Looking for advice on budget machine for watchmaking

[Jonathan]

I would be worried by the smaller diameter tooling. For less than 1mm endmills you really want a high speed spindle. One of the chinese 24000rpm spindles would probably be ideal. Maybe eventhe more expensive version with lower runout to get the required accuracy.

[lanky_streak]

I would be worried by the smaller diameter tooling. For less than 1mm endmills you really want a high speed spindle. One of the chinese 24000rpm spindles would probably be ideal. Maybe eventhe more expensive version with lower runout to get the required accuracy.

Ah - showing my ignorance again! If upgrading the electronics is worthwhile anyway, would adding a high speed spindle to the Denford be possible / sensible? I.e. would it be a good base to start, or for all of that hassle, is a new manual mill a better starting point? I've looked at some of the Proxxon's but read that these are far more capable for the money: Peatol Machine Tools - The Home of the Peatol Micro Lathe and Mill

[EddyCurrent]

Aren't these outside your required accuracy ? Proxxon (from Axminster site "Proxxon FF 500 CNC MICRO Mill. For repeat accuracies of up to 0.05mm") Peatol is better though at 0.0005 in (0.0127mm)

[lanky_streak]

Aren't these outside your required accuracy ? Proxxon (from Axminster site "Proxxon FF 500 CNC MICRO Mill. For repeat accuracies of up to 0.05mm") Peatol is better though at 0.0005 in (0.0127mm)

I was actually looking at a manual mill for conversion to CNC, but have read mixed reviews on the Proxxon anyway - it seems to be fine, but is very much a budget mill and quite lightweight. I think the Peatol falls within a usuable level of accuracy, but I still need to find exactly what's involved to convert it (unless the UK distributer offers this, which I've not looked into yet).

[JAZZCNC]

I'm currently designing and working out moulds etc to build small Fixed gantry Epoxy Granite based machine. It will have profiled linear rails and use Closed loop stepper system using preloaded double-nut ball-screws.
The Epoxy granite structure will minimise vibrations and resonance and coupled with linear rails will make for very high quality surface finish. The preloaded double nut will make for near zero backlash and coupled with Closed loop steppers will make it very accurate. Will most likely have 2.2Kw spindle on it which will just about match the machine accuracy.

Reason for telling this is because I'm sure it will cost less than any small converted CNC mill and will hold much better tolerances and be more suited to your type of work due to spindle. You'll need to spend at least £10k to get off the shelf machine that will hold tolerances anywhere near what machine built like this will hold.

Even a fixed gantry steel framed machine filled with sand or Resin/aggregate mix with same double nut and closed loop steppers and WC spindle will blow the small Chinese milling machines away and be cheaper to build.

MY ADVISE IS BUILD BUILD BUILD has you'll only be disappointed or limited with Cheap Chinese mill conversion.!!

[FatFreddie]

I'm currently designing and working out moulds etc to build small Fixed gantry Epoxy Granite based machine. It will have profiled linear rails and use Closed loop stepper system using preloaded double-nut ball-screws.
The Epoxy granite structure will minimise vibrations and resonance and coupled with linear rails will make for very high quality surface finish. The preloaded double nut will make for near zero backlash and coupled with Closed loop steppers will make it very accurate. Will most likely have 2.2Kw spindle on it which will just about match the machine accuracy.

I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with this - I'm thinking of doing something similar.

[JAZZCNC]

I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with this - I'm thinking of doing something similar.

I'll throw up a thread when starting and your close enough to see it in flesh when done, I'm actually closer to Barnsley than Wakefield 20-30mins to Meadow Hell.!!