KX1 (smithy 516) vs syil CNC X2

[wonfa]

I am considering buying either a syil X2 or a SmithyCNC 516 (which looks like a KX1). I have 3 gecko 203v's sitting unused as well as a power supply and cabling, the smithy 516 base (which is not on their website but they quote by email) is around the same price as the cheapest syil X2 auction on ebay. I would like to go with a X3, but because of my house and space issues it really is much much easier with a lightweight machine. I live on the water so the humid salt air is an issue in my garage and i have no basement for a shop. My intended spot for this mill would be in a laundry/utility room which is a little tight on space for an X3. I am worried about being able to move a X3 into my house and worried that it will be a little too heavy to move around easily if needed. The KX1 looks impressive because of the relatively light weight plus the larger y travel compared to the X2 from syil. Also it looks to me like the kx1 doesnt have that swivel on the column so i would think it would be a little less likely to get knocked out of alignment. Does anyone have any opinions on the merits of the KX1 vs the X2? I have no access to machine tools to do any conversion myself. I also don't mind taking light cuts if it means the difference between having a cnc mill available and thinking about how nice it would be to have a X3 if i had room. I am looking to see if anyone has any experience with the KX1 and X2 syil and can compare the two (or say 'i bought that and had ___ problems with it...')
Thanks.

[Crevice Reamer]

Hi Wonfa. Welcome to the zone!

I don't know what you intend to make, but the KX1 is VERY limited in axis travel. About 8 inches X, 4 inches Y and about 7 inches Z.

Don't give up on the X3. It is an AWESOME mill and has almost twice the travel of the KX1. If you disassemble it, no part is heavier than 75 pounds. It can be moved anywhere that way.

An X3 can easily be mounted on top of a rolling tool cabinet, for use in tight spaces.

CR.

[wonfa]

Honestly i have no real 'need' for a cnc mill, it is more of a 'want'... I have been thinking of making a couple of enclosures for my nixie tube clocks, probably out of aluminum or wood. I would like to make small circuit boards using a proxxon tool as a high speed spindle. Also I would like to make some small flashlight parts out of aluminum on a mill with a rotary table, but i would think that the programming for that would take a long time to master.

I don't mind taking small cuts in things due to the smaller motor and less mass of the X1, but i have read up that there is more to it than that. I have read that for some metals sometimes it is not good to take too shallow cuts because of heat or something like that, and for that you need to have a heavy duty machine.. But to be honest with myself probably the only metal will be aluminum...

from what i see on smithy's page the 622 (KX3) has a work cube of 11" x 5.25" x 10" while the 516 (KX1)has a work cube of 9.45" x 4.3" x 9.45". It looks like around an inch less in each dimension is lost going from the Kx3 down to the KX1. That would be acceptable to me, since i am looking mostly at making smaller things (altho bigger is always better)... I do have a CNC router table that i can use for larger things made of soft material, however i have to hump the thing out to the garage to use it and bring it back inside when im done so i dont have rust issues, so it gets used not much... That is why i am looking for a little CNC mill. I measured and i would have to remove some overhead cabinets to have the height clearance for the KX3/X3 mills, the KX1 would sit niceley on the workbench that i have now... I was originally attracted to the X3/KX3 (but the size of the mill has been an obstacle), but then after seeing the nice things lots of people on here have been doing with a taig, the idea of a smaller mill doesnt look too bad.

My question i guess should be is it worth to have the 'convenience' of the smaller mill that can be moved easily, will fit the space with room to spare and costs around $1000 less, or is it worth it to go for the bigger mill, bigger $$, which will be a little cramped but will probably be a substantially more capable machine for future 'expansion'? I have been very impressed with what i have seen hoss do with his x2 monster, but i know i wouldnt have the time to build a machine like that.. From the pictures, it looks like the KX1 may have a more sturdy column then the X2, more similar to the X3 than the X2. I dont know if that will translate into being more or less rigid than the X2, but if it is strong enough to do accurate work in aluminum, pcb's (with appropriate spindle), it sounds pretty attractive. If it can do anything at all in steel (even slowly), that's a nice bonus...