Help me choose a mill.

[Fingerpuk]

Hello. Thanks for the reply. I was told the router style machines were not up to par for aluminium. I don't know if this is true or not. They are certainly cheaper. I found a Chinese import 4 axis for £1100 but I don't trust it!

[Lee Roberts]

Hello. Thanks for the reply. I was told the router style machines were not up to par for aluminium. I don't know if this is true or not. They are certainly cheaper. I found a Chinese import 4 axis for £1100 but I don't trust it!

Hi Finger, welcome to the forum :)

How about one of these: Hobby milling machines now in stock Perfect for conversions for £1100 ?, may not be the £1500 your looking for after conversion but I think if you box clever you wouldn't be that far off and the value for money would make it all worth it, plus you would get to enjoy the reward of doing the conversion yourself.

Note: A well designed (and built) gantry style machine can be perfectly capable of machining most metals, harder metals take longer on a "softer" machine. However there is also a definitive line that distinguishes "cutting" metal and something else.