Help me choose a mill.

[Fingerpuk]

That's a nice machine, I'll ask them when the CNC conversion is likely to be ready. I know that if I can be accurate enough with flipping the material a three axis will suffice for a while, so I don't mind spending the money on a better machine. But I do need CNC from the offset, I've decided that now :-)

[Fingerpuk]

On a scale of 1-5 how terrible will this be if 5 is entirely awful?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Stock-4...-/272455253083

I've had no replies from any suppliers in the UK, so I'm still hunting. My aluminium arrives tomorrow though :)

[Doddy]

On a scale of 1-5 how terrible will this be if 5 is entirely awful?

No worse that 4. I reserve 5 for the Merchant Dice toy that I started with. At least with this one axis has supported rails.

I've had no replies from any suppliers in the UK, so I'm still hunting. My aluminium arrives tomorrow though :)

Don't rush to buy something unsuitable.

[Boyan Silyavski]

Go for the mill, i can explain all day long why. You will learn the business the proper way and will avoid disappointment from the beginning. When if you decide you need a bigger machine you could find easily new home for that one. Plus you will start loving and knowing your machine when you do yourself the upgrade to CNC. Later you can save some cash and add 4rth axis.


Go for the Chinese router and you will have to change electronics sooner than later, find that machining aluminum is not like they show on videos and that is impossible to produce nice finish and accurate parts.


And main thing to remember is you need support, especially having in mind you are not and experienced user. So carefully choose what you are saving and from whom are you buying!

[m_c]

On a scale of 1-5 how terrible will this be if 5 is entirely awful?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Stock-4...-/272455253083

What Doddy said!
With a bit effort, it could maybe just about reach a 3, but would still be rubbish for Aluminium.

I've got a 3040, and build quality wasn't too bad, but some of the components are really rubbish. I only bought it to create a digitiser, so the original electronics got binned, and I had to put a bit effort into getting the mechanics up to a suitable standard, however they really aren't up to any sort of real machining.

[komatias]

That's a nice machine, I'll ask them when the CNC conversion is likely to be ready. I know that if I can be accurate enough with flipping the material a three axis will suffice for a while, so I don't mind spending the money on a better machine. But I do need CNC from the offset, I've decided that now :-)

Working on it!