Machine rebuild time - options...

[JAZZCNC]

That's ok if you have the equipment to deal with full lengths, and need the full length.
But if you don't have the equipment, or don't need a multiple of 7.2m, then price difference can be totally different.
It all depends on what equipment you have and what you need.

I can work with either, but not everybody can.
If you don't have a pillar drill, scribe, centre punch etc. then that's something else you need to factor into the cost, and look beyond the basic material costs.

Well yes and no really.? Cut to length and small quantity's usually come at a premium and has you said the brackets etc required come out expensive.
Most steels stockist's will cut to size for a few quid more.

On a like for like basis then Steel box works out cheaper by about half and IMO again on like for like dimensions basis steel is far stronger.

Yes pillow drills can be expensive but again they are not essential and jigs can be used to good affect.! . .Just takes longer and harder to achive accurecy as easily.
A pillow drill so useful in every aspect of building a machine I would recommend it being one of the first tools bought for building one.
Things like scribes,centre punch etc I consider minimum tools and to be honest anyone who try's to build a steel or Ali machine without them would shouldn't be trying because there not equiped enough.?
Also with the money saved you could probably buy a cheap stick welder and learn a new skill along the way.! . .:dance:

[Jonathan]

Yes pillow drills can be expensive

Mine was about £50 from Tesco, probably 8 years ago now. It's not particularly fast if you want to start drilling big holes in steel/aluminium, but it does work and for <=6mm it's perfectly good. Now I use the milling machine for any 'significant' drilling.

I'm amused by your spelling of pillar drill.

Also with the money saved you could probably buy a cheap stick welder and learn a new skill along the way.! . .:dance:

Mine was just a cheapo 160A welder from Aldi. Think it was £35, might have been less.

[JAZZCNC]

I'm amused by your spelling of pillar drill.

Ye I'm ready for bed. . Lol . . . . also didn't goto school much.!! . . . Or should say didn't arrive at school much some how always got lost and ended up in my uncles workshop.

[m_c]

Also with the money saved you could probably buy a cheap stick welder and learn a new skill along the way.! . .:dance:

Don't get me started on cheap arc welders. They're horrendous to use, and produce good quality welds. Far better to spend a bit extra for a MIG, and get something easier to use and more versatile.


But getting back to the original posters question, yes it will be fine to upgrade/replace in stages.
Might not be ideal, but there's not any set rules on how diy machines should be built (other than the laws of physics that is!)
As for the types of profile, download whatever specification sheets you can find (I used the sheets from http://www.aluminium-profile.co.uk/), and compare the load capacities to find something suitable.

[JAZZCNC]

Don't get me started on cheap arc welders. They're horrendous to use, and produce good quality welds. Far better to spend a bit extra for a MIG, and get something easier to use and more versatile.

Well don't get me started on cheap migs. . .Lol
Cheap migs are usually low powered and useless for welding thick material (Above 3mm). Cheap migs come with crappy wire feeds, crappy regulators and tiny stupidly expensive gas bottles.
If you want to weld thicker material you need high power mig with decent wire feed and larger gas bottles other wise your wasting your time with a Mig IMO. . . . .Thou I do agree they are very versatile if you have decent one.

Cheap stick welders with decent quality rods can weld thick steel with excellent results with a little time and practice. Far better and lot cheaper than a cheap mig for thicker material.