need help choosing machine

[see&see]

Hi everyone,

Been lurking for a while, finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a CNC mill, so registering here was the first step! Hopefully you guys can help me decide...

Budget: Around $3k, give or take. Lower price will allow me to get more tooling.

Uses: Milling PCBs, making plastic parts (bezels, etc) and small metal parts in a variety of metals. It would also be nice to be able to bore engine cylinders - is that even feasible? I'm sure I will come up with more uses very soon!

Experience: This is my first venture into metalworking, unless you count my crappy drill press and dremel So I really need something fairly easy to set up (mechanically).

At first I wanted a maxnc but saw it was not highly regarded on this forum. Right now I'm torn between a MicroMill DSLS 3000 and doing an X3 conversion using either the complete syil kit or the complete promica kit.

I know the X3 is a bigger machine, which would let me do a lot more. But it will run me about $500-800 more, and probably take me forever to convert.

Ok, so down to specific questions:

1. I can't find the weight of the micromill anywhere. Is it heavy like the X3?
2. Is the micromill any good? I know everyone likes the X3
3. The micromill uses a closed loop system... looks like the X3 kits are all open loop. How important is that?
4. The micromill spindle goes from 1100-11000 RPM, the X3 is 200-3500 I believe. Which one would be better for my applications?
5. Is the syil kit or promica kit better? I read a thread discussing the two but it was from years ago and ended abruptly. Both are bolt-on, correct? How easy is it to do for a layman?
6. I like the idea of the digitizing probe... the micromill has this as an option. Is it easy to add this to a converted X3?

Sorry about the super-long first post

[caleb105]

Welcome!

I'm not real sure about the micromill, but the X3 only reaches 2000rpm unless you do a custom conversion (different gears or pulleys).

-CmdrTaco-

[Crevice Reamer]

I think the $1700 DG1/Gecko micromill is much more bang for the buck.

http://deepgroove1.com/cncmill.htm

The $3600 CNC ready Novakon NM-135 is a better choice than converting an X3, but you will still have to add Gecko control electronics--About $800 more.

http://novakon.net/3.html

CR.

[see&see]

Thanks for the replies, guys...

Welcome!

I'm not real sure about the micromill, but the X3 only reaches 2000rpm unless you do a custom conversion (different gears or pulleys).

-CmdrTaco-

How hard is it to convert the X3 to belt drive? I saw a couple kits for X1/X2 belt drive, but nothing for the X3. Maybe I can use the X3 to make new gears/pulleys

I'm really not sure what spindle speed I need... is there a chart somewhere with guidelines as to what spindle speed/feed rate to use for different materials/operations?

As an aside, that name (CmdrTaco) looks very familiar. Are you on mp3car by chance?

I think the $1700 DG1/Gecko micromill is much more bang for the buck.

http://deepgroove1.com/cncmill.htm

Hadn't seen this one yet... that is definitely a good price. The documentation is pretty sparse though... doesn't say what kind of ballscrews, etc, they use. And how suitable are the taig machines for machining metals? That was my major concern, I've read that they have some vibration problems. That (and the larger envelope) was why I was considering a mach 3.

The $3600 CNC ready Novakon NM-135 is a better choice than converting an X3, but you will still have to add Gecko control electronics--About $800 more.

http://novakon.net/3.html

Very nice, but definitely out of my price range. X3 conversion would be pushing it already