Thinking of jumping into CNC milling. How to start ?

[m_c]

For the £2k, you're getting ball screws (the standard machine will only have acme lead screws), and lots of extra bits that allow motors to be fitted, along with a controller and some form of software.
Most ready to run CNC mills of this size are pretty expensive, as they're not produced in the same quantities as the manual machines, and there are increased support costs.

Personally, as you say electrical boxes, I'm assuming plastic/die cast enclosures?
In which case I'd look at router style machines, as they'll be far more suited, provided they have enough room under the spindle.

Software to run machines varies from free to expensive, but it all depends on what controller the machine uses. LinuxCNC is open source, and reasonable good. Windows has lots more options. Mach 3 or 4 is one of the more universal options, but there are lots more that are specific to certain machine controllers.

However you also need to factor in software to generate the required G-code that the machine software accepts, which can range from free to extremely expensive, depending on what you'd like to do.

[SparkyLabs]

I see, I thought the manual one would be the same and that they just swapped handles for motors but as i said I am a total noob here. Yes I understand the potential value of all the bits and I thought it is a good machine and a good price but as I have not ventured into this sort of thing yet I thought I'd ask.

Yes I am doing ABS cast boxes. What worries me with a router is the height indeed. The boxes I am currently looking at need machining on the side, they have draft angles so by the time you have one fixed in a vice on the bed and the tool in the machine you sudenly find you need 150mm of working height for a 120mm box. I'm not sure if this too tsll for a router. I'd also like to be flexible for the future. Currently I have a clarke CMD10 but it is painful to use.

[magicniner]

The CAD/CAM learning curve is not one to be underestimated, I bought a desktop CNC mill then spent 18 months before I could reliably produce 4-axis code for it ;-)

- Nick

[SparkyLabs]

Well I would prefer a ready to go solution. if this is what is costs then that is fair enough I just wanted to make sure I was going the right-ish way about it.

[Clive S]

Are you just wanting to drilling holes or wanting to cut out shapes etc. As drilling could be done on a manual mill.
A picture is worth a thousand words of what you are trying to achieve.

[SparkyLabs]

Holes and shapes. But even getting holes right on my manual mill is tedeaous because it has no readouts and the backlash is terrible plus my lack of skill. I am looking to do production quantities on this machine to get it to pay for itself along with good fast prototyping.

[SparkyLabs]

There will also be plenty of cutting down of potting boxes, the bigger they get the taller they get and this can become a problem as what I need are more like trays so the only thing I can do it to cut down existing boxes.

[magicniner]

what I need are more like trays so the only thing I can do it to cut down existing boxes.

That sounds like a job for a bandsaw with a suitable guide to get them within a couple of millimetres and a quick pass with the mill to finish ;-)

[JAZZCNC]

Yes I am doing ABS cast boxes. What worries me with a router is the height indeed. The boxes I am currently looking at need machining on the side, they have draft angles so by the time you have one fixed in a vice on the bed and the tool in the machine you sudenly find you need 150mm of working height for a 120mm box. I'm not sure if this too tsll for a router. I'd also like to be flexible for the future.

What you need is Custom built router.! (Wonder by who.)

This will give you more scope than mill and will easily handle plastics and aluminium. You'll get much more productivity because will be able to mount several boxes at time on fixture jig and cut quicker.
The faster spindle speed of router suits cutting aluminium better than slow spindle you'll get on small Mill (4000rpm). Cycle times will be much faster and will allow for other jobs like engraving etc where higher spindle speeds are more desirable.

Custom built router will knock the spots off Small mill for this type of work. The extra cutting area is always welcome and if done correctly will give much more scope in cutting anything upto aluminium.

Honestly think you'll regret buying that Proxon CNC and will soon outgrow it or find it's limits.

[SparkyLabs]

oh, so do you build such routers ? what happens about software in this case ?

I have to admit that I'm still taken with the idea of a good general purpose machine. steel machining is not totally out but not a priority at the moment.