Please help-Milling with an engraver?

[Mark Stehr]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum, but I've been reading it for quite a while.

I went to school for machining (2 yrs) and also watchmaking. I worked as a machinist for a few years now I am looking to make 1 of a kind watches (annual production under 12 pieces a year) So I am very familiar with G & M , CAD/CAM and hand finishing to very tight tolerances. I know I will have to burnish and finish all the parts by hand and I don't want to spend too much money at first (under 1000.00 up to 3000.00 would be nice!)

I will be cutting thin steel no bigger than 0.5 mm and softer metals such as brass and german silver up to 2mm thick 40 mm square.

Question #1- Will I gain more accuracy with an engraver and can it be cheaper? (any machine suggestions)

I am currently looking at the Taig with 10,000 rpm micro mill, around $2000.00

Question #2- What additional factors or other machines should I consider?

Any help is much appreciated,
Thanks everyone in advance.

[Boots]

If you are watchmaking don't you have to be very accurate in most of the parts? An Engraving machine solely ment to do that will not have the precise accuracy you are going to be looking for. Check out the machines' specs you will probably find out that they are rather loose on tollerances because all they have to do is art-sie kind of stuff and don't have to be accurate enough to make gears and levers and such type parts for watches.