[Area33]

New to the CNC world but not machining, I am looking to get a Mill and a Lathe that can be used for light production purposes. The problem is that there are so many brands known and unknown to me I don't really know where to start. Can I get some opinions on an appropriate machines?

Lathe Requirements:
- CNC
- Motor Controlled Tooling and Tail stock for drilling purposes
- 0.001+/- accuracy on a 100 part run
- Equipped or can be equipped with a bar puller. So motor Controlled Chuck
- Around 30" between centers and 6+ swing over bed
- $10,000 to $15,000


Mill Requirements:
- CNC 3 or 4 Axis, maybe a 4th Axis add on
- 0.001+/- accuracy on a 100 part run
- Ability to tool change is preferred
- A work Cube of 12x12x12 or greater
- $10,000 to $15,000

Thanks for the help in advanace

[universalfab]

Well for them prices for a brand new machine depending on size your not going to get much, especially a lathe and a good turning center you won't even be able to touch. For a mill you could go with a 3axis bridgeport factory retrofitted with a controller what controller I don't know because I don't have that particular one, but for about $17,000 -$18,000 right out of MSC catalog I beleive is the catalog. I get so many so it's a little hard to remember. And a lathe I don't know I have a big Moreseiki retrofitted with big servo's that is way out of that ball park price that your willing to pay and even just the bare lathe without the retrofit is about 12-15 times what your willing to pay. So for a lathe or turning center something decent your going to be looking at about at least $30-$50 grand Used for something good. Like I said before though you might not need anything that big. Somebody else like I'm sure a machine salesman will see this and try to sell you something, what I don't know I see alot of piddly garbage floating around on this website so I don't know. Goodluck and be wise with that dollar, because they all "salesman" will tell you what you want to hear to take it away from you.

New to the CNC world but not machining, I am looking to get a Mill and a Lathe that can be used for light production purposes. The problem is that there are so many brands known and unknown to me I don't really know where to start. Can I get some opinions on an appropriate machines?

Lathe Requirements:
- CNC
- Motor Controlled Tooling and Tail stock for drilling purposes
- 0.001+/- accuracy on a 100 part run
- Equipped or can be equipped with a bar puller. So motor Controlled Chuck
- Around 30" between centers and 6+ swing over bed
- $10,000 to $15,000


Mill Requirements:
- CNC 3 or 4 Axis, maybe a 4th Axis add on
- 0.001+/- accuracy on a 100 part run
- Ability to tool change is preferred
- A work Cube of 12x12x12 or greater
- $10,000 to $15,000

Thanks for the help in advanace

[DareBee]

I agree.
You will be at least 15 years on both to cover those specs and that budget.
You also may have to drill from the tool post on the lathe

[Area33]

Drilling on off a tool post can be done if it is practical...I would just make a custom mount? or are tool post mounts readily available that can do that?

Wow...50k is a little over budget I own a smithy Granite and I was looking at their CNC lathes and mills, ~10k...I figured I could pick something up a little nicer for a few extra grand.

[PixMan]

You can probably find a pretty reliable 1980's-early 1990's vintage used CNC lathe and mill at the high end of those ranges, and they would be far more capable than a new "hobby shop" machine. Look around for a Mori Seiki SL-1/SL-2, a Nakamura-Tome TMC-12/TMC-15, Mazak QT8/12/15, or a host of others. Ebay is your friend.

On the mill you would likely not get a 4th axis with it in that budget, but you could add later if it's got a capable control. A machine with a tool changer might also be hard to find, that budget is "knee mill" range and most don't have T/C'ers. An older Sharp, Bridgeport, Tree, or ? might work. You might even get lucky and find an older Matsuura, Hurco, Fadal or Mori mill that might have the toolchanger.

[universalfab]

The retrofit cnc bridgeport mill is brand new, if I were you that may be the way I'd go if I had a immediate need for a machine. Also if you don't have experience with cnc then that might be another reason to go that rout. When buying from a auction you don't always know what your getting into and a good deal can turn into a money pit, thankfully I've never had that problem and know what to look for and probably lucked out, but it happens to some, I now a buddy of mine bought a big cnc gantry laser system for about $100,000 and has had to put substantial capital funds into the pig not to mention the cost of even running the machine is outrageously high. Good luck though so far you've gotten some good info.