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CNC Buy first or go to school?

Hello Guys,
I must first say that i have ZERO experience with cnc and CAM. i only understand its principle and have experience using manual machines...

I deseperaly want to learn to proeficiently use a cnc lathe and mill. im not sure if i should take a course at NTMA to learn cnc before i buy a machine (course its 14000 and 4 hs a day for 7 months ) or buy the machine first and learn the hardway...
I like the second option, but i dont know how hard would be to learn all the apects necesary to effectivly use the machine, and i dont want to buy a 9k machine and not be able to use because of my lack of knowdlege..

Many of you would probably know best if is worth the time and money to convert a bench mill to cnc (grizzly g619) or to wait until i can afford the tormach PCNC 1100 (aprox 9k :ack2:)
and then learn to use or go to school and get trained before buying anyting.
thanks in advance
.
plenty of used cnc machines like prototraks that are easy to program at the machine. depends of what you plan to make.
....... also some places have lease options that for $400/month for 5 years ($24,000) you own machine after 5 years, more expensive in the long run but you can cancel lease if you change your mind or not making enough profit
....... also plenty of older machine shops for sale. sure equipment is old but often you can get 3 machines for the price of one new one.
 
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Do machine suppliers give lessons with a new machine anymore? My first cnc was an Omniturn. They wrote my first program for me. I have asked them an occasional question over the years when I did not understand something in their manual. Hardinge provided several days of set up and programing schooling when we got the GT. By the time we got a mill the manual was good enough. 7 months of school would bore me to tears and my wife spends money too fast to take that much time off.
Someone earlier mentioned CAD as being helpful in programing. I agree, back in the mid 90s I bought several copies of Design CAD 2D for DOS. No schooling just used the manual. Our computers, printers, and software to use this are obsolete, but there was a recent thread on CAD may give you some ideas on cheap easy to learn modern programs.
Maybe you are still living at home, but I can not see spending that time and money on schooling.
 
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