Any CNC machine user / owners here?

[LINUS]

I ask as my next career will more than likely be self-employed, facilitated by buying / running a CNC machine from my garage / separate pole building.

I have the time so I'll be doing a 6 quarter class at a local tech college - and along the way I can save something like $40-50K to either purchase a used machine outright, or partial / majority of a bigger / new machine.

Looking to see who all here is employed in any part of this industry, has a machine in their garage (seeing used older machines for ~$15k), or if you are somehow in all this (machine brand rep/seller, bank loan officer, ???)


For my working idea I spend time on a lot of the primary CNC forums (suggestions there too...?) - so I see all the higher end machines, but I was wondering if any here were lucky enough to have an older machine in their garage??

Anybody???

 

[firestopper]

I'm running a Lagun 2 axis CNC mill. It's somewhat of a learning curve compared to the manual mill but for more than five of the same parts its the way to go. I'm training on my own and online as I don't have time to attend a classes. I have been running the CNC plasma for 10+ years and that was helpful. I use bob cad to draw parts and it also writes the G-code. Have you ever machined? There is a lot to understand prior to going CNC.
I have been machining (manual) for a couple of decades and finally made the CNC leap. You will find a nice used machine for the right price, its the tooling that will run some $$$$.

 

[LINUS]

Hi - general machining I've been at since I was 9-10 yrs old. Dad has kept a shop capable of heavy machinery repair since as long as I can remember.

Currently have a 8' bed lathe & a midgrade Grizzly 3 way mill, all manual controls.

My only exposure was a previous worksite that had a Haas VF-x (was easily a 6, prob bigger - used to CNC snowboard layup molds, so easily a 6' x axis.) - they had a pair of Bridgeports too, one had been retro-ed to a x & y CNC.

I bought a user manual for a Haas off EBay to learn/recognize their in-code shortcuts, so it's getting leafed through anytime I'n on hold /phone.

Been prowling the CNC forums, but just lurker status since I have nothing for conversation yet.

I'll be surprised if I don't get a Haas, the machines are easy to get, well supported, and the shortcut codes & manual jog (played with controls on the big Haas, did all but run the head.) all add up to my most likely machine.

Working idea is a VF-3 or slight bigger, maybe a turntable at some point. Walk before I sprint.

 

[firestopper]

Sounds like your plan will come together. My Lagun is only 2-Axis, your talking big boys, something I'm not qualified in. My shop is for custom metal fabrication and having two mills and a lathe in the line up helps, but not into production.

I do agree that Haas would be a great pre-owned machine with plenty support.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[Honest Don]

Haas is junk. I'd hold out for used Okumas. Way more rigid and reliable. Not to mention that factory support goes back to stuff made back in the 80's and maybe earlier.

 

[LINUS]

Haas is junk. I'd hold out for used Okumas. Way more rigid and reliable. Not to mention that factory support goes back to stuff made back in the 80's and maybe earlier.

Hi Don, are you a millwright in a shop or somehow in the mill world? - My broad strokes here is to find who all is a mill user or is in the industry in any capacity.
This is a great place to share your experience - I'm looking to hear all the good/bad others have experience so I can either copy (or avoid) the moves they made---
Haas vs. EOB (every other brand)
You know, I keep seeing people say that, but when it comes to "what was your real hands-on experience that draws ______ (negative result)?" -- I've yet to see any real replies aside from simple bugs (flawed design parts,etc) in early model years (I'll be going only as old as 2004, there was a tech jump then, and really a VF-4 is the smallest bed I'd consider. Ideally I can find a VF-5 for capability, but really expect to find myself in aerospace (Boeing ~60miles away), and somehow doing firearms parts as well (know the local makers, shoot with most, have talked with 2 as to demand for parts, and loosely the bottom line is 'get a machine, I'd be their guy')

I've seen where incorrect feed speed, depth of cut, etc was out of what is what would be a good practice, but aside from that, not seen real solid evidence to exclude Haas machines. Okuma makes some awesome machines, but they cost more than my house - not looking to amortize a mill. Please, if you personally had a failure, I'm all ears - learning the "why" of a specific failure is something I'm very interested in.

 

[Honest Don]

I'll PM you.

 

[gittinit]

I'll PM you.

I'm curious as well. I have the option to pick up a Bridgeport brand machine. Dunno the ins and outs but I was soldbon the idea of starting my own business and thought this machine might make a entry level guy a good start.

Been working as a die repair and machining for a few years and love it but my job is going away and I'm scared to go out on my own. Loosing my job might just be the thing to give me the nudge I need.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I'm not in the business but I would love to find a local shop to build one off fixtures and such. There seems to be a good size market there that few shops service. The other area of opportunity I see is for machining special materials, plastics, ceramics etc. I had a guy that was great at that stuff but he has taken contract work and is six weeks out on deliveries for anything outside that work.

Whatever you do communicating with the customer is critical. My biggest frustration with machine shops of any size is that they will not call me when they have a problem. Many times a simple phone call and I can open up a tolerance or modify a feature and make their life easy, instead they plunk away fighting something they waste machine time and my schedule falls into chaos.

 

[firestopper]

Whatever you do communicating with the customer is critical. My biggest frustration with machine shops of any size is that they will not call me when they have a problem. Many times a simple phone call and I can open up a tolerance or modify a feature and make their life easy, instead they plunk away fighting something they waste machine time and my schedule falls into chaos.

This is exactly the reason I purchased a lathe, mill and new to me 2 axis CNC mill. I have been doing my own machining for 14 years now. The machines are only the start, its the tooling and instruments that add up.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Whatever you do communicating with the customer is critical. My biggest frustration with machine shops of any size is that they will not call me when they have a problem. Many times a simple phone call and I can open up a tolerance or modify a feature and make their life easy, instead they plunk away fighting something they waste machine time and my schedule falls into chaos.

This is exactly the reason I purchased a lathe, mill and new to me 2 axis CNC mill. I have been doing my own machining for 14 years now. The machines are only the start, its the tooling and instruments that add up.

I liked when I work where they had an in house machine shop. Sadly it is impractical for most companies to be that general these days.