Questions from a new guy about LMS 3501 Seig KX1

[totalmechanic]

Hello!

I have been in search of a small CNC mill for small shop use and recently came across the LMS 3501. It has the features I desire such as, computer controlled spindle, a good sized table, coolant catch tray, a relatively powerful motor, and a claim of high accuracy.

A few questions to those that own them:

Can you mill circular pockets larger than the cutter that are truly circular?

What CAD/CAM packages do you prefer or seem to work best with it?

Aside from the PC that LMS sells does anyone have recommendations as to what PC works best with the 3501?

Thanks,

Greg

[aarongough]

Since your question has been sitting here unanswered for a while, I'll jump in.

Let me start by saying that I do not own an LMS 3501, however some of the questions you asked are general CNC questions so I can answer those accurately:

Can you mill circular pockets larger than the cutter that are truly circular?
That depends on what you mean by *truly* circular. Any 3 axis CNC mill or router can cut a circular pocket with a high degree of accuracy. My low-end CNC router can cut a circular pocket to a tolerance of less than 0.004", however exact results are going to depend on the quality of the machine and the care you put into programming the pocket operation. I shouldn't imagine the LMS 3501 should have any problems.

What CAD/CAM packages do you prefer or seem to work best with it?
I'm a fan of the Vectric line of products as they're easy and fast to use and learn, and they produce fast reliable toolpaths with a bit of practice.

Aside from the PC that LMS sells does anyone have recommendations as to what PC works best with the 3501?
Unfortunately that is a very hard question to answer as so many things affect whether or not a PC is good for CNC control. I have had bad luck with an older Dell Pentium 4, and much better luck with a new all-in-one Intel Atom based PC that I built from parts. Most computers should be ok provided they have a parallel port, but be aware that laptops and 'miniature' PCs are best avoided as their power-saving features interfere with the proper operation of the CNC control software.