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Advice on which benchtop CNC mill to get for hobbyist workshop

eranrund

Plastic
Joined
Jan 11, 2023
Hello!

I'm looking to get a benchtop mill for my hobbyist shop. I would've liked to get a proper knee bridgeport-style machine but weight is a significant consideration since this is inside a raised garage (I live on a house built on a downslope, so the garage ends up being on the 2nd floor... really not ideal but that's what I have to work with. I am mostly learning and I believe the currently most demanding task I need the machine to do is milling 1515 8020 pieces. Specifically, anchor fasteners - which requires a 2-flute 13/16" endmill such as https://8020.net/6060.html. But I'd like to have something I can learn more advanced operations with. This is a hobby but I am happy to spend some $ to get a quality machine. 2-axis CNC capability would be great. Being able to machine some mild steel would be nice too.
Thank you!

Edit: While I am a hobbyist, my budget for this is $10k, which I hopes puts me in the realm of real machines and not toys.
 
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Checkout Rusnok, very nice small professional quality mill.

Also checkout Burke No 4, Diamond, etc mills that were made in the WWII era.

Stay away from currently manufactured chinese style products.

AND, read the guidelines for this forum VERY CAREFULLY. There are classes of machines that are not allowed for discussions....you are right on the ragged edge of getting locked due to those guidelines.
 
Sounds like the OP is wanting a hobby size machine to do commercial work. Most hobbyists do not do 1500 pcs of something in 8620. The Rusnok mentioned early could be a good machine, I have never seen one. I have a couple of Dyna Mectronics 2800, decent little machines but it will take 4 grown men to lift it onto a bench.. The original controls were goofy, but their maybe some decent PC controllers available now. The AHHA I am using are not available anymore. Haas makes or made a small mill but not to go on a bench.
Others might know of other such machines.
 
By the way, while I am a hobbyist, my budget for this is $10k - so that might put me in the range of some real machines.
 
Benchtop + CNC + quality machine = oxymoron, not gonna happen.

For CNC, OP really needs to look at compact machine centers like Brother Speedio, etc....but now we're talking serious money and taking up a good chunk of the garage.

For newbie hobby-ist I STRONGLY recommend starting doing some manual machining first. And for the OPs above mentioned project, I would just farm it out to a local machine shop or one of the online exchanges. OP needs to ask the question: WHY am I doing this? If to create a bunch of small parts, just farm it out. If you want to learn to be a machinist, learn manual machining first before jumping into the CNC. Once one gets experience with actually cutting metals, it will become much more apparent why a benchtop CNC machine is not the way to go.
 
I guess I can skip the CNC features, but I don't want to outsource these simple operations since it makes it hard/slow to iterate on designs.
I have a Chevallier knee mill at my main workshop but that involves leaving the house and I am trying to get a workable setup here for my hobbies.
 
I guess I can skip the CNC features, but I don't want to outsource these simple operations since it makes it hard/slow to iterate on designs.
I have a Chevallier knee mill at my main workshop but that involves leaving the house and I am trying to get a workable setup here for my hobbies.
Sounds like you want a 2 or 3 axis Prototrak or similar CNC knee mill. You can probably find one used for around $10k, give or take. It won't be benchtop, and finding parts to keep the older ones running can be a challenge.
 
The problem that those are heavy :( I know it's a tough balance between weight and rigidity...
This might fit the bill, though I think it's pushing hobby grade. There is a toolchanger option.


This is a little better, but not much:

 
If you arenterested in 5-axis for parts that fit into a 3x3x3 cube, you can look at Penta Machining and their Pocket NC line, which max out at around $10k. +/- 0.001-0.002 accuracy and no coolant or tool changer, so not pro level. They are also coming out with a larger 5-axis mill this year for much higher money.

 
If you arenterested in 5-axis for parts that fit into a 3x3x3 cube, you can look at Penta Machining and their Pocket NC line, which max out at around $10k. +/- 0.001-0.002 accuracy and no coolant or tool changer, so not pro level. They are also coming out with a larger 5-axis mill this year for much higher money.

Those are a neat toy, and I understand they're getting better, but are still very much hobby grade. Low rigidity, no ATC, no coolant system, no enclosure, no chip handling.
 
Those are a neat toy, and I understand they're getting better, but are still very much hobby grade. Low rigidity, no ATC, no coolant system, no enclosure, no chip handling.
Agreed, though they do have an enclosure. The new mill has most of all those missing features plus a few more, though rigiidity will still be an issue, especially if throughput is important. For some folks, the new mill might all they need.
 
Do not say you want a hobby level anything on this site. Ask for a micro type mill for maintenance work that will be installed in your private research airplane.
"Hobby" has many meanings. Usually somebody searching for a clue, or even needing a machine to perfect their design for a perpetual motion machine. But when you machine something without making money it is for sure a Hobby. Like when you screw up a bid on a complex part.
 








 
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