LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
That mikini seems to be a nice machine sounds like it is higher rpm maybe more for router cuts? All I have seen are the few youtube videos cutting plastic it did fine what does it sell for?Originally Posted by howecnc
| | |
I am about to purchase my second machine. I have had a tormach for a year an a half. From my research I feel mikini is a better machine. Does anyone have an opinion that can change my mind.
TIA
Chris Howe
Howe CNC Services, LLC
That mikini seems to be a nice machine sounds like it is higher rpm maybe more for router cuts? All I have seen are the few youtube videos cutting plastic it did fine what does it sell for?
11999 for a base price. 13499 with a fully intergrated industrial pc.
the rpms are equal to the tormach but the rapids and feedrates are faster.
i don't remember the specs on the mikini but from what i remember, the z travel would be very limiting if you were drilling a tall part or a part in the 4th axis. i also think i remember loosing a couple inches of x travel but gaining an inch of y travel. the enclosure looks good and the rapid speeds sound nice. faster feeds aren't going to do much good with the same max rpm as a tormach though.
how many are out there now and if it is very few, are you willing to be the guinea pig? if there are more than a few out there, is there a way to contact the owners of them and get their honest opinion?
I was up and running for about $8K for a series 1 Tormach, when you start throwing out numbers near $14K I would have to really need to see a machine that is leaps and bounds beyond what I have now. For that kind of money I would be looking at a late 80's aerospace Mazak like a 15/40. They sell one on eBay every week for about $15K with a large capacity ATC.
BlueFin CNC LLC
Southern Oregon
I spoke to the owner the other day.......engineer, very friendly and informative. I was very impressed with my limited knowledge. Took the info to a buddy and asked him. He builds and designs large industrial machines for a living He was impressed with the product. Now if their service is together, then this will be my secound machine. Most likely starting with a taig to learn on, unless someone has a better idea.
Good luck with your purchase of the 1610L. Liked to hear how you like it.
For my next machine chances are I'll buy used for 10-15K. An ATC will be a must as well as more travel. There is a chance I will buy another tormach but I really need a machine with more hp. The advantage to a second tormach is cost, both the low cost of the machine as well as not needing to buy all new tooling. The other nice thing is it would be up and running making money the day it arrived. All my fixtures and code would drop right onto the new pc and away it would go.
Hi - I am not convinced the mikini is more ridgid then the Tormach. Also the travels are less, the ball slides are probably less ridgid than dovetail slideways,
if you deduct the weight of the stand (which is cast and so heavy but may add little to the machines ridgidity) the weight of the critical castings may be no more than the tormach, the vertical column looks lighter in section, love to see how it cuts tough tool steel with say a 16 dia square carbide insert cutter with vertical faces - if it is seriously better I would be surprised.... and then very interested! I challenge an owner to post just how well it roughs steel......
The linear ways are becoming industry standard these days. Machines like haas and Dekel-Maho have them. You only loose 2" of X travel with the mikini compared to the Tormach and you gain 1hp on the spindle.
After talking with Mikini, I found out that they put a serious amount of time into there casting to dampen vibration and increase rigidity.
as far as price goes 11999 for the mikini without pc compared to 9000 for the tormach with deluxe stand. For the difference of 3000 I get a full enclosure that takes up less floor space and faster rapids and feedrates.
My biggest problem is that I have not found any opinions from current mikini owners.
Again, thanks for all the input.
I think the Mikini is an interesting option as well. I do NOT understand their lack of decent videos... They "tout" their YouTube videos, but they are only seconds long, and on the aluminum one, most of the time is in air travel. They need to put up a minutes long video of the machine cutting steel. They have promised this in several posts to this forum since Sept 2008, and I've not seen a decent post of it yet. I would need to talk to an owner with no affiliation to Mikini before I would buy one at this point, but I think it would be worth seeking out such an individual, as well...
Last edited by mcphill; 06-16-2009 at 02:29 PM.
If you need more hp , no ATC , but why not the IH machine. Their mill seems to be almost double that of Tormach, with a 2 or 3 hp motor.
Just my 2 cents......
"The linear ways are becoming industry standard these days. Machines like haas and Dekel-Maho have them. You only loose 2" of X travel with the mikini compared to the Tormach and you gain 1hp on the spindle. "
Linear ways are more common - they are best for superfast travels - but check out Fryer and others who use box section slides - and claim linear ways are not as ridgid. My point is Linear ways are ok on a heavy machine with a large ball screw. But on a light machine with a light 20mm ball screw.....notice the vids on U tube are just cutting plastic and alum.
Bring on the roughing steel vids - and quote the max depth/speed cuts with square sided carb insert cutters - slot type - they really expose a machines limits.
More horsepower is pointless without more ridgidity.
Posting Permissions
| | |
