hey everyone, been lurking for awhile and reading as much as i can. im about ready to buy a milling machine (first one). and by mean "about to", i mean a week or so.
i have a harbor freight nearby, so ive been looking at what they offer. i need something relatively big (those mini-mills just wont cut it, no pun intended). i need something that will do primarily aluminum (6061), hardly ever, IF ever steel, maybe hardwoods, but 99% of its use would be 6061. and i like the bigger tables, because i would like to mill a piece that would be 17" x 8". that would be about the biggest i would do.
accuracy isnt that big of a deal. i know a lot of people say that, get it home and say "damn, i cant do anything with this". but im really looking to just generally learn how these things function and use it for small parts and drilling applications where accuracy isnt a big concern at all. i do most things by eye or by hand anyways, and it works for what i need.
ive been looking at this mill:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33686
its on sale for $799, and the stand is like $170. so with tax would be a bit over $1k. my budget is VERY limited, my other hobby is audio, which i have almost $30k into and growing. so, $1k is the absolute i can handle. i thought of a used machine but i also have somewhat limited space and weight. its going in a basement, so getting something big down there would be a problem.
plus, i would rather get a new machine than a used one that is trashed (which would most likely be the case at my limited budget). and ive seen people add CNC, dro's, ball screws, etc to this machine with good results. so if i get into it, i can do all that. i also like the fact its got a 2hp motor (the one in store does anyways.)
so, anyone think this is a dumb idea and is there another one you would suggest? im ok with tools, have a drill press with milling table, band saw, bench sander, router table, etc... so this isnt like my first tool, just my first big one. thanks everyone.