What 'decent' Milling machine?

[Chaz]

Silyavski bet me too it and i was going to say same.

You can find Old machines like that Bridgeport that just need new life breathing into them.
You don't waste your time trying to use there old standard controllers just rip them out and retrofit with modern one. Often there control on these things are limited with very little memory.
You'll find on older machines the drives will require 0-10v analog signals rather than step & dir like modern stuff uses.
Ounce upon a time this made life difficult for your average person to retrofit or Very very expensive after market controllers so often things like drives and motors where replaced making it expensive and uneconomical in some cases.!! . . But not anymore now Cslabs have a analog Controller at sensible enough money that was designed just this purpose of retro fittng old machines. Even ones that use 12 or 24 logic.!

This means often all you need to replace is the Controller and with a bit of re-wiring you can re-use all the existing components and get the machine working like it's never done before.!
Just be aware thou most industrial spec machines require 3 phase power.! Often this is just for the Spindle not the Motors or drives. On many old machines like that Bridge port you'll find either Steppers or Brushed DC servos. Depending on drives etc often it just means changing or rewiring a transfomer so use single phase.
The Spindle is the main thing that will require 3 phase but often you can just run these straight from a VFD. Or you can buy Converter that will transform single phase to three phase if large HP.

Personally I'd wait for some Old iron to come along and replace everything with moderern servos and controller etc before buy those mickey mouse toys.

Thanks to both. So basically look at something like the Bridgeport? I dont mind doing some retrofitting. I used the PlanetCNC USB controller before and loved it.

Thoughts on the Denfords, are they considered 'toys' or more like the real deal?

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks to both. So basically look at something like the Bridgeport? I dont mind doing some retrofitting. I used the PlanetCNC USB controller before and loved it.

Thoughts on the Denfords, are they considered 'toys' or more like the real deal?

Forget PlanetCNC for retro fitting again it's a toy. You wan't ethernet for serious machine USB is rubbish and unreliable IMO.

Denfords are still toys but very good toys.!! . . . . . . By the way the Denford in Dewsbury you show I know the guy who Converted that to Mach3. He actually works for the Company who's selling it.

If your planning on milling aluminium then look towards a machine with high spindle speeds 5K is minimum 10K + better.

[Chaz]

Thanks again all. Problem is no 3 phase at home. I could run a VFD for the spindle. Cant help but get the feeling Im biting off more than I can chew :-(

Mmmmm. I dont know enough about whats good and what bits are good and the potential money pit is big I think, especially if I need to start to retrofit parts.

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks again all. Problem is no 3 phase at home. I could run a VFD for the spindle. Cant help but get the feeling Im biting off more than I can chew :-(

Mmmmm. I dont know enough about whats good and what bits are good and the potential money pit is big I think, especially if I need to start to retrofit parts.

It's not difficult but does require some knowledge and plenty of research before commiting.

IMO all the machines you have shown so far are cheap (with exception of Denford) chinese imports. They are badged up with someone elses name on but all the same low quality machines.
I think you will be disspointed with the results and you will in the end up either chasing away problems they have and wasting money doing so or selling on.! . . . All cases you'll still Blow money.!!

Old machine and retro fit will serve you better in long run. Also You'll more than likely sell it for more than you payed if you ever do move on or upgrade.

To be honest for your needs with aluminium and plastics which requires higher spindle rpm/feeds I'd build a very strong Fixed Gantry machine and put the money into using good components and ATC spindle before waste on those Chinese Import Milling machines.
The mills will always perform below par for cutting aluminium and plastics compared to strong machine built and spec'd for the task.

Retro fitting a old machine with a high RPM spindle 8k plus would be only choice between building or buying. No way would I consider Small mill for cutting aluminium unless it had high rpm spindle and used Linear bearings.!!

[Chaz]

It's not difficult but does require some knowledge and plenty of research before commiting.

IMO all the machines you have shown so far are cheap (with exception of Denford) chinese imports. They are badged up with someone elses name on but all the same low quality machines.
I think you will be disspointed with the results and you will in the end up either chasing away problems they have and wasting money doing so or selling on.! . . . All cases you'll still Blow money.!!

Old machine and retro fit will serve you better in long run. Also You'll more than likely sell it for more than you payed if you ever do move on or upgrade.

To be honest for your needs with aluminium and plastics which requires higher spindle rpm/feeds I'd build a very strong Fixed Gantry machine and put the money into using good components and ATC spindle before waste on those Chinese Import Milling machines.
The mills will always perform below par for cutting aluminium and plastics compared to strong machine built and spec'd for the task.

Retro fitting a old machine with a high RPM spindle 8k plus would be only choice between building or buying. No way would I consider Small mill for cutting aluminium unless it had high rpm spindle and used Linear bearings.!!

Thanks. I did build my own machine before. It worked 'OK' but not sure Ill do that again. Here is a vid of it cutting a plastic gear with a 1mm high speed endmill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_jXTrO0rok

I could not get the rigidity I needed and making centre holes (on a different gear) proved almost impossible.

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks. I did build my own machine before. It worked 'OK' but not sure Ill do that again. Here is a vid of it cutting a plastic gear with a 1mm high speed endmill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_jXTrO0rok

I could not get the rigidity I needed and making centre holes (on a different gear) proved almost impossible.

Well what do you expect if you built it out of spagetti.!! . . . . . I'm talking about properly built machine built with substantial materials and correctly done.
If done properly then it's not difficult to build a machine that will do everything you need and do it much better than any cheap chinese import mill can.!

The difference between th 2 bridgeports is the series. MK1 & Mk2 They look like this.

[Chaz]

Well what do you expect if you built it out of spagetti.!! . . . . . I'm talking about properly built machine built with substantial materials and correctly done.
If done properly then it's not difficult to build a machine that will do everything you need and do it much better than any cheap chinese import mill can.!

The difference between th 2 bridgeports is the series. MK1 & Mk2 They look like this.

Ye, understood and lesson learnt with schoolfees to match.

Can you link to something that you refer to as a suitable DIY type machine please? Appreciate your time with the feedback / comments.

[JAZZCNC]

Going to be honest now and you may not like it.!!

It appears to me that you don't have enough machining experience yet to justify laying out big money on machines when you don't even know what you require.
For instance the best mill or CNC machine won't make relocating your part any more accurate if you don't know how to do it.!

The fact the machine you built doesn't make the grade is purely down to poor weak design and choice of materials. The fact you can't relocate on centre is down to your low level of experience.
If you'd made fixture jigs to hold your work and indexed to a known fixed reference point then it's easy.

But your machine is so weak it will flex like jelly so this can't happen. Trying to re-locate centres without a fixture is hard at best of time on any machine and requires accurate devices to help. So no matter weak or Strong if you haven't got the abilty or the equipment then you will always struggle.

Your weak build is to blame for low part accurecy for sure but has nothing to do with reloctating and no amount of strength in the machine will helps this as it's down to you to come up with ways to fixture.

Properly built DIY machine which uses good components will easily do what you want.