[MrRage]

Would it drive you nuts to have to work with a CNC machine and not use a manual mill? I’m asking because I probably won’t have enough cash to have two machines and its unlikely if I go CNC I will be able to use it as a manual mill.

As for the type of machine in question, it would most likely be a small bridge port style 9x30” table mill.

[artur83]

Why not?
I'm a newbie. But aren't there small CNC mills that are also hand operated (maybe even from taig).
I'm pretty sure I've seen them around.
And to answer your question, no. I use MDI (manual data input) to semi-manualy control the machine. or I mill with Jogs (using slower speeds).

What kind of machine are you looking at? (price wise)

[HuFlungDung]

Well, you can do everything with a cnc mill that you can with a manual, but not vice versa.

A cnc mill will permit you to use power feeds at known feedrates in X and Y and perhaps Z if you go 3 axis. This beats those corny add-on power feed units. These add-on power feeds are actually quite expensive considering all that they don't do: unknown feedrates, no positioning information, unless you tack on a scale kit.

Generally, whatever you do with a manual mill you can do on a cnc by holding in the jog button for a particular axis, and modifying the feedrate to suit your whim. With a little bit of study of the way your cnc works, you can soon feel quite comfortable running it, and doing work on a higher level. You might like to have manual control of the Z axis (on a 2 axis cnc), as this gives you sensitive feel for drilling, etc.

The cnc will also lessen the need for you to buy a horizontal rotary table for common tasks like drilling bolt circle patterns, milling profiles with angles other than 90 degrees, etc.

[MrRage]

Ah cool, well I’m looking at building a machine rather than buying one. I’m looking at a modified table design where the headstock is supported by a box steel frame with rails rather than a single column. Only down side to this design is that the headstock is the one doing all the moving so the controls would be too awkward to be used manually, but would be perfectly fine with a digital keypad and an XYZ readout.

Because of the box frame used to support the headstock it only makes sense that I build this mill as an enclosed cabinet. It would already have the supports to hold the walls of this cabinet so might as well.

[ynneb]

JRoque, has come up with a beautiful idea for a Manual/CNC control.
It is a set of MPG ( Manual puse generators) see the picture below.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...achmentid=7367

This will surely give you the best of both worlds

[rustyolddo]

I tossed all the manual controls when I CNC'ed my bench mill. Don't miss them at all. As Hu pointed out, CNC is like having a DRO and a Powerfeed on each axis. I can still do everything I did when it was in manual control and faster. You don't see manual controls on $40k VMC.

[HuFlungDung]

MrRage,
RE: building your own mill

What do you intend to cut with it? For metal cutting, you'd be miles ahead to buy a used cnc mill in good mechanical condition, with obsolete controller, and retrofit a new PC control on it. The value of the cast iron and ballscrews in an old machine gives you best return for your dollars spent. I'm a machinist, and could build a small mill in my shop, but I wouldn't do it. I'd retrofit first.

The box steel frame idea is likely to make a good "resonator" which will hamper tool performance and annoy your neighbours, scare the dog and strip the cilia out of your cochlea

[Yossi]

One more point to think of: The lead screws for cnc machine and manual
are different.

[DareBee]

I haven't actually built my own mill but I have built enough custom factory equipment as well as rebuilt/retrofitted a lot of machine tools and by far the best way to go is as Hu says.
Buy an old mechanically sound machine and retrofit new drives and controller (or PC).

[lerman]

Ditto Darebee.

I converted a used Bridgeport Clone that I bought for $250 and couldn't imagine putting together a head and X Y table for close to that. Event something built from MDF and drawer slides would cost close to that when you throw in a spindle.

Find some used iron and work with it.

Ken