Buying my first CNC mill

[sundy58]

Howdy from Kansas,
I work for the basketball powerhouse KU. We do radars to measure the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. I am an Electronics Technician trying to do machinist work also. I mostly put pockets in 6061 so we can put our circuit boards in the holes. We are getting some new money and they have allocated ~25K for a CNC knee mill to replace the RongFu 40 we bought two years ago. As I expect mission creep I would like to have a 4 axis machine. Since I am not an experienced machinist or trained in G code I need a easy to operate machine. Also I do hole drilling on 16.5 x 24" panels and would like to be able to do them with one setup.
A kitchen sink would be nice also!
PRISM Project Our website.
Thanks in advance.
Sundy58

[surface]

Sundy, buying a new machine has a lot of advantages. Warranty, training, getting-just-what-you-want, resale-value,.... Both Fadal and Haas have toolroom VMCs which would be in your price-range and would be ideal for the work you are describing.
I would not worry about fourth axis capability (ability to move in four axis simultaneously) An indexer (as opposed to a fourth axis), either manual or controlled via G-code, can be added to anything when the nessesity dictates.

[sundy58]

surface, I had looked at Haas website but didn't see the toolroom machines. Thats great! I thought I was going to have to buy a Tiawan machine. We have a local dealer so maybe I can get my hands on one. I hate buying without trying even if it's not my money! I am going to take in some stock and a CAD file so I can see from start to finish. I think I'll call them now!

I was looking at the Bridgeport knee mills with CNC but have heard the software is not that great. I was hoping to hear something about Bridgeports.

[gus]

old bridgeport knee mills have great iron[though not to do as large a part as you want] bu tall 'boss' machines are dicey

At your price range, get one of those haas mini mills, I have heard good things. used in that price range is a crapshoot

[sundy58]

Sorry but I don't know what a 'boss' machine is.

[WayneHill]

Take a look at the HAAS mini mill. We have four of them at work. Not too big and not too small for the work we do.

[WayneHill]

Remember to ask for an educational discount

[sundy58]

I always do! When we run out of grant money I run out of a job!
Any thoughts on Bridgeport since the bankruptcy?

[Zoff]

This is your life time opportunity. Put this as downpayment for around $200,000.00 and problem solved. That will do it and just in case you need to make some more precision holes, pockets or whatever.

[halfa32]

Sundy
Talk to the sales reps from all brands you may be interested in. Also ask to see the machines running at a local shops. You may find that certain machines are used more in your area (SUPPORT). Some will have conversional programing and some will be G code only. It sounds like conversional may be your best bet. good luck
Halfa32