[neazoi]

Hello, I would like to buy a 3 to 1 machine for my basement. (light production)
My budget is limited and the install site is in Greece so postage have to be included.
I would like one machine to do all operations, milling, drilling and lathe.
I have seen these MIDAS series machines which are more affordable and the GRANITE series which are more expensive, on the smithy website Smithy - Small Shop Machine Tools | smithy.com.
Could you please suggest me if these tools are good for light production of milling, drilling and lathe?

Also what other such tools would you recommend for less than $2500 ?
I would like to avoid chinese stuff, I like to buy something that will last long time and be more accurate and productive. space is of concern.

[wizard]

Hello, I would like to buy a 3 to 1 machine for my basement. (light production)

Generally 3 and one machines are considered bad voodoo for even hobby work. for production I'm of the opinion that you need to rethink that concept. Beyond that any light production has to be done with CNC these days to remain competitive.

Now I'm not going to totally discount 3 in 1 machines as they have their uses if space is extremely limited. However when we come back to the concept of light production I can't see the value in such machines.

My budget is limited and the install site is in Greece so postage have to be included.
I would like one machine to do all operations, milling, drilling and lathe.

And i'd like to win the lottery!!!!!

Not to be smart but you mention light production many times in this message so I have a hard time seeing how a 3 in 1 machine fits. Maybe you have a specific product in mind that has a series of machining operations that gets around the issues with a 3 in 1.

I have seen these MIDAS series machines which are more affordable and the GRANITE series which are more expensive, on the smithy website Smithy - Small Shop Machine Tools | smithy.com.
Could you please suggest me if these tools are good for light production of milling, drilling and lathe?

I find that very difficult to do. First off light production can mean different things to different people. Second you may have a production path that may fit well into the capabilities of a 3 in 1 machine, but that is highly unlikely.

Also what other such tools would you recommend for less than $2500 ?
I would like to avoid chinese stuff, I like to buy something that will last long time and be more accurate and productive. space is of concern.

The first thing to determine is if your piece you intend to put into light production is primarily a milling task or a turning task. As for that $2500 it is hard to tell where that might go in Greece, Import and shipping fees could be a killer. As for Chinese stuff, what isn't or at least in part from China.

[neazoi]

Thank you very much for your answer.

By meaning light production, I mean creating relatively small parts that can be reproduced quite a few times without damaging the production equipment, except from the cutting tools of course.
I do not mean starting a small business with this machine, although I have seen some doing so. Basically lab work creating small aluminum milled enclosures for SMD electronics, small tools etc. I am sorry about not defining this ad the beginning.

I finally found too expensive to aqcuire one of the biggest fellows mentioned earlier primarily for postage reasons. So I am really consider a vintage (but rigidly made to my taste) unimat db200 mini lathe, which comes with lathe, milling, drilling and automatic feeder option. At a fraction of the cost and there also kits to make it a small sized CNC. I have seen some videos about it, so I believe the XY controlls are quite ok for this conversion.

What do you think about it, your oppinion would be very helpfull.

attached is the image of the whole kit

[fizzissist]

I'm gleaning from this that your budget is around 75EUR?

[neazoi]

I'm gleaning from this that your budget is around 75EUR?

No this is an expensive kit, but not so expensive as the previously mentioned lathes. Not so capable though, only small capacity metals there.

I have seen a great interest in these mini lathes produced by unimat, I do not know if they worth the money but they seem very rigid for their size.

What do you think of this?

Ps. sorry I am a new to this stuff having little experience but the will to learn

[underthetire]

No this is an expensive kit, but not so expensive as the previously mentioned lathes. Not so capable though, only small capacity metals there.

I have seen a great interest in these mini lathes produced by unimat, I do not know if they worth the money but they seem very rigid for their size.

What do you think of this?

Ps. sorry I am a new to this stuff having little experience but the will to learn

Complete and total waste of money. Rigid? not on your life.

Buy A G704 and a lathe to match. 3N1 machines are a total PIA to deal with.

[neazoi]

Unless I am looking the wrong machine, the g704 is a xy table with a vertical drill/mill. Huge to post and I bet how expensive it would be to buy.
Something like $1000 is my budget limit, I need something more small but still rigid and capable to do some more things than a drill. If it does not exist I will accept this.(chair)
Also, no-one explained why a 3 to1 machine is considered really a bad choice.
Thanks a lot

[underthetire]

Its a small benchtop mill. You also stated $2500 was your budget. Sounds like your just a tire kicker.

3N1's are usually not very good at either milling or turning, and your always tearing it down to go from mill to drill.
close to your budget:

Mini Mill - 2 Speed Mini Milling Machine
and
Mini Lathe - 7" x 10" Precision Mini Lathe

Im sure you can find them local.

Neither are great, but good for hobby stuff.

[Crevice Reamer]

G0704, similar to BF20:
G0704 Drill/Mill with Stand

G0602 lathe:
G0602 10" x 22" Bench Top Metal Lathe

These are fairly rigid and will do serious work, but are NOT small.

