PC1100 + Rapid Turn or Slant Pro

[smokediver576]

So I'm looking at my options.....

I need to turn fairly small parts 1" to 2" dia (1" and below through the spindle) and smaller and have been thinking about my options. Starting to do more contract work out of my garage hobby shop and it's got me thinking. I have one fully loaded PC1100.

(1) I could go with a Slant Pro (about $20K when all is said and done) - way more machine that I actually need (wish they would come out with the 440 version of the Slant Pro) but I could do more with it in the future.

(2) Purchase another PC1100 and leave it set up with the Rapid Turn and a similar gang block that Cliff (KEEN on here) has been doing. From what I can tell, I could go with this option and actually come out slightly less but now I'd have a backup to my PC1100.

Slant Pro: Great machine that can do a lot more than I need right now (pro) Higher priced dedicated machine than can only do one thing - Turning (con)

PC1100 w/ RT: Flexibility, backup and costs less (pro) Cannot do as much as the Slant Pro, takes a lot of time to switch/adjust it on/off the machine (if I'm converting over to milling only) (con)

I'm also considering just jumping all in and getting one of the Automate lathes https://smithy.com/automatecnc/fl300 but curious on the final from one of the other post on here as to how it stacks up. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...6-tormach.html

Thoughts?

Awall

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[SCzEngrgGroup]

I think it's safe to assume the SlantPro will get the job done faster, and likely a bit more accurately - is it massively more rigid, and more accurate than "mill-turning". Plus setup would be a bit faster. But, if you're not in a huge hurry, the parts are small, and you don't require extreme accuracy, the RapidTurn should do the job just fine for far lower cost.

One more suggestion: Take a look at mfg.com. It's a free website where you post your drawings or models, quantities and schedule, and within a few days you'll have multiple quotes from shops around the world to make the parts. I've had really good luck getting parts made there, even in small quantities. The most surprising this is, in several cases the price, including shipping, was less than my cost for the raw material alone. It costs nothing to post your design and see what response you get, and you might get a pleasant surprise.

Regards,
Ray L.

[mountaindew]

Never considered this as a option to a sbl15 in the shop. Now you have me thinking differently. Many others around here make more chip volume in a day then I do in a month. I just made about 50 parts that the chips would fill a coffee cup.

[coffeetek]

In my mind dedicated machine beats multi-purpose machine. I have Tormach 440 and before I bought it I was on edge whether to buy 770 and have Rapid Turn with it, but decide to go for 440 mainly because my needs for a mill are for prototyping since it saves loads of money compared to having machine shop do it. But most of all I find it loads of fun :-) I wish I went with 770 for work envelope alone, but I digress.

I have just gotten Slant Pro delivered and that's what I will be using to produce stuff. Immediate need is to make 9mm diameter turned parts which I traditionally gave machine shop to do. For me Slant Pro was the only viable option due to space I have, I can't fit automatecnc lathe or used Haas. I wish I could. I could fit Haas chucker lathe but that damn thing is $40k!

So even if I had 770 or 1100 I would still buy Slant Pro simply because I will be doing production work. I will upgrade it with bar puller to automate production of hundreds of parts. You just can't do that with Rapid Turn. Hope that makes sense and helps you out.

[coffeetek]

I The most surprising this is, in several cases the price, including shipping, was less than my cost for the raw material alone. It costs nothing to post your design and see what response you get, and you might get a pleasant surprise.

Ray, I have seen this and it blows my mind. I honestly think that there is state subsidized manufacturing in China with goal to kill manufacturing in other countries. There is no way they can make stuff cheaper than raw materials since these are pretty much commodities with stable pricing world wide.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Ray, I have seen this and it blows my mind. I honestly think that there is state subsidized manufacturing in China with goal to kill manufacturing in other countries. There is no way they can make stuff cheaper than raw materials since these are pretty much commodities with stable pricing world wide.

