[Rich05]

Anyone want to sell?
Thanks R.

[skullworks]

Personally I would buy new to get the latest version with factory ground ways and the larger head mounting.

The IH mills have gone thru much refinement and the current offering is worth every penny.

Add to the fact that IH is fully prepared to crate and ship - vrs trying to arrange shipment for a used mill will be all sorts of fun. You will need to build a palletized crate, arrange for riggers (unless a forklift is available at each end) and a host of other small issues.

In the long run buying used could cost as much as new.

[Rich05]

roger I think I am going to go for it! Spoke with Gene and Tommy today.

My question is should i get the kit and put it together myself or get it turnkey?

[tai42]

My question is should i get the kit and put it together myself or get it turnkey?

I would suggest this can only be answered by you. You should probably look through their online instructions for installing the CNC kit and see if you're up to the task. (Click the "CNC Product Instructions" link on the left of their page.) Personally, I think there is much to be learned by tearing down the machine and installing the kit, and in the end you will be better able to care for the machine in the long run. However, if you look at the instructions and honestly don't think you can handle it, then you should probably get the pre-built package. (This may also be true if you are doing this as a business and need to start making parts last week. ) Have fun!

-Bob

[Rich05]

sounds temping to try to put it together.

[SMW Precision]

roger I think I am going to go for it! Spoke with Gene and Tommy today.

My question is should i get the kit and put it together myself or get it turnkey?

If you have the time doing a kit is a great experience. You will know the machine and CNC technolgy by the time you complete the kit.

If you have a fair amount of manual machining experiece with basic mechanical and electrical skills it is a great experience. That said if you are missing the manual machining I would buy the mill and operate in full manual mode for some period. Kit form needs machining experience to setup properly.

[ocwan]

Should have posted to this more recent from you. I am in Riverside so contact me when you can.

[Rich05]

how can I reach you?
Thanks much!
Rich

[ocwan]

Sent PM

[crazyman]

If you have the money get the mill cnc'd by IH. I am having some troubles geting my Y-Axis working without binding. It seems to be an alignment issue. I have also spent many many hours troubleshooting the ballnut/screw disasembling/ reassmebling to clean it out. Seems my particular Aluminum ballscrew mount on the Y-axis produces small Al particles every time I install the ballnut on the mount. Problem is you never see this occur as the particles are inside the mount between the ballnut and the ballscrew wiper...many hours b4 I noticed this. Each time I installed the ballsrew/nut assembly there was binding due to particles. In the end I had to install the ball nut on the mount disassembled, then clean the shavings, and rebuild the ballnut (bearings and all) on the mill. No I'm fighting binding due to other issues....Time well wasted. So if you have the money get it cnc'd at IH.

[iamscottym]

Does anyone know the cost for installation of their kit? For a college student, I'd say I'm fairly adept at machining, but I'm not quite sure I feel up to doing it myself. And I'd rather start making chips!

Can anyone tell me if a residential floor (off campus housing) can support one of these things? I figure the usual 2x12's 16" on center, 1/2" underlayment. I plan on laying down a couple sheets of 3/4" oak or hard maple cabinet grade plywood to spread out the weight.

Is IH's claim that a single person can move this in pieces accurate? I'm sure I could manage getting it down stairs, but I'm not so sure about up stairs (possibly several flights). I'm a gymnast and work out regularly, but I'm still only 160lbs...

What kind of backlash kind I expect with the rolled ballscrews? I really need .001" accuracy or better, and would consider the X3 with cncfusion's new ground ballscrew kit if the IH (or my machining skills) aren't up to it.

Thanks,

iamscottym

[kentavv]

Hmm... the cost of the installation is the sum of the price for the mill, the kit, the optional VFD, three phase motor, and of course all the tools you need/want.

I will not comment on if your floor will support the weight... You are smart to spread the load.

I'm not a big guy and was able to move the pieces around by hand. But I would not want to carry them up/down stairs through doors by myself. Get a strong buddy to help. When possible I used an engine hoist when assembling the kit.

Good luck
I was able to achieve the backlash target (.001) you have in the X and Y but not the Z when measured with a test indicator. Actual machining was a different matter but that was likely had more to do with my skill and tool deflection than backlash. Better than .001 is a different matter.

[iamscottym]

By cost of installation I meant to have IH do it.

Looks like residential flooring can support 40PSF (non-sleeping rooms), 30PSF sleeping rooms. Using 4'x8' sheets, that works out to just under 1000lbs at the bedroom rating. I guess I'll have to expand my envelope a little, perhaps 5x10. Maybe I'll look into building a base with 80/20, that might be better.

Harbor Freight had some scissor jack dollies that I might buy. I'll look into an engine hoist though.

[SMW Precision]

By cost of installation I meant to have IH do it.

Looks like residential flooring can support 40PSF (non-sleeping rooms), 30PSF sleeping rooms. Using 4'x8' sheets, that works out to just under 1000lbs at the bedroom rating. I guess I'll have to expand my envelope a little, perhaps 5x10. Maybe I'll look into building a base with 80/20, that might be better.

Harbor Freight had some scissor jack dollies that I might buy. I'll look into an engine hoist though.

Talk to Gene at IH; mill can be broken down into 4 pieces and hand trucked to location. Then re-assembled a CNC verion would make this more difficult. Residential flooring presents some problems though depending on your setup it can may be fairly easy to increase load rating.
Most of us are on cement floors which do not have major load considerations. Then there are other weight problems a 6" mill vise is a 100 lbs as is a 8" rotary table. Machining boxes end up weighing hundredrs of pounds when filled or like my set which is close to a ton 10 drawers 2,000 square inches per drawer.

[Jern]

Can you install it over a load bearing wall? :idea:

By cost of installation I meant to have IH do it.

Looks like residential flooring can support 40PSF (non-sleeping rooms), 30PSF sleeping rooms. Using 4'x8' sheets, that works out to just under 1000lbs at the bedroom rating. I guess I'll have to expand my envelope a little, perhaps 5x10. Maybe I'll look into building a base with 80/20, that might be better.

Harbor Freight had some scissor jack dollies that I might buy. I'll look into an engine hoist though.

[kentavv]

Talk to Gene at IH; mill can be broken down into 4 pieces and hand trucked to location. Then re-assembled a CNC verion would make this more difficult.

That's a really good point. After having had to replace a ball screw and subsequently rebuild the ball nut (after chasing the balls down) I would be really hesitant to disassemble a working machine. It is great turn-key machines are available now. The new electronics enclosures look really slick.

The IH mill is great and if you need a mill that large it is hard to go wrong. But if you don't need a mill that large (forgot if you mention what you were going to need other than the tolerances) a smaller mill would obviously be a lot lighter and easier to move into place now and out when you decide to move yourself. You've probably already thought of that though.

[iamscottym]

I find the X3 a little small for my needs, and don't really want to mess around with one of the other slightly larger chinese mills unless a cnc kit is available (such as cncfusions x3 kits)- I'm just not that confident in my machining skills to make my own kit just yet.

The X3 would be a nice machine for me to learn the basics of setting up a machine, but I'd hate to throw away a couple grand for a machine that will soon be too small for my needs.

I guess the best option would probably be to just use NU's machine shop for now, and get an IH or something once I've graduated and got a more permanent residence.

[IHCNC]

Hi Iamscottym;
It's just really nice to see a young man that has his priorities right. School-School-School. If you do it right you will have a lot more money to do as you wish just a short time from now.

[LUCKY13]

I sure would like to see some good ducumention with video's of this new machine in action like some of the competitors have up. I am very close to buying a mill myself.


Jess