Newbie- Hobbyist/Teen looking for cheapest solution

[D-V]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum or if my question is too vague.

I'm a teen low on cash, but my hobbies have led me to be interested in CNC milling. I have recently begun attempting to build my own gadgets that I need for my hobbies instead of buying them. My only problem is that at the moment I don't have the tools needed or the know how to do most of it. I need to be able to cut aluminum or plastic into gears and perfect sized clamps (I need to make a few clamps of sort that fit around a rod that is about 14.8mm wide). But most of the cnc machines are just too far out of my reach. So I suppose my question is what would you suggest for a hobbyist like me as a cheap solution, or should I try going for a non cnc mill? Would I be able to get accuracy still? I just need something small, tabletop style.

[cncjunky]

Originally Posted by D-V Sorry if this is the wrong forum or if my question is too vague. I'm a teen low on cash, but my hobbies have led me to be interested in CNC milling. I have recently begun attempting to build my own gadgets that I need for my hobbies instead of buying them. My only problem is that at the moment I don't have the tools needed or the know how to do most of it. I need to be able to cut aluminum or plastic into gears and perfect sized clamps (I need to make a few clamps of sort that fit around a rod that is about 14.8mm wide). But most of the cnc machines are just too far out of my reach. So I suppose my question is what would you suggest for a hobbyist like me as a cheap solution, or should I try going for a non cnc mill? Would I be able to get accuracy still? I just need something small, tabletop style.

I certaintly doubt that you will be able to use a manual "non cnc" mill to make gears and such. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you have to be a good machinest first to do that. Yes, there is nothing wrong with the manual hand crank mill for accuracey. Infact depending on what your doing, you could probably get even tight tolerances from a manual machine. Just depends what your doing, for gears that is all on arc and I assume you meen sprockets not gears, you definately want a cnc. I would not go with a tabletop mill or anything made in china. I would stick to american and japanese machines. If you want a solid 3 axis mill, that will do everthing you need and more within .0001" tolerances then you need industrial knee mill. Such as a bridgeport or a shizuka, I have both, a manual bridgeport which is a great machine. I also have 1 shizuka cnc that has a centroid cnc controller, I think this is a totally awesome machine, it's a little larger then the bridgeport, but one thing is it is much more rigid machine. If I were you I would stay away from putting together my own and looking for something used at a auction. You can take this advice and do it if your serious and most likely get a smoking deal on a cnc mill. Or you can let it go in and out ear. They are machine auctions and they are all over sad to say these days.
Just to give you a comparison on prices, you could probably spend close to the same amount of money on a new benchtop "if not more" then on a industrial sized cnc milling center. It will be used but thats where you just have to know what your looking into buying. The to cnc's I have I seen them for a good deal and bought them. Did'nt know if they worked or not, just took the chance, I seen them powered on and they jogged the axis around and it appeared all right and went from there. The little mills are'nt rigid enough to do high tolerance parts. Maybe if your cutting soft stuff like aluminum or plastic. But come on now take a look at the price comparison, you'd be insaine to spend that kind of money on a small unrigid machine when you can get the full sized thing with a upperclass cnc controller. So get yourself a older full sized industrial knee mill that has steppers or servo motors with a controller from early 90's. There is'nt anything wrong with the older stuff, I'd just watch out not to go below 1990 or late 80's. Parts get tougher to find if you need them and more costly, but don't let that part discourage you. I've had my centroid controller and it was made in 1991 I beleive and I've never had to do a bit of maintnance to it ever, or the mill which is a 60's or 70's shizuka knee mill. Hope my point of view helps, just don't buy chinese.