i was just curious as to how much a CNC machine cost roughly??? Anyone know??

 

It all depends on what you want, how old it is, and other variables. To get a decent cnc mill, you'll be in $10k or more. You can find several on ebay, but you never really know what you're getting.

Shipping on one would likely run you about $800, and I dunno how you'd move it around when you get it, to get it into your shop from the street.

Then when you get it, you have to think about how you're going to power a 3 phase machine at home on single phase power. It can be done, but will run you about $700 to get the converter.

 

40K plus

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by v-attack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">40K plus </TD></TR></TABLE>
Not disputing your word, but the type of cnc I am referring to is obviously not nearly what you are. (clarifying for others)

Cnc machines will very greatly... I've seen them up to as much as $250k each.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Engloid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not disputing your word, but the type of cnc I am referring to is obviously not nearly what you are. (clarifying for others)

Cnc machines will very greatly... I've seen them up to as much as $250k each.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah they will vary a large amount, but the ones we are seeing on bike building tv shows aren't in the 250 K range, especially when some of these bike fab companies have 3 or so CNC machines, that is what i was referring to, mainstream ones.

 

My friend bought a CNC machine for his shop at home. That ran him something like $27k. It's big and can mill just about any metal, but it doesn't have all of the features....it has a single head, so it takes a little effort to change the bits...no computer to computer interface either like a serial port or floppy disk drive to move designs from solidedge, so it all has to be programmed onscreen on the machine.....

Still gets the job done though..but heh..I wouldn't spend $26 or $27k on something for my home shop

 

mine ran about $25,000 alone.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ExploitedRacing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">mine ran about $25,000 alone.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Can you post a pic of it, so we have a better idea what $27k will buy?
Also, was that a new cost?

 

What kind of OS does it use to program everything into ?

 

Thats it. Its a TRAK K3 mill with DXF convertion (load in autocad files and it writes program), 3HP drive motor, 2-axis CNC, 10x50" table, and the computer setup. It was brand new.

Tooling was about an extra $4000.00 for it.

 

hey exploit u got a tracking on my stainless flanges?? I read a couple of post that was saying ur stuff dont fit. I still have hope though hahaha, I hope it comes soon

 

As stated by others it really depends on what kind of cnc you are looking at. If you want something that is going to be used for say making 10 or 20 parts occasionally then you may be interested in the machine that exploited has. It is a 2 axis machine meaning that the table is the only part of the machine that is controlled by computer, the z axis which it the portion of the machine which holds
the tool and moves up and down is manual meaning that the user actually controlls the movement. If you are thinking about going into production then you are looking at a three axis machine which has all three axis controlled by computer. The difference in price between the two is pretty big. The machine shop that I used to work at used Haas machines and the smallest of the enclosed machines was call a mini mill. We had one but I didnt really like it because of the size, it was very small and hard to move parts in and out. The next machine is called a vf 2 which if I was going to buy a machine it would be the vf 2 . For the vf 2 you are looking at roughly 30-40k and thats before all the bells and whistles. Just remember that the machine is only on part the tooling to actually cut the parts you want to make could cost easily 5-10 k. Just more food for thought but the vise most commonly used is made by kurt and the more you have the better, a mininum of two would usually be required vises alone cost about 600.00 ea. Any way you cut it cnc machines are not cheap to buy and not cheap to operate. Ohh and that doesnt include a decent operating system , we used feature cam 30k plus.

 

which flanges? I remember i sent you a bunch a few days ago and got a few more to send you.

 

O yea, AZfab, i can add a 3rd axis to my mill for $5500.00

 

i placed an order off ur site for 2 flanges, a stainless b18 and t3 flange

 

Yes I know that the z can be added Iam looking at buying the same machine as we speak.

 

There's a Haas VF-4 on eBay right now for $80K. That's about right for that machine. However, the owner of my company went to a shop last year here in Milwaukee that was going out of business and picked up 3 Hitachi 40G turning centers (40 hp, 2-axis machines with tail stock, 10 position KV tool holder turret, and 18" chuck)

and a 1980s model Hitachi 630 horizontal milling center for $125,000.
http://www.macrotec.co.uk/used...6.jpg
http://www.macrotec.co.uk/used...7.jpg

Each of these machines would cost well over $150,000 new, not counting the $6,000 add-on conversational control computer. I've programmed on these machines and it's pretty easy- just read the book if you can't figure it out.

Exploited's machine would be good for the enthusiast not trying to turn out full-scale production.


