Hi guys, first post. Let me just start by saying WOW. The amount of information on this site is astounding. Ok from the begining. I'm 19 and I'm attending my Junior college for precision macheing. This is my first year running the mills and I've always wanted to do machining as soon as I saw wat can be created. I've done foam CNC mill work in high school useing masterCAM and from what I remember I liked the software. I then got into AutoCAD is HS and have 101 under my belt at school now. Now when it comes to machines I'm still pritty clueless on what I'd need and most importanly what it all does to the fine detail or atleast in a simple sence. I am more mechanicly inclined than I am electricly so things like servos and electronic gizmoes esental for CNCs are just names to me. I have no problem learning all of this I just need to figure out what my esentals should be and how they opperate for simply maintence and operation. I am signed up for a NC class for the spring semestar to refamilarise with CNC, G/m codes, and to hopfuly ask lots of questions. I do not know what software they are useing but I can probly find out sooner or later. Now in the sence I'm takeing all these classes to hopfuly gain my assoicates in manufacturing. Now here comes the buying the mill part. Where I curently live, we are expected to grow emencily in the upcomeing years. My idea for all this(and hopefuly we all dont die in 2012 making this useless) is to start a buisness involveing CNC machines. Now right now as for ideas for projects I dont have to many ideas for brand new products. I do have ideas on modifying old things, makeing them lighter, useing thhe part as a base and redesigning "unsightly" designs haha. But typicly parts would be smaller based 6061 alum. with prity close tolerances. And I want to be able to do manual milling with or without the controle of a computer so I dont have to spend x hours on cam to do simple milling. So the idea is start the componey either in my basement or garage based on custom machineing light parts into doing small production on them untill I can design my own major product. Now heres where Im running to one of my main conserns and its as simple as what machine to buy?! I have a $6000-$7000 spending limit for EVERYTHING ready to make chips, computer, programs, tools, machine, EVERYTHING. Now heres the debaiters.
1. I can buy a cheeper bridgeport for 1000-4500 and spend 3000 on a full CNC conversion. The +side it would be a good all around machine for fitting whatever i need. The down side is obiousely size which means I'd have to set up in my detactched, uninsulated garage and time it will take to set up CNC on a bridgeport type mill.
2: This mill.. http://www.cnczone.com/classifieds/s...ate/1152243511
I like it because of the fullsetup w/ flood cooling and it comes with computer and equiptment and tooling, its relitivly close and it has a good price tag on it. Down side is it seems a little small for the work I have and may want to do so as for future work that may be bigger or of harder metal. And I dont want to sit and mill a 1/2" deep pocket for an hour.
3. A FULL setup of the NM-135 or leased NM-200. I realy like this machine because it is a machine that doesnt seem to pose an issue for milling light alum like 6061 as far as the machines rigity. No its not a bridgeport but we're still talking about a starting buisness mill. link to mill http://www.novakon.net/3.html
4. This mill.
http://www.cnczone.com/classifieds/s...uct/3399/cat/4
I started reading into the KX3 and read the owners thread and it obiousely seems like a good solid machine. I wouldnt have to deal with overseas shipping and also it has a nice price tag for my budget.
So I'm looking for feedback from you zone members to realy help to put my money in the right place and not regetting it the week after I bought it. Please post ideas and information on anything I've mentioned especialy if I probly missed a few things or even milles you think may fit my bill. I've read buisness storys about people with their own buisness based on simple manual machines and CNC has alowed them to go above and beond simple machining on a production scale. But since I dont have a production product I'd like to start with a CNC for sheere knowlage and ability. Thanks again for any imput you give. I'm starting from SCRATCH and need all the help I can get. Thanks everyone