Comments sought on new build: A CNC Router for RC Gliders and Planes

[njhussey]

Today I have been preparing the floor for the delivery of the machines on Friday...love my new job!!

[Washout]

Hi Neil,
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A quick question (not critising your purchase), as I've been scouting about for milling machines with the same rough size as the Warco Major GH Mill. Does that machine use a round column or square dovetail?
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Reason I ask is I have also been looking at this as a candidate AMADEAL - AMA30LV Milling Machine - MT3 - Metric | eBay and it does use a dovetail, which from my limited knowledge is supposed to be more rigid?
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Cheers
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Chris

[Jonathan]

The column itself may or may not be more rigid - the rigidity gain comes from being able to move the mill head up and down, so you don't need to use the quill (much).

[njhussey]

I chose the round column as it had for us the best features for our needs...whether I'm correct or not remains to be seen!

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[Neale]

I recently bought the Warco VMC vertical mill. I did look at the round-column machines, but I had already had enough of a round-column machine with its inability to maintain accurate location as you raise and lower the head. A real pain if you are going from centre drill to large twist drill, and don't have enough quill travel to cope. The VMC is more like a "baby Bridgeport" although maybe without the latter's build quality... In the end, the things that swung me to the VMC were the dovetail bed rise/fall, and the fact that the drive motor hangs down rather than pointing upwards, and I have limited headroom in my garage (my wife wouldn't let me cut a clearance hole in the bedroom floor!) The ability to put on cut by moving the bed makes up a lot for the slight movement in the quill assembly, which can then be clamped tight and not touched during milling operations.

Be interested in your comments once the lathe is commissioned; been wondering about upgrading in that area but there are a number of choices, including similar machines from Chester and Axminster.

[njhussey]

The lathe and milling machine were delivered this morning, spent the afternoon siting them in the room. Not had a good look at them yet so can't pass comment just yet but they look like they'll be suitable for our needs.

Machines.


Tools etc.


In the room.


Mill.


Lathe.


Tools.


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[Lee Roberts]

Hi Chris, yes ill do a build log. Might even do an unpacking/crating (or whatever) log and then a conversion log...depends on work commitments as to the timescale though!

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Cool look forward to that as we def need some mill conversion logs on here.

.Me

[GEOFFREY]

Hi Niel, I guess you think it's your birthday!!! Good luck. G.

[njhussey]

It is like having a birthday G as I didn't pay for them but have full used of them :)

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[Wobblycogs]

Nice looking bits of kit. Good amount of free space around them for chips as well :-)