What Do You Own?

[pzzamakr1980]

Hello everybody, recently there has been some discussion on the merits of the x2 and if it's right for everybody (IT IS). But for those who don't own one yet, I was curious as to what people own (cnc/not), what they do with it (size of parts, hobby/production, examples), and does it satisfy your current requirements. So please let me know, because I am curious.

Name of Machine: X3; cnc'd yes

Parts: fun, motorcycle accessory one-offs and multi's, size; 6x12

Satisfy: yes, but I want bigger because more space=more parts=less time=more money

[tauntdesigns]

Machine: X3, CNCFusion deluxe kit

Parts: fun, stuff, right now making parts for my cnc lathe project

Yes, as hobby; no if production

[Stepper Monkey]

Machine: X3 / Mods: None

Parts: motorcycle/auto restoration parts, low-tolerance parts that won't fit on the smaller machines

Upside: cheap and very broadly useful / Downside: Heavy, slow, and moderate accuracy, limited spindle speeds
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Machine: Taig / Mods: Extended axis, rotary stages and custom motor

Parts: very fast wax and plastic prototyping and molds, plastic parts

Upside: Fast, cheap and so quiet and clean that it can sit next to my computer in the house / Downside: limited size and capacity, no cuts that run coolant as it's on my desk
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Machine: Taig-based / Mods: High speed spindle and motor, rotary stage

Parts: Engraving and micro milling needing high spindle speeds/micro mills

Upside: Cheap, fast, setup means it does things normal mills don't / Downside: Setup also means it won't do things normal mills will!
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Machine: Parker Daedal / Mods: None

Parts: Small high-tolerance milling, optical and aerospace-rated parts

Upside: Accuracy in the millionths / Downside: Slow, small, hellishly complex and expensive
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Machine: Parker-based portable custom / Mods: Um, yes

Parts: dedicated machine for jewelry waxes, flat (no Z - 2" travel X+Y axis, rotary axis and micromotor spindle). Only cuts wax but fits in laptop case with my design laptop.

Upside: Blindingly fast. Smaller than and weighs less than my laptop, thanks to 8mm ballscrews. / Downside: Only cuts wax, thanks to 8mm ballscrews.

[cjdavis618]

Super X3 / CNCed

Mainly built for prototyping. Will use for fun stuff as well.

Satisfy, Yes, however a fully built one would have been a better idea. I can get no less than .002 accuracy out of the machine and find that setup is very important.
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Grizzly G0516 Lathe/Combo mill. Basically the 9x20 lathe with an X2 on the base. Not CNCed but did add DRO.

Use for whatever I don't have time for gcode and drawing. Also simple operations.

Satisfy, yes. But it does get old having to swap parts to go from Mill to Lathe modes. Other than that, the machine is great in my book. It also is the heaviest X2 made. .. lol
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Mori Seiki MV Junior VMC,

Production runs of approved prototypes. (when I get that far it is ready)

Satisfy, I don't know yet. I have yet to mess with it much and I have to set up 3 phase 100 amp circuit before I can power it at home in my shop. Once I am further along, I will have that done during the final stages of development.
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Southbend 13" stubby lathe

Gun barrels and whatever doesn't fit on the 9x20.

Satisfy, UH... yeah. This is a sturdy beast of a lathe.

[mrcodewiz]

Name of Machine: X2; cnc'd - working on it (hoss conversion)

Parts: fun mostly - use it for gunsmithing and r/c stuff

Satisfy: yes. Hoping the conversion to CNC will open up new possibilities for me.

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Name of Machine: South Bend Heavy 10; cnc'd - no

Parts: fun mostly - same as above

Satisfy: yes. It's a good size lathe. The length is a little short for some rifle barrels but the headstock is big enough to pass through. I used to have a Taig w/ a frog controller on it and this thing is a beast compared to that. Taking cuts in tenths (or more) is way better than taking cuts in thousandths.

[LongRat]

Name of Machine: cnc converted X2, hommebrew conversion made on same machine

Parts: Custom RC cars, IC engines in future

Satisfy: Yes. Cheap, reliable, produces nice parts. Don't expect better than +- 50µm accuracy and you will be happy.

Current project - 1/8 scale 2WD nitro baja buggy:

[mrcodewiz]

Cool - a Buggy or Truggy with a lay down engine? Can i see some pics from above?

-CW

[LongRat]

Yep, a buggy. I won't hijack the thread apart from to say, you can follow the build thread here:
http://www.rckingdom.co.uk/smf/index...ic,5643.0.html

My pics site is here:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...7486&members=1

[tai42]

Machine: X2, upgrade to CNC Fusion kit on order, Keling motor/controller kit, EMC2 Linux.

Parts: Whatever I need. Custom tools for the other hobbies for my wife (paper crafting) and I (bamboo rod making.) Mechanically etched PCB's.

Satisfy: Yes, fits the needs for anything I've had to do CNC. I prefer to do most other things on the manual mill.

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Machine: Industrial Hobbies w/ 3 axis DRO and power feed.

Parts: Same as above, whatever doesn't need to be done by CNC.

Satisfy: Very nice manual machine. Able to handle everything I've thrown at it so far.

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Machine: HF 8x12 (or 8x14 depending on who you order it from) lathe

Parts: That which needs cylindrical symmetry. Reel seats, handles, etc. More specialized parts for my wife.

Satisfy: For the most part. It's a much more sturdy lathe than the other "mini" lathes. I would have liked something a little bigger but I got a great deal on it and so far I haven't had anything that exceeded the capacity.

[rossrods]

All right dont get jealous everyone LOL maxnc 15cl

[ckm]

Mills: Dyna Mechtronics 4400C (CNC'd from the factory, tool changer)
Sieg X1 (CNC'd, full enclosure)

Lathe: Sieg 7x14 (CNC'd, mostly)

Plasma Cutter: K2 (CNC'd from factory, 6' x 4')

And a bunch of CNC parts, from driver boards to linear ways and X/Y axis.

Parts: mostly automotive stuff, eg. replacement/updated parts for restoration projects and race cars

Satisfy: Yes and no. The X1 and 7x14 were good to start with, but bigger machines were needed to be truly productive (we'll see if that's actually true once the 4400 is up and running...). The K2 plasma has been really useful. Still trying to figure out a bigger lathe, however.