I want a convert a lathe to cnc and I have been looking around at the different lathes available. I think the PM 1236 is the best choice from what I've found so far. I have also been comparing to the grizzly lathes. The threading and power feed will be nice up to the point I start the conversion, but after that its just waste. I know support and parts from Grizzly are good, but what about PM? If I cnc this thing will the warranty still be valid? I really like that there is a collet closer for the grizzly for under $400, I could see this being handy one day. The Preferred package PM 1236 has a foot brake, I think that would help make gear changes quicker, right?
Here is what I would like to have in a finished CNC conversion:
- cnc threading
- coolant
- torque to cut 6"+ steel parts
- speed to cut small parts from Al, plastic, etc...
- tool turret (I will probably wind up making this)
- Encloser (will build this)
- VFD, and all the benefits that come with it. ( this would probably be the last thing I do)
I also built a CNC router you can see my thread here:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc-wo...minum-cnc.html
Thanks in advance!
P.S. I uploaded a comparison spread sheet I made up