There are European versions of each.

CR.

[MetalZilla]

Have you checked into the Sherline lathes?

[Crevice Reamer]

These are small, but capable of some work, albeit slowly. For what you would spend on these, including tooling that won't transfer upward, you could have the (Far more capable) G0704 and G0602:
Taig Tools - Desktop Milling Machines and Lathes.

http://www.sherline.com/

By the way, Welcome to the Zone, neazoi!

CR.

[neazoi]

Thank you all for the links and the suggestions, it has been really really helpful!
I will consider these suggestions seriously before I buy.

by the way the http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-x...al-Lathe/G0602 seems a good quality one, I wish i could find it somewhere locally but I do not think i will have the chance to find it in Greece at least at that price...

A last thing I would like to ask about the db200 (just for info) is that would it be able to cut iron at low speeds and feed rates?

I am asking this because my small experience with vertical drills have showed me that even iron can be cut if one uses a low speed and more patience.

[Crevice Reamer]

A last thing I would like to ask about the db200 (just for info) is that would it be able to cut iron at low speeds and feed rates?

I am asking this because my small experience with vertical drills have showed me that even iron can be cut if one uses a low speed and more patience.

There is iron and there is iron. Ordinary cast iron is soft and cuts like butter. SOME iron however can have hard spots that are very difficult to cut.

by the way the G0602 10" x 22" Bench Top Metal Lathe seems a good quality one, I wish i could find it somewhere locally but I do not think i will have the chance to find it in Greece at least at that price...

Try here:
http://www.optimum-machines.com/home/index.html

For BF20 mill:
http://www.optimum-machines.com/prod...rio/index.html

And D250x550 lathe:
http://www.optimum-machines.com/prod...550/index.html

CR.

[wizard]

I have a hard time believing that you don't have a tool vendor in or close to Greece. It may be worth your time to visit a local vendor that has such machines on display. This might give you a better feel for these machines, capacities and so forth.

These day almost everything low cost is from China. You can consider American made Sherline and TIAG but these are more model maker / instrument maker machines. Very good ones mind you but you really need to be sure the capacities are suitable for your interests.

As a side note I'm constantly reccomending that people carefully consider size and avoid buying too small. Of course budgets and space also dictate size but in this regard it might be better to stretch out purchases over time if budgets are an issue. The question then becomes which do you buy first a Mill or a lathe.

As to the distaste for 3 in 1 machines here, some points have already been alluded too. However the type of work and the way you do it can influence how much of a pain in the butt such machines are. Further as a mill these machines for the most part have extremely limited capacities compared to a real mill. Frankly you would be better off buying a lathe with a small milling attachment and using that until you can get a mill. Milling attachments for lathes suck too, but at least the lathe itself isn't compromised.

In the end I'd suggest a long term goal of getting two major machines, a lathe and a mill. Just remember that these are the major machines you will need, you will end up needing room for a bench grinder of some sort or belt grinder. Most likely you will need a couple other tools also. If you are space constrained you may need to look into some of the approaches others have used in that situation. For example having a bench grinder and the like fastened to pallets to clamp to a bench when needed. I bring this up because before you buy any machines you need to think about placement in your shop. Having a nice large lathe is great but if that takes all of your available room then it may be a problem.

[wizard]

I would suspect that there are even more choices for machine tool purchases in Europe. Even if one had to drive a day to get there it would be better than buying from the US, and paying the shipping and taxes yourself. I know England has a couple of machine vendors similar to Grizzly, as you point out Optimum is in Germany and as such I have to imagine there are a few others. I know of one manufacture in Italy.

The answer is to shop around in Europe first in my mind.

There is iron and there is iron. Ordinary cast iron is soft and cuts like butter. SOME iron however can have hard spots that are very difficult to cut.



Try here:
Optimum Machines: Home

For BF20 mill:
Optimum Machines: BF 20 VARIO

And D250x550 lathe:
Optimum Machines: D 250 x 550

CR.

[sharpshooter90]

Hello, I would like to buy a 3 to 1 machine for my basement. (light production)
My budget is limited and the install site is in Greece so postage have to be included.
I would like one machine to do all operations, milling, drilling and lathe.
I have seen these MIDAS series machines which are more affordable and the GRANITE series which are more expensive, on the smithy website Smithy - Small Shop Machine Tools | smithy.com.
Could you please suggest me if these tools are good for light production of milling, drilling and lathe?

Also what other such tools would you recommend for less than $2500 ?
I would like to avoid chinese stuff, I like to buy something that will last long time and be more accurate and productive. space is of concern.

Take a look at the Shopmaster Cnc Milling Machine, Metal Lathe Mill Drill, 3 In 1 Machine. Its out of your stated budget, but your budget is not going to get you anything worth while any way. Don't be too swayed by the 3 in 1 haters- these machines are quite capable of small production work and require a very small amount of space.