You can buy a stripped down Haas VF0 for as little as $20K, but as stated before by others, expect to spend thousands on tooling. Endmills are about $20 each (yes, I know you can get cheaper ones, but you'll be replacing them all the freakin' time) for regular square-end coated mills that you can use on stainless and up into the hundreds for insertable face-mills (the ones you would use to thin down a large piece of material, or to face down a flange to get a gasket-ready surface for mounting). Inserts are anywhere from $3 to $30 each, depending on what you're cutting, although we scored a 5 gallon bucket of new carbide and whisker-reinforced ceramic inserts last year for a hundred and fifty bucks on eBay.
Kurt 6" vises are going to cost in the hundreds, even used, and don't buy "made in insert foreign country here" vises if you still want to be able to hold ten thousands tolerance after using the thing for a year.
Ok- that's enough for this late night. Any more questions just ask- if I can't answer it right away I have plenty of resources at work who can.

Brandon

 

is this gonna be a machine for a home shop? or something for work? there is no need for a cnc machine at home. if you have the skills you can do anything with a manual miller and tooling. but if you insist on cnc. you should pick up a old bridgeport miller any one will do get something that the head is good on but had tons of slack, clean the machine up and have prototrak instal a cnc conversion on it. the cost im gessing would be under 10k. we had a track retrofit and two new trak machines at school and i used to run trak lathes and mills at my old work. they programing is so simple and i will get just about any job done as long as the user knows what he is doing. but like i said be for for work at home cnc is not needed. but check out the trak machines anyway

 

What exactly do you want to make, if you just want to "play around" and make some small stuff you could get a small 3-axis mill like a friend of mine picked up



I believe he got it from a high school for a couple hundred bucks

http://www.intelitek.com/produ...did=1

 

^howmuch do you think you could pick up one those for (in the link)?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by wantboost &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">^howmuch do you think you could pick up one those for (in the link)?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have no idea, like I said a friend picked one up not me, you could call the company whos link I posted.

 

i've seen new cnc vertical mills go for as little as $2000 completely set up. i like this one for around $5800 though. seems to be about the minnimum size needed for cutting flanges and automotive fab use.

http://cncmasters.com/CNC%20Jr...ndard

or this bad boy for $9400 would probley work a little better for smaller production type work. one thing about machinery like this, its always better to buy something a little bigger than you need as you will soon find a use for the extra size. this one seems like one of the bigger non-mass-production type machines:

http://cncmasters.com/CNC%20Su...l.htm

i would shy away from the sherline mills unless you are only using them for small model type parts for battle bot or remote controlled car type ****. if price is of a concern, you can buy retro fit kits for alot of the mills on the market and you could buy the mill first and add the cnc kit later on down the road. with the right jigs you can do quite a bit of stuff on a mannual machine.

&lt;img&gt;http://cncmasters.com/images/CNC%20S...pg&lt;/img&gt;

 

small mills are junk for cutting flanges, they can barely do it, if at all, other than that theyll just chatter or wont have the power to force thro the steel with a 1/2" rougher.

 

Yeah, it really depends on what you are doing. I just set this 6 spindle CNC machine up not too long ago. Price tag on it with the bar feeder and all the setups in Italy and shippng, etc just over 1 million...lol

 

i agree.. it takes a lot of mass to dampen the cutter on anything but aluminum, and even that can get the machine shaking if feedrate or spindle speed is off.

MSC sells brand new series 1 bridgeports with full 3 axis cnc for $29,000. vextrax mills range from 24-34k roughly. i saw a serious 2 bridgeport with fagor controls go for $5,800 on ebay and considered it, but it had no manual control, every motion was computerized. pain in the neck. cnc lifespan for big production is usually about 7-9 years on an around the clock basis. large manufacturers update their equipment quite often, so there can be a flood of machines when a large local company updates.


for $2500 you can find fully loaded older manual mills with tooling. ever seen a CNC machine crash? **** can be dangerous. a cnc machine doesnt know when to back off because something is wrong. know what a broken carbide endmill cost? you will! if you dont own a high volume production company that needs its own accountant, chances are CNC is not for you. you can get pretty damn far with a manual mill, some sine plates, horizontal/vertical rotary table, dividing head and a tailstock.


the other day my brother tried to write a program for valve stem pilots im making on an ,, uhh.. i think its an okuma cnc lathe. anyways,, i finished 16 of them manually on a collet lathe (heaven for multiple part work) while he tried to work out some little bug in the program that none of us could find. it was so frusterating to have this incredible machine sitting there useless over one little + or - sign, something like that.

and for anyone that thinks engine flanges are a profitable market, newsflash guys, YOU ARE A LITTLE LATE. there is more profit in lemonade stands for much less work/investment. ive dreamed of ways to justify cnc equipment for a while.. its just not as feasible as what ive got, especially for how cheap manual equipment has gotten.