In one case, the supplier was in Pennsylvania. The major difference is I buy metal by the pound, and have to have it shipped to my shop. They buy metal by the ton. My material cost for that part was $10. They made me 25 pieces, they provided the material, laser-cut the parts, had them yellow chromate plated, and shipped to my door for barely $6 each total! Ive also had custom aluminum extrusions made, anodized, and shipped to my door in low volume for little more I would have paid for the aluminum alone.

Regards,
Ray L.

[mountaindew]

In my mind dedicated machine beats multi-purpose machine. I have Tormach 440 and before I bought it I was on edge whether to buy 770 and have Rapid Turn with it, but decide to go for 440 mainly because my needs for a mill are for prototyping since it saves loads of money compared to having machine shop do it. But most of all I find it loads of fun :-) I wish I went with 770 for work envelope alone, but I digress.

I have just gotten Slant Pro delivered and that's what I will be using to produce stuff. Immediate need is to make 9mm diameter turned parts which I traditionally gave machine shop to do. For me Slant Pro was the only viable option due to space I have, I can't fit automatecnc lathe or used Haas. I wish I could. I could fit Haas chucker lathe but that damn thing is $40k!

So even if I had 770 or 1100 I would still buy Slant Pro simply because I will be doing production work. I will upgrade it with bar puller to automate production of hundreds of parts. You just can't do that with Rapid Turn. Hope that makes sense and helps you out.

I 100.00% Agree!. In my case space is very limited and having a second mill with dedicated 4th axis and or a turn axis setup option would be very efficient. Not real production but a small tool and model builders dream set of cnc tools. If you can get enough rigidity and precision in the setups and the setups efficient to change like tosa tool type fixture plates A person over time could make some impressive detailed shiny things. Add some tools to sharpen and grind accurately and skys the limit

[sin_arms]

Are you going to be making multiple parts? I have seen the rapid turn videos and I wasn't impressed at all with the machine. I think you would be a lot happier with a dedicated machine (lathe). The rapid turn makes me think of those 3 in 1 machines, they do 3 things but none of them very well.

[smokediver576]

Are you going to be making multiple parts? I have seen the rapid turn videos and I wasn't impressed at all with the machine. I think you would be a lot happier with a dedicated machine (lathe). The rapid turn makes me think of those 3 in 1 machines, they do 3 things but none of them very well.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I need to wait until I can afford the FL300 after watching your newest video!

[mountaindew]

Are you going to be making multiple parts? I have seen the rapid turn videos and I wasn't impressed at all with the machine. I think you would be a lot happier with a dedicated machine (lathe). The rapid turn makes me think of those 3 in 1 machines, they do 3 things but none of them very well.

Your right.! Moving 4th axis on and off the mill would be better and just have the right tool for the right job. Lathe cam and code, tool offsets and stock setup would be more standard, straight forward and productive then having to make turn parts on a non dedicated 3 in one machine. Unless all the simulation and cam worked seamless I would get confused being a newbee

[ben_r_]

In one case, the supplier was in Pennsylvania. The major difference is I buy metal by the pound, and have to have it shipped to my shop. They buy metal by the ton. My material cost for that part was $10. They made me 25 pieces, they provided the material, laser-cut the parts, had them yellow chromate plated, and shipped to my door for barely $6 each total! Ive also had custom aluminum extrusions made, anodized, and shipped to my door in low volume for little more I would have paid for the aluminum alone.

Regards,
Ray L.

That is freaking amazing. Ill have to look into that website. Thanks for the suggestion!

[MichaelHenry]

I bought a SBL-15 around a year ago and though it was a PITA to move it to the basement, I've been happier with that than I probably would have been with another 1100 that was equipped with a RapidTurn. Mine is equipped with the turret and gang tooling and that's worked out pretty well for me. The turret has both ferrous and non-ferrous tooling and I've been using the gang tools for drilling and tapping. That's worked out well for me so far. One of the big pluses with the lathe for me is coolant delivery and chip collection. Most of the chips fall off the slant bed into the fairly deep chip tray on the lathe and I can apply a lot more coolant with the lathe than I could have with the RapidTurn. That was a major benefit for some small 303SS parts that I turned and external threaded a while back.