$2000 Budget for Milling Machine and CNC Conversion

[zagitazz]

I've set aside a total of $2000 bucks for buying a decent Milling machine and for converting it to a CNC. I'm a newbie so I thought that I'd get some help and advice from the pros here. I want to include everything in my budget required to start up (everything adds up) I'm pretty handy, but I have zero experience with machining other than shop class in high school and a class I took up at Rolla. I want to have the ability to machine aluminum, plastic, (maybe even 1/8" steel?) parts for building RC cars/plane/robot without having to outsource or borrow machines. I've got a list of parts and prices that I came up with after researching a bit. I'd appreciate any comments on where I can get better deals or if you suggest a different machine that would be an upgrade but would stay within my budget. Thanks!

These prices include shipping!

Harbor Freight Mini Mill $621.93
Little Machine Shop Mini Mill Starter Kit $105.86
Little Machine Shop Belt Conversion Kit $150
Probotix 3-Axis SideStep 180 Stepper Motor Driver Kit with ready to run large enclosure $416.59
CNC Fusion Mini-Mill CNC kit #2 $597
Total $1891.38

[109jb]

In addition to what you have listed, you will need a vise, tooling (end mills, drills, etc.), dial indicator, micrometers, calipers, R8 collets or holders for the tooling. There is an endless list of what you could get, but some of this stuff is pretty much mandatory.

I think the mill comes with a drill chuck and arbor, but if it doesn't, you will need that too.

[zagitazz]

Thanks for the reply 109jb!

I'm glad you told me that about the tooling and vice, jeez that's obvious!

I've got calipers and a micrometer. What would I need the dial indicator for?

My price is inflating as expected. Maybe harbor freight will have one of those 10-20% off deals soon?

Harbor Freight Mini Mill 621.93
Tooling Package, R8 Mini Mill Essentials 263.65
Little Machine Shop Belt Conversion Kit 150
Probotix Motors and Controls 416.59
CNC Fusion X2 Conversion Kit 597
Total 2049.17

[109jb]

You need at least one dial indicator to tram in the machine. One item I forgot was a precision square. It is clamped to the table with one leg pointing up. Then the dial indicator fixed to the head and the head raised up and down. In one direction this squares up the column to the table side to side. In the other direction it squares it in the fore aft direction. Once the column is square, you then fix the dial indicator to the spindle but out to the side like a flycutter with the probe end of it facing down. you then swing this around on the table to get the spindle square to the table. Most people use a tramming device for squaring the spindle. I'm sure you could find a video on youtube that shows how to tram in one of these type mills.

Here is a link showing tramming on different machines.

Tramming a Mill

[hoss2006]

You can find lots of x2 related info here including this on tramming.
http://www.hossmachine.info/Shop_Info.html#tramming
Hoss

[mattm55]

I also see you didn't mention a PC or s/w either. You could grab open source s/w and run on Linux with a low budget PC.

Yeah, my budget went thru the roof and still is going but hey, it'll be worth it when done. I'm looking to do some 1/4 scale race DIRT cars when I'm done.

Hang with it and buy as you need.... great forum for LOTS of info here.

Enjoy, Matt

[zagitazz]

Thanks 109jb and Hoss, this is all very useful info! I'll need to refer back to this when I set up the machine and do the tramming. Matt, I have a computer that I built a while back that's sitting around so It'll be perfect to use with this. The probotix kit comes with a free CD with EMC2 CAM software, but it looks like it's only for linux? I have windows 7 installed. I've got a couple CAD programs already installed on my computer too.

[lukewarm]

EMC2 isn't CAM software it is the Enhanced Machine Controller (comparable to MACH3).

Also regardless if you go with a windows based controller (MACH3) or Linux based (EMC2) you will need to test your computer for latency. This is a very important issue, and you best start looking into it now because even new computers don't necessarily have great latency and this effects your stepper motor performance.

[awerby]

If you want to save yourself some headaches, look at the CNC-ready Taig mills. Unlike some of these Chinese machines you're considering, it's ready to attach motors and run. The 2019 CR-ER has travels of 12" X, 4.5" Y, 6" Z and an ER-16 spindle that goes up to 10K rpm. It lists for $1100; I sell it for $1000 within the USA. Get a Gecko 540, put it in an enclosure and add some motors, Mach3 and a dumpster-grade computer, and you've got a working CNC mill capable of cutting plastics, aluminum or steel, well within your budget.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[zagitazz]

Lukewarm,

Thanks for the reply

So does the probotix kit require linux to be on my computer?
I'm assuming since it lists EMC2 under "CNC Control Software" that means that it does require linux? or can I use Mach 3 with it? I know nothing about the software, sorry.

3-Axis SideStep 180 Stepper Motor Driver Kit - 3-Axis SideStep 180 Stepper Motor Driver Kit

Also, maybe I'm getting outside of the topics of this thread, but how to I test for latency?

[109jb]

EMC comes with a utility to check latency. Not sure about Mach3 since I don't use it.

[zagitazz]

awerby,

Headaches aside, isn't the taig a less capable machine than the x2? I guess that would be my main concern going with a taig.