Help me pick machines for small hobby-ish shop.

[joshuadreed]

Hey guys... I'm kinda noob to a lot of thing machine tool related. I've had some experience with a mini mill like the hf type and a similar sized lathe but that's about it.

My question today is $2000 being my absolute max unless I can find a company willing to finance me a machine what machine or machines should I get. I will be working on things typically no bigger than 12 inches but sometimes it would be nice to have more capacity. I want to do things like paintball markers and small automotive parts. I'm ok not having cnc capability for now until I can save more to be able to afford converting my equipment but I do want it to be fairly easy to do when I get there.

I was just going to buy a typical 5-600 dollar mini mill and equivalent lathe but since watching many vids of cnc lathes like the glacern vids on youtube I've been wondering if there is anything that similarly combines milling and lathe capabilities the way the big production machines do but in a smaller affordable package. Not just a combo lathe but a lathe with a moveable milling spindle.(i think it's called a spindle)

If I'm being a lame noob posting this and not researching enough please just point me in the right direction. I'm in no hurry I have at least two months to save up for it.

Thanks For All Your Help-

Joshua

[ViperTX]

Welcome Joshua,

For a lathe I would not go with anything smaller then the Grizzly G0602 and is about $1100.

For a mill the Grizzly G0704 is about $1050.

A little over budget, but if you're serious this would be my minimum selection for manual machines with a $2K budget.

Paul

[diyengineer]

I completely Agree. Only way to go! =)

Originally Posted by ViperTX Welcome Joshua, For a lathe I would not go with anything smaller then the Grizzly G0602 and is about $1100. For a mill the Grizzly G0704 is about $1050. A little over budget, but if you're serious this would be my minimum selection for manual machines with a $2K budget. Paul

[MrWild]

yeah, I agree too. Do NOT by a mill/lathe combo.

[joshuadreed]

Thanks for all your help guys I will definitely check out those machines. If you could expand on why these machines are the ones to get that would be awesome. I've seen tons of mill drills and am a little confused as to the major differences.

Also is there a way for me to add a cnc rotational axis to that mill later with say a rotary table kit?

[mcphill]

Originally Posted by joshuadreed Also is there a way for me to add a cnc rotational axis to that mill later with say a rotary table kit?

A fourth axis (and even a 5th and 6th, if you can get the CAM to run it) is easily added at any time.

[MrWild]

Wait, were you saying you wanted a CNC mill and lathe for $2k? Impossible with those two examples. Those are manual machine prices. These machines were suggested because you will only have to buy them once. To buy smaller (less $$) will mean as you get more involved, you would end up selling the small and buying them in the future. But even smaller will run more than $1,100 for an x2 that you CNC yourself. HF hasn't had many sales on the X2 lately. The LMS example is a better buy unless Harbor freight has a real sale and accepts the 20% off coupons. I got mine last fall for $380 including tax.

The benefits of the machines listed are more weight/robust/rigidity, longer travels, and more powerful motor.

[plasmator]

The OP said that he is OK waiting until later for CNC. Sounds like he understands the costs involved and is currently considering manual machines with a plan to add CNC later.

[joshuadreed]

Yes, I am planning to buy manual machines and convert to cnc later. That's really cool that I can add 5th and 6th axis later. Thanks for all your help everybody.

I'm definitaly going to go with the suggested machines; the only question I have left is can anyone point me in the right direction of some threads on adding more axis to these machines? I don't really understand how you would do it.

[diyengineer]

Current G0704 cnc conversion.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98694

http://www.hossmachine.info/
Check out his homepage, he has converted another mini mill with multiple axis's, trunion tables, grinders etc. that should give you all kinds of help.