Hobby milling machines now in stock - Perfect for conversions

[Boyan Silyavski]

That's just it.. the Prusa now prints as well if not better than the Sigma... full auto axis leveling.. and is half the price fully assembled.

Well excuse me David, but insisting that a machine without linear rails is anything but toy is ridiculous to me.

[Lee Roberts]

Well excuse me David, but insisting that a machine without linear rails is anything but toy is ridiculous to me.

lol, yes but you have ridiculous OCD no ???

Review here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfe_84FGJ8c

Thanks for sharing that link David, great review.

Guys if there is anything I can do to help support the development of the 3DP scene here on the forums please let me know.

Expanding the 3DP section is something I hoped for as interest grows amongst us, obviously I can't do everything on my own i.e staying up to date on the latest, posting about it and also nurturing that area of interest locally.

[Boyan Silyavski]

lol, yes but you have ridiculous OCD no ???

Maybe. But in this case I just couldn't resist to say that.

Sb presents his business, machine etc. and sb else starts speaking how there is a better one at half the price that is in totally different category ... So i just felt the need to remind comparing square supported linear rails with diy linear movement is not in the same category.

I could give examples and review some similar machines cause i have friends that are not happy with what they have got for their money. Once they woke up what have they bought for their money exactly. But that's another story.

Also not that i care about 3d printing and companies, but i don't see why if somebody open sourced his plans has to be blamed for unfair quotes and undermining small manufacturers. They have different and understandable / to me/ priorities :


"As an institute belonging to a public university, also makes it a priority to bring manufacturing to society, helping to break the barrier between people and digital technology related to manufacturing, welcoming them under the view of generating jobs with added value.



So if somebody has to say sth for his offering, lets say it, but speaking about 3d printing in general, discussing other brands here and useless conversations - we could do that somewhere else. People should learn to respect other people's effort.

[Neale]

Linear bearings are fine, in the right application and if properly specified. My vertical mill uses cast-iron slides. My current router uses profile rails. My 3D printer uses linear bearings. The issue with the printer is not that it uses linear bearings, but that they use 8mm unsupported rods in a frame that does not provide adequate, stiff, support. Given the overall system accuracy needed for 3D printing, and the relatively low loads on the guide rails, I don't see a problem in principle; it's just that my current machine is too flimsy. In a commercial machine where you can machine mating surfaces, it might be quicker and easier to use profile rails. In a home-built machine where you build in adjustment and have the time to set up accurately, there might be a better way. Look at the system design and don't get hung up on point details. I shall be thinking about the overall frame design for my mk2 printer and choose an appropriate guide system in the context of that design.

[komatias]

Oh dear...my thread has brought the handbags out....

Right, what I meant when I asked Neale to comment on my machines, I meant my milling machines. (if i had meant the Sigma, I would have specified..."..your thoughts on the Sigma")

Lets be clear. There are hobby machines and then there are prosumer machines in the 3D world. The Sigma is squarely in the prosumer range. What you get with it is, an open source platform, a dealer network, my company's support etc etc. This means that should your printer have issues there is someone you can pick up the phone and chat to about it.

Open source unfortunately many times also means that your only tech support is through a users forum. That is fine for a low cost machine but if you are a pro, like some of my customers, you need the services a pro machine comes with as standard.

Lee, thanks for the support. I will try and help as much as time allows with the 3DP community on the site.

[Neale]

Sorry, George - I misunderstood, and then started a classic forum debate where everyone is arguing about something slightly different!

I'm afraid that I didn't look at the milling machine at Bristol, and I don't remember even seeing it. My reaction to the pictures above is that it looks like a nice little machine, and does not have one of my pet hates, a round column with loss of registration as soon as you raise/lower the head. I lived with a machine like that for years; its replacement has a proper knee on dovetail slides. For a bench-top machine, dovetail slides on the column are fine.

I guess that this is going up against the Sieg and similar machines and I can't really make any intelligent comments without a good look in the flesh. Looks like something that I might consider if I were in the market for this size machine.

[John S]

So the Sigma machine.
What deal can you do over what Cutwel are offering ?