Quote:
Originally Posted by asid61
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.
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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.