Machine strength from DIY to chinese

Just a curiosity question but these chinese machine's look so strong yet most on average are entry level machine's and the frame isn't always truly flat. I know they use cast iron but do they beef them up and paint them to help sell or something? If you look at the blue elephant for example they look alot more commercial and well built then a well built DIY one. I know the chinese ones have cheap square rails and use shitty R&P setups and bog standard electronics but purely for the looks what is stronger their cast iron machine's or mild steel box section DIY with aluminium extrude gantry?

I've seen some videos on where they make them in a large factory and I see no cnc machine's that help make a cnc machine so it's like they don't machine anything.

I ain't buying one it's just a curiosity question about why they look alot stronger then a DIY but are actually shit on some cases

Thanks

There are good ones and bad ones, Just because some are made from cast iron doesn't make them better or stronger than steel tube machines because like anything there is good and bad cast iron, mostly bad if it comes from china I must say. My experience of the Chinese cast iron frames is that they have been brittle, weak, and far from flat even after they have been machined.

Likewise, similar story with those built from steel box sections, there are good and bad, until I experienced a Chinese machine I didn't know large-sized tubes could be produced so thin! So just because the tube sizes look large and strong doesn't actually mean they are.

But I have seen and know people who have imported machines and the frames are OK, not the best or most accurate in the world but good enough for the job given the price. The rest of the machine doesn't always match but in the grand scheme, they are cheap and do the job, for how long is another matter.?

However, it's when you get to the total cost of importing that it gets interesting, the machines themselves seem cheap enough but the cost of shipping at the moment and foreseeable future is crazy-expensive. So when you factor in that you will most likely want to change some if not all the electronics and wiring.? Yes wiring, because some of these machines are seriously dangerously wired an example being live sockets with exposed pins that carry 415V, then they don't always work out cheaper than a quality DIY build.

Now if you are buying in the UK then yes they work out much cheaper, BUT Many of the UK suppliers of machines you see are actually just importing Chinese machines with their own logo's and colour Schemes, some upgrade the electronics, most don't and I have converted or helped people who bought the UK supplied but of Chinese origin machines which hadn't been touched. They just stick a hefty profit on them!

Often on the electrical side, something expires after about 12 to 18mths, esp the DSP controllers which are commonly fitted, in which case it's often cheaper and more practical to rip everything out and upgrade/retrofit with a PC-based controller or Standalone controller which is something I've done many times for people.

Also, if you decide to upgrade and want to fit say an ATC spindle then some of my customers have been quoted £15k+ from the UK supplier for what are basically Chinese Spindles which are of very questionable quality that can be bought for £2k on Ebay, so spec it well before buying.!

Thanks for the detailed reply Dean, I have been looking for used ones on the Internet mainly just for the frame it's self and the ones I find in the UK are the chinese ones and some have been used a few times or some only use them once or twice a week for a few hrs, makes you think why they are getting rid and now I know.

I seen a post the other day with a large 8x4 frame on Google got all excited as it looked beafy and it was only £200, turns out it was in 2015 was gutted lol

Danny