[ruawake]

Wonder what anyone thinks of the Mikini.......3hp?

[Runner4404spd]

i think the work envelope is kind of limited for what you get. the IH has full 30" of travel in the x and up to 13 in the Y. i can fit 3 6" vises on my ih mill and can get to each of them with plenty of room. i can't really tell if the complete mikini is running on mach 3 or their stand alone controller?

[EvanVH]

No dove tail ways ????? No ways period???


If I read the web site correctly they are using linear guides. I would worry about the longevity, rigidity and accuracy. (when you are pushing the machine hard)




Evan

[ruawake]

That is a good point, about the ways.
ruawake

[deon]

Hi

"longevity, rigidity and accuracy"?????? Bigger mills like Haas etc. have them.

What seems to be the problem , if you stick to a the work machine scale relation then I cant see the problem.

It's not a good idea to break down a other manuf. just because you have a IH machine.

Just my two cents.

[oltimer]

deon
nobody is cutting down anything. just an opinion on an IH forum.
oltimer

[EvanVH]

Hi

"longevity, rigidity and accuracy"?????? Bigger mills like Haas etc. have them.

What seems to be the problem , if you stick to a the work machine scale relation then I cant see the problem.

It's not a good idea to break down a other manuf. just because you have a IH machine.

Just my two cents.

Hey deon

After doing some research I was off base with that comment. Sorry Can you separate the mill from the stand. The reason that I ask is the stand is cast (?) and the rep from Mikini said "the stand and mill don't separate". There web site said the mill weighs 2000 lbs with the stand. If the stand is cast it must be pretty heavy. I would like to know how much the mill weights with out the stand.



Evan

[Runner4404spd]

Evan,

your point of longevity is valid. in the cnc world hass machines are considered disposable, after a while it actually becomes cheaper to buy a new one vs repair the one you have. cast ways will definitely last longer than the linear ways when under alot of load. i personally don't know what the load rating is on the mikini ways but on my ih i can machine stainless steel with no problems, on the cast iron ways. also i upgrade my ih with 3hp 3450 rom motor.

granted i don't have quite the upper end rpm of the mikini but on harder metals you don't need the upper rpm anyway. the ih will definitely be slower than a mikini on plastics due to the slow spindle but the trade off is versatility and the ability to cut harder metals.

[EvanVH]

Evan,

your point of longevity is valid. in the cnc world hass machines are considered disposable, after a while it actually becomes cheaper to buy a new one vs repair the one you have. cast ways will definitely last longer than the linear ways when under alot of load. i personally don't know what the load rating is on the mikini ways but on my ih i can machine stainless steel with no problems, on the cast iron ways. also i upgrade my ih with 3hp 3450 rom motor.

granted i don't have quite the upper end rpm of the mikini but on harder metals you don't need the upper rpm anyway. the ih will definitely be slower than a mikini on plastics due to the slow spindle but the trade off is versatility and the ability to cut harder metals.

Hey thanks for the info. It is very interesting. You made a conversion plate to convert the metric spindle motor to a standard spindle motor on a IH mill. Did you ever make a drawing for it ? Maybe a dxf file If so I would love to have a copy. If not no big deal. Thanks for the info on linear ways.


Evan

[philbur]

I think if you work an IH as hard as an average Haas you will find it is also disposable, much sooner.

It seems the Mikini, with its C3 screws and linear ways will have much higher precision/repeatability than either the IH or Tormach. The down side is that it is a lighter weight machine (minus the stand) with a smaller envelope. So it's horse for courses, again.

Providing the service is there I think it looks like a great piece of kit.

Phil

Evan,

your point of longevity is valid. in the cnc world hass machines are considered disposable, after a while it actually becomes cheaper to buy a new one vs repair the one you have. cast ways will definitely last longer than the linear ways when under alot of load.

