriously considering one for my home hobby shop as it appears to offer so much for the dollar.

Hey Burnsville..

It is a decent chunk of change... but any CNC mill it seems (even conversion kits + mill) will run you upwards of $5000.00 US ... It deffinitly appears to have lot too offer... I love the capacity and ZERO-Z tool change features. Keep me posted if you decide to get one. I don't think I'll have the money to drop on a mill till sometime in the spring/summer of 2006.

[ThaiCho]

Originally Posted by expotec Hi Derek. I'm a supplier of CNC's. Please send me an e-mail with specifications and I'll be happy to send you a quote. Best regards, Ernie eee.cadforjewelry.com

Thank you very much for the reply Ernie... I will try and get a list of features together ASAP that I deffinitly would want in any CNC mill I puchase. Hopefully you may be able to direct me too a machine I havn't seen yet or maybe have looked over. Thanx.

[ThaiCho]

Originally Posted by KevinWilkins If you enough space for a bigger machine why not try and find a deal on one of the smaller Haas machines used? I have a TM-1 and it is a very nice machine for the money... but $8000 won't buy a new one.

Thanks Kevin, I'm gonna deffinitly look into that... I DON'T really have space for a big machine.. (but I will deffinitly try and -= squeeze in=- what ever I can, where ever I can... lol). One thing for sure is it MUST be a single phase 220 at most.... anything more will either require a $1500 converter... or $10,000 worth of SASK Power cable laying (no thank you, too rich for my blood). I DON'T want to put this in the garage as I feel more comfortable in my house, and it gets very cold where I live in winter (no heat in garage - this may change as I find I'm doing more and more work in there, radiant heat is looking good).

Thank you very much for the suggestion.. I've already started searching for used Smaller HASS machines.. as I know these are of good quality...

[ThaiCho]

Originally Posted by pstockley I've just bought a PCNC1100 including 4th axis and it should arrive this week. Where are you located?

Hey pstockley that's SWEET !!!

I live in Regina, SK, Canada. I deffinitly would like to hear from you on how things go when it arrives. Where are you putting it? Have you started building a steel base for it or did you purchase one? And what type of work are you going to be using this mill for?

I'm sure your just as anxious to see it at your door as I am to hear about it... if you could stay in touch with me on things that would be great... Thanx !!

[ThaiCho]

Originally Posted by cnc_fred Have you consider a Seig X3, and converting it to CNC? You can see what one looks like at: http://www.lathemaster.com/SIEG%20X3...%20MACHINE.htm There are some people that have converted it to CNC at: http://groupyahoo.com/group/lathemaster Since you are in Canada, shipping from the USA is pretty pricey. I looked into what would be involved in ordering one or two directly from the manufacturer, and you'd save a few hundred dollars, but spend a bunch more time. If you don't mind me asking, what part of Canada are you in? I'm in Southwestern Ontario.

Hey fred... I'm from Regina, Sk ... I did look at this mill, I liked the features it had ecspecially the dovetail Z axys... this machine is re-sold by a few different company's Grizzly is one of 3 or 4... I saw a couple conversion kits.. could do everything for around $5500 ... but I gotta tell you... not having the experience with mills/fabrication that alot of these other people have makes me a little nervous about trying to do the conversion myself... Most of you and/or the people that are doing this have much more experience & knowledge behind you... I don't wanna end up fighting for a yr or so to make a $3400.00 cnc conversion kit work properly on my new mill, I'ld rather it be tried and tested.

If they sold it as a total pkg assembled with CNC and tested before shipping with everything I need but tooling, CAD software, and PC... I would be much more interested in the Seig X3...

Thank you thou for the suggestion...

[bjlsailor]

Hi Folks:

I thought I'd jump in even though I'm a newbie at metal working. I ended up last week ordering the model: ZAY7045L because the Sieg X3 models were back ordered. My original intention was to get a Shop Task Eldorado 3 way machine but those were back ordered too. I also figured I could get a dedicated 9 x 30 mill and this mill for about the same as the 3 way machine.

http://www.lathemaster.com/HEAVYDUTY...E%207045FG.htm

The only issue though is that while the shop task machine
has a ready to go 3K CNC conversion kit -- I haven't seen anything tailor made for this Rong Fu R45 clone. Anybody out there know of folks or companies that are doing Rong Fu conversions to CNC?

Thanks
bjl