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Unread 22-11-2015, 21:50
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Re: CNC Mill or Router?

Quote:
Originally Posted by asid61 View Post
I do a ton of lathe work on the mill, and it is not fun at all. You can't work on anything longer than a few inches, because R8 collets do not have a through-hole like 5C collets do. Drilling a hole in the end of a shaft requires indicating the shaft. And you can forget about doing tapers or threading. It's definitely a good idea to invest in a cheap lathe instead of just $4000 on a mill and/or router.
I suggested the Shapeoko because for the price and value you can't beat it. The new Shapeoko 3 can cut aluminum out of the box without issues. If the OP is considering one, looking at the videos of it cutting aluminum are enlightening as to its capabilities.
Assuming you can't have both machines, mill makes a far better lathe than vice versa. 90% of the precision shafts we make are 4" or less. Also everyone should be using thunderhex now ( and if you're making spacers make it out of tubing) so drilling is a non issue.

How often are you threading parts anyway?

The shapeoko will be fine for a few parts, but for meaningful qty you'll need to keep the machine running nonstop.

I really like the shapeokos for the price, and 973 is considering getting one for our pit, but they're more of a supplement than a workhorse compared to what a $5k or more router can do.


We're getting off track anyway. For OP I stand by get the best manual mill for the price you can, then get a lathe as well as possible. Don't get a small mill, get a full size Bridgeport or clone.

Last edited by AdamHeard : 23-11-2015 at 11:48.
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