My shop is temperature controlled also. Not sure about dedicated power.
My shop is temperature controlled also. Not sure about dedicated power.
TIG welding? If that's anywhere near the Tormach, its been known to cause problems due to the HF start and electrical noise.
Both dedicated outlets with ups power conditioning for controllers and also city grid power to shop. I know from years of living in rural areas power can be less then good for anything that uses it "+-20v at the source". This could have a major effect on how long electrical components last.
Every machine will need some hands one tweaks when new. Doesn't matter if it's a $500k Mazak or a $5k Mini Mill.
(Actually, the Mini Mill REQUIRES a lot of hand tweaking, because it's a kit; for the Mazak the purchase price will probably include a technician to do it for you.)
It sounds to me as if a Tormach is the right trade-off for you. For the 1100, if your tool holders and spindle are treated harshly, you will see some pull-out, but if you de-grease it and maintain it well, that won't be a big problem. The main limitation on the 1100 is the spindle speed. 5,140 rpm isn't that much when working in aluminum with carbide tools. The main limitation on the 770 and 440 is the spindle horsepower; they go to 10,000 rpm which is better, but then don't have the power to take very deep cuts.
You could start by watching the NYC CNC You Tube channel, where "John" is teaching himself CNC and telling you about successes and failures he runs into. He uses a 770 for a lot of work, and a Haas VF3 for higher-power stuff.
Sounds like I was in your shoes about a year and a half ago. I had been making prototype parts on manual machines for nearly 20 years when my employer finally came to their senses and figured out an inexpensive CNC machine would pay for itself the first time it completed a production run when compared to our "normal" machine shop cost. Something I had been telling them for 15 years.
I had ZERO CNC programming or operating experience as of May 2017 when the Tormach 1100 showed up. In that time I've spent about 80% of my time at work either programming in Fusion360 or setting up/running the Tormach. I've made hundreds of different things in that time and it has had zero issues. The machine has been very solid once dialed in. I experienced tool pull out inside the first month, but it was due in part to a not-quite aligned ATC and subsequently, the drawbar not as tight as it should be. Never a problem since.
Interesting, I do notice air compressors bogs down when I switch on Bridgeport mill if it’s running. Have phase converter for it. The 1100 m is single phase 220 right?
Also no tig welding. I have been watching John on YouTube which is why I’m thinking about buying one. I just became concerned when I realized he was sponsored by Tormach and maybe they aren’t as great as he makes them out to be
As another data point, I have had a 770 for about four years with no problems that I could not troubleshoot and fix myself. My environment is hobbyist with some paying work for prototypes and very short production runs. My machine has run almost every day since it was purchased. My shop is temperature controlled and everything runs on unconditioned single phase power. I am definitely NOT sponsored by Tormach!
I got my 770M up about 2 weeks ago.
Right now I'm fighting enclosure leaks. This weekend I'm going to disassemble the entire enclosure and reassemble with some automotive gasket sealant.
After that is going to be some backlash adjustment and squaring.
I thought from the videos they supplied gasket materials? Nothing major so far?
I think they called butel tape. Looked like it went between all the sheet metal pieces. Don’t have a machine yet. Just watching videos
The directions only specify using it between the tray and base. The enclosure doesn't come with any more butel tape and relies on a tight fit between mating surfaces and flanges. There's also slotted openings which allow coolant around hardware, such as for the door rail brackets. I'm probably doing something wrong in my assembly, but it just doesn't go together well enough to not dribble all over the floor, so I'm pulling it apart and reassembling with gasket maker. It's going to be a little messy, but should seal up tight.
This thread on PM seems to be applicable, and was why I decided on Permatex Gasket maker:
https://is.gd/mjDLp4