[ruawake]

Just a bit of info that a beginner like me is still trying to understand. When I spoke to the Mikini, He said that they built the machines a single unifiedpiece(built like a Haas), with a lower casting and an upper casting. A machine that is built all the way to the ground. I am looking forward to hearing from a new owner, and for the new videos.

[Kipper]

Hey thanks for the info. It is very interesting. You made a conversion plate to convert the metric spindle motor to a standard spindle motor on a IH mill. Did you ever make a drawing for it ? Maybe a dxf file If so I would love to have a copy. If not no big deal. Thanks for the info on linear ways.


Evan

I bet he never gets back to you.... Attached is a version another person made.


On topic....I'll bet the Mikini is a better machine....better spec and probably better made......should last a home user 20-30 years.....just think no gib strips to adjust....and a column all the way to the ground.....I'll take one.

[oltimer]

Kipper
take 2 so you can add them together and mill something of size.
oltimer

[EvanVH]

.... Attached is a version another person made.

Kipper

Thank you very much.


Evan

[Runner4404spd]

i will post the drawing here tomorrow for the motor conversion adapter plate. ultimately the one posted will not work as shown and there are 3 parts to it. one is a split sleeve for the motor shaft. two is the motor plate. three is a step keyway to drive the spindle gears. ultimately i really like the belt conversion that pete did on his and will probably be replacing mine with that one soon.

[Kipper]

i will post the drawing here tomorrow for the motor conversion adapter plate. ultimately the one posted will not work as shown and there are 3 parts to it. one is a split sleeve for the motor shaft. two is the motor plate. three is a step keyway to drive the spindle gears. ultimately i really like the belt conversion that pete did on his and will probably be replacing mine with that one soon.

Ultimately it gives the dimensions and PCD for each motor mount so ultimately they will succeed. In the UK the direct mounting 2800 RPM motor is readily available so the adaptor was never needed by me.....in another thread where you wouldn't post it I ultimately offered to machine one and post it to Canada.....So ultimately you may post details of yours this time round....ultimately

[EvanVH]

I think if you work an IH as hard as an average Haas you will find it is also disposable, much sooner.

Phil

When linear guides are new they are very accurate but, as they age the become lose and are not adjustable.


I have a 1963 Lagun FT2. If this mill was equipped with linear guides it would have been scrap/recycled long ago.


The Mikini may be more accurate new but, in a number of years the Mikini will become lose as will the IH. All I have to do on the IH mill is adjust the gibbs. On the Mikini you are out of luck.

I am not against the Mikini it looks good and no dought it works very well.




Evan

[Kipper]

Hehe, Production machinery is always the stuff to copy for home use....Dovetails and gibs are dead!

[philbur]

Yes but the table on a well used CNC mill will travel further in one year than a well used manual mill table will travel in ten.

So it needs to be apples with apples.

Phil

PS: A Vee way mill ends up loose in the middle and tight at each end, no adjustment of the gibs will fix that.

When linear guides are new they are very accurate but, as they age the become lose and are not adjustable.


I have a 1963 Lagun FT2. If this mill was equipped with linear guides it would have been scrap/recycled long ago.


The Mikini may be more accurate new but, in a number of years the Mikini will become lose as will the IH. All I have to do on the IH mill is adjust the gibbs. On the Mikini you are out of luck.

I am not against the Mikini it looks good and no dought it works very well.




Evan

[EvanVH]

Yes but the table on a well used CNC mill will travel further in one year than a well used manual mill table will travel in ten.

So it needs to be apples with apples.

Phil

PS: A Vee way mill ends up loose in the middle and tight at each end, no adjustment of the gibs will fix that.

I have seen cnc machines that are worn out in the middle of there travel because the majority of work is done in the middle of the travel. Liner guilds do wear out in the same pattern as do vee ways. Physics don't you no.

If you know how to scrape and tune the problem is goes away.

I am not against the Mikini or liner guilds they all have there place. I am sure that liner guild are the norm. It is far easier and cheaper to set up a flat surface for liner guilds, then casting vee ways and tuning them.


Evan