[protoserge]

There are good inexpensive mills that can do the job just fine for most of the work an FRC robot needs.

We have access to a HAAS four axis once in a blue moon, but most milling last year was done using a Grizzly 1007 manual mill with an autofeed table. It goes for ~$1700. Harbor Freight has a slightly lower model as well (different paint and without autofeed) for $1100 (#33686).

Grizzly has some inexpensive endmills (~$90 for a set in R8 collet size). Spend the money on a precision machining vise. Grizzly sells some as well.

I would budget about $2500-3000 minimum for a good size setup considering the clamps, collets, endmills, cutters.

You can also retrofit one of the Harbor Freight mini mills (#44991) with a X2 CNC kit for <$2000. They sell the mini-mill for $600 and they may accept the 20% off coupons that are always floating around.


I'm sure there are plenty of other options out there as well.

I would post links, but I think that sends my posts to pergatory for now while I get my post count up.