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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Benchtop Machines > anyone want to talk me out of a mikini vs a tormach
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  1. #1
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    Mar 2009
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    anyone want to talk me out of a mikini vs a tormach

    I am about to purchase my second machine. I have had a tormach for a year an a half. From my research I feel mikini is a better machine. Does anyone have an opinion that can change my mind.

    TIA

    Chris Howe
    Howe CNC Services, LLC

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by howecnc View Post
    I am about to purchase my second machine. I have had a tormach for a year an a half. From my research I feel mikini is a better machine. Does anyone have an opinion that can change my mind.

    TIA

    Chris Howe
    Howe CNC Services, LLC
    That mikini seems to be a nice machine sounds like it is higher rpm maybe more for router cuts? All I have seen are the few youtube videos cutting plastic it did fine what does it sell for?

  3. #3
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    11999 for a base price. 13499 with a fully intergrated industrial pc.

    the rpms are equal to the tormach but the rapids and feedrates are faster.

  4. #4
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    Jul 2007
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    438
    i don't remember the specs on the mikini but from what i remember, the z travel would be very limiting if you were drilling a tall part or a part in the 4th axis. i also think i remember loosing a couple inches of x travel but gaining an inch of y travel. the enclosure looks good and the rapid speeds sound nice. faster feeds aren't going to do much good with the same max rpm as a tormach though.

    how many are out there now and if it is very few, are you willing to be the guinea pig? if there are more than a few out there, is there a way to contact the owners of them and get their honest opinion?

  5. #5
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    Feb 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by howecnc View Post
    11999 for a base price. 13499 with a fully intergrated industrial pc.
    I was up and running for about $8K for a series 1 Tormach, when you start throwing out numbers near $14K I would have to really need to see a machine that is leaps and bounds beyond what I have now. For that kind of money I would be looking at a late 80's aerospace Mazak like a 15/40. They sell one on eBay every week for about $15K with a large capacity ATC.
    BlueFin CNC LLC
    Southern Oregon

  6. #6
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    Jun 2009
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    I spoke to the owner the other day.......engineer, very friendly and informative. I was very impressed with my limited knowledge. Took the info to a buddy and asked him. He builds and designs large industrial machines for a living He was impressed with the product. Now if their service is together, then this will be my secound machine. Most likely starting with a taig to learn on, unless someone has a better idea.
    Good luck with your purchase of the 1610L. Liked to hear how you like it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    140
    For my next machine chances are I'll buy used for 10-15K. An ATC will be a must as well as more travel. There is a chance I will buy another tormach but I really need a machine with more hp. The advantage to a second tormach is cost, both the low cost of the machine as well as not needing to buy all new tooling. The other nice thing is it would be up and running making money the day it arrived. All my fixtures and code would drop right onto the new pc and away it would go.

  8. #8
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    Feb 2007
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    Hi - I am not convinced the mikini is more ridgid then the Tormach. Also the travels are less, the ball slides are probably less ridgid than dovetail slideways,
    if you deduct the weight of the stand (which is cast and so heavy but may add little to the machines ridgidity) the weight of the critical castings may be no more than the tormach, the vertical column looks lighter in section, love to see how it cuts tough tool steel with say a 16 dia square carbide insert cutter with vertical faces - if it is seriously better I would be surprised.... and then very interested! I challenge an owner to post just how well it roughs steel......

  9. #9
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    The linear ways are becoming industry standard these days. Machines like haas and Dekel-Maho have them. You only loose 2" of X travel with the mikini compared to the Tormach and you gain 1hp on the spindle.

    After talking with Mikini, I found out that they put a serious amount of time into there casting to dampen vibration and increase rigidity.

    as far as price goes 11999 for the mikini without pc compared to 9000 for the tormach with deluxe stand. For the difference of 3000 I get a full enclosure that takes up less floor space and faster rapids and feedrates.

    My biggest problem is that I have not found any opinions from current mikini owners.

    Again, thanks for all the input.

  10. #10
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    I think the Mikini is an interesting option as well. I do NOT understand their lack of decent videos... They "tout" their YouTube videos, but they are only seconds long, and on the aluminum one, most of the time is in air travel. They need to put up a minutes long video of the machine cutting steel. They have promised this in several posts to this forum since Sept 2008, and I've not seen a decent post of it yet. I would need to talk to an owner with no affiliation to Mikini before I would buy one at this point, but I think it would be worth seeking out such an individual, as well...

  11. #11
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    If you need more hp , no ATC , but why not the IH machine. Their mill seems to be almost double that of Tormach, with a 2 or 3 hp motor.
    Just my 2 cents......

  12. #12
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    "The linear ways are becoming industry standard these days. Machines like haas and Dekel-Maho have them. You only loose 2" of X travel with the mikini compared to the Tormach and you gain 1hp on the spindle. "

    Linear ways are more common - they are best for superfast travels - but check out Fryer and others who use box section slides - and claim linear ways are not as ridgid. My point is Linear ways are ok on a heavy machine with a large ball screw. But on a light machine with a light 20mm ball screw.....notice the vids on U tube are just cutting plastic and alum.

    Bring on the roughing steel vids - and quote the max depth/speed cuts with square sided carb insert cutters - slot type - they really expose a machines limits.

    More horsepower is pointless without more ridgidity.

  13. #13
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    Point taken. I agree they need a video cutting steel. Any small bench top machine can cut plastic or aluminum.

  14. #14
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    Yes - perhaps you can direct mikini management to this thread. I post below an example of Tormach at its max in tough k600 steel - The deep vertical face work like this is what I refer to as a test. It is much easier to do 'showy' metal removal demos with surfacing cutters that have much easier geometry.

    If it can surpass this I would also be interested in buying one.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails k600.JPG  

  15. #15
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    More evelope for the same weight has a down side.

    Phil

    Quote Originally Posted by ruawake View Post
    If you need more hp , no ATC , but why not the IH machine. Their mill seems to be almost double that of Tormach, with a 2 or 3 hp motor.
    Just my 2 cents......

  16. #16
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    (moved)

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by howecnc View Post
    You only loose 2" of X travel with the mikini compared to the Tormach and you gain 1hp on the spindle.

    personally, i have used every bit of my x travel and z travel far more times on my tormach than i have spindle horsepower.

  18. #18
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    I was referring to the weight of the IH mill compared to that of the Tormach. Just the mill alone, on the IH machine is nearly twice the weight compared to the Tormach.

  19. #19
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    Tormach - 1130 lbs net / 1296 lbs gross

    IH CNC - Shipping Weight: 1450lbs w/out Stand. (No net weight quoted)

    I think if you compare like for like they are pretty close to equal on weight.

    Not sure where you got "twice the weight" from.

    Phil

    Quote Originally Posted by ruawake View Post
    I was referring to the weight of the IH mill compared to that of the Tormach. Just the mill alone, on the IH machine is nearly twice the weight compared to the Tormach.

  20. #20
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    A friend had spoken to the owner of IH, and he claims that just the mill alone, before it is retrofitted is almost double the weight, I can't remember the #'s exactly, but it was a big difference.

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