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Benchtop Mill recomendations?

burrism

Plastic
Joined
Apr 25, 2021
Location
Santa Fe
Good morning.

I am new to the site and am interested in buying a benchtop mill for small prototypes and projects. I would like something larger but don't really have the space or (current) justification. I have been looking around at the desktop/benchtop models and there doesn't seem to be many choices.

Desired:
Cut steel and Aluminum
tool changer
benchtop
12x12x8 usable space
enclosed
110/220 VAC
~$10,000

Required:
Cut aluminum
enclosed
8x6x4 usable space

TORMACH 440 - too much (equipment and price) for my needs
HAAS - too much (equipment and price) for my needs
BANTAM - no tool changer and kind of a small work space, mixed reviews
LEADING EDGE - no tool changer and no real reviews
NOMAD 3 - no tool changer and no real reviews
MDX-50 - great but does not support metals

Is there something out there I am not aware of?

Thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!
 
You should check out Rusnok, very nice little milling machine for small work. You could also get a Rusnok mounted on a small horizontal mill such as Burke No 4, Hardinge or Diamond.
 
Pretty sure the OP is looking at CNCs, given the examples posted

The pocketNC v2-50 may be worth looking into. It will cut steels up to 4140 hardness per the website. Not fast, but it will do it

Lee

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
You ask for 12x12x8 travels and then say that the Tormach 440 is too much equipment???? The Tormach 440 only has 10"X 6.26"Y 10"Z.

What you are asking for doesn't exist. The Tormach is probably best currently available option.

A Benchman if you could find one with the options you want would be the only other viable option I am aware of. Not currently made, only used.
 
Leeko - thanks for the suggestion. I initially looked at the pocketNC but it's operating area is too small (and the machine is probably too advanced for my needs).
 
newtonsapple - As I am sure you already know, required and desired rarely intersect... Tormach is pricey and the footprint is a major commitment. Appears to be a great machine but I am at the entry level right now.

I will research the Benchman, if only to familiarize myself with it.

Thanks for the reply.
 
newtonsapple - As I am sure you already know, required and desired rarely intersect... Tormach is pricey and the footprint is a major commitment. Appears to be a great machine but I am at the entry level right now.

I will research the Benchman, if only to familiarize myself with it.

Thanks for the reply.

Actually they DO "intersect".

That's why so many volume-production machine-tools keep falling into the same, hard-competing work-envelopes and metal-removal groupings.

What needs to "intersect" is either YOUR scaled-down traverse expectations, or YOUR scaled UP recognition of space and funding parameters.

"Entry level" otherwise means starting with all-manual or - at- best - an older CNC'ized BirdPort // clone.

TONS of parts are being made on those all day, every day, for long days, many-already-and-still-counting.

By folk who actually need then to work to pay their bills. Not fuel a wish-for machine-dream.

Can't be TOO damned bad of an "intersect", then, can it?

What do you know that they do NOT know?
 
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