Taig and Sherline both make CNC-capable mills, but they're a great deal smaller than even the SIEG mini-mills. The HF mini-mill and its clones weigh about 125lbs. The Sherline, IIRC, is about 25, and the Taig is a bit smaller.?
Doesn't mean you couldn't do fine work on them, but they are smaller and lighter so they can only do so much in the way of removing metal at one pass.. It is sort of like comparing the mini-mills to a real benchtop mill in the 500lb range. And those are tiny compared to a Bridgeport.?
Last I? looked was some time ago, prices on the Taig & Sherline probably won't be anywhere near what I remember, and I wasn't looking at CNC machines, either.?
So depends on your bank AND what you feel the need to do.
HTH!
Bill in OKC?
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On Monday, July 19, 2021, 10:23:57 PM CDT, Tamra <tamrabrogdon@...> wrote:
I think this is a reasonable cost.? There are CNC kits to convert other (desktop) mills to CNC.
The advantage of saving money and stepping in? to an existing machine is there wasn't a struggle, but you also don't understand the who/what/where/why/when/how.
It is the programming that stops me, not the hardware.? If you give me a good set of plans I can assemble, but I haven't been able to get over the last step of using the software I? WANT TO use for my equipment.
I want my CNG Router, CNC lathe, and CNC mill to work wtih one operating system, even if it is Mach 3, and at this point I would spend the money on Mach 4 and pay the fees for tech support.
I don't know your experience with using a CNC router, Laser, Mill, Lathe, etc, etc,... there is control software and design software.? The design part is easier for me then the control part.
Caution:? Tinkering is a symptom of this process, and once you manage to use the machine in one, you are likely to keep looking for additional tools to accumulate... you may spend less just buying what you want
at the beginning.... and spend less time tinkering...
I could never move a bridgeport mill - but that seems like the ultimate cool tool... I just need a friend with one locally!??
Tamra
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Bill in OKC too