Need some recommendations for tooling

[Sperkowsky]

We just received $4,000 from our school and have to spend it within 2 weeks.
Because of this limitation we have decided to spend it on tools.

Currently our shop has
2 drill presses (One large one and one portable one)
A bench grinder
A chop saw
A miter saw
A finger brake (has to be refurbished)
and a bunch of basic hand tools + handheld power tools.

We also have this mill although its never been used as it was installed in a different room. Since then a lot of its included accesories have been lost (Stuff like handles) and we will have to buy replacements. In the end we estimate $400 for all the basic tooling and replacement parts we need to get this mill up and running. We will need pretty much everything including a vise. We do not really know much about what we need exactly so any help is appreciated.

Our want list of tools goes like this

1st on the priority list is a table saw as we plan on building a 50% field for our shop and possibly even a 100% field to host a week 0 competition next year although this is dependent on hoping next years field is a lot simpler to build then this years. We allotted about $300 for this and plan on getting a portable Dewalt model.

2nd is a basic CNC router like an X-Carve. Although I would love something a bit more powerful as we would really like something we can cut gussets on regularly. We also plan on using it for belly pans.

3rd is an Arbor press with a hex broach. Would love recommendations for something decent that will work with the Andymark broach.

4th is a small bench top lathe. We are looking at something basic from harbor freight at least for now.

Last is a belt sander although we probably will not have enough funds left over.

Id love to hear your recommendations on what we should do. I have a few peoples input but would like more as we want to make sure we can best utilize the money.

[bkahl]

Fully depending on how your school allows you to spend money-

Craigslist could be your best friend for the Arbor Press, Lathe and Belt Sander. These might allow you to save some money in order to get everything on your list.

A Craigslist buy might also turn into a good 'project'. This would also allow you guys to be able to take apart the machines you buy for any maintenance they would need after purchase. I think it's very important for students to be able to not only know how to use these machines, but maintain and repair them as well.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by bkahl

Fully depending on how your school allows you to spend money-

Craigslist could be your best friend for the Arbor Press, Lathe and Belt Sander. These might allow you to save some money in order to get everything on your list.

A Craigslist buy might also turn into a good 'project'. This would also allow you guys to be able to take apart the machines you buy for any maintenance they would need after purchase. I think it's very important for student to be able to not only know how to use these machines, but maintain and repair them as well.

I will verify but I do not think it's possible to buy things on Craigslist. Although I agree if this was my money that would be the first place I would go.

[346CADmen]

Maybe you didn't mention having some, but precision measuring equipment?
The best machines can make plenty of scrap and you don't want to wait until practice time to find out. Calipers and maybe some mic's too.

[frcguy]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

I will verify but I do not think it's possible to buy things on Craigslist. Although I agree if this was my money that would be the first place I would go.

If you can, I would look for a used Bridgeport or lathe. With that money you can probably pick one up and buy tooling for it. I'm sure RoboChair and Cory will have some more ideas when they catch wind of this thread . Also, IMO that mill may not be worth fixing as the money you put in to it you might be better off saving it for a Bridgeport.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by frcguy

If you can, I would look for a used Bridgeport or lathe. With that money you can probably pick one up and buy tooling for it. I'm sure RoboChair and Cory will have some more ideas when they catch wind of this thread . Also, IMO that mill may not be worth fixing as the money you put in to it you might be better off saving it for a Bridgeport.

I should mention a Craiglist deal is almost out of the question. The money is from our schools budget and has to be spent pretty particularly. Even ordering from Amazon is very difficult.

I found a used Bridgeport on Craiglist for $2,500 that a business has and I am currently trying to convince them to donate it to us but I doubt they will bite.

It would be a shame to throw out something we did spend over $3,000 on albeit around 6 years ago. Even if we just skimp on tooling and end up using it as a slightly glorified drill press.

[Chris is me]

The lathe is going to be much, much more important than the CNC router. I would prioritize even a crummy Harbor Freight benchtop lathe over a hastily bought router. You can buy all sorts of gussets these days, but making custom shafts, spacers, and all sorts of things is more necessary. I'd put that over anything else on this list.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

The lathe is going to be much, much more important than the CNC router. I would prioritize even a crummy Harbor Freight benchtop lathe over a hastily bought router. You can buy all sorts of gussets these days, but making custom shafts, spacers, and all sorts of things is more necessary. I'd put that over anything else on this list.

I have had people tell me that but I just do not see my team using it that much. Its probably just a tool a will learn to love and see uses for but currently I see a cnc router as much more useful for our team.

I am not a big fan of the gussets on the market as most lack cross support and are on the thinner side. I have ones that I designed last year (were cut by our waterjet sponsor) but Id prefer to do it in house. There is also some time a nice custom designed gusset would have suited our needs better then cots offerings.

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

The lathe is going to be much, much more important than the CNC router. I would prioritize even a crummy Harbor Freight benchtop lathe over a hastily bought router. You can buy all sorts of gussets these days, but making custom shafts, spacers, and all sorts of things is more necessary. I'd put that over anything else on this list.

+1

[AllenGregoryIV]

If I were buying a lathe today it would probably be something like this.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/8-x-...campaign=zPage or this G0765

We own a G0752 and it has worked well for us for several years and honestly we haven't really had to push it to it's limits very often and the G0768 is a bit smaller but also $700 cheaper.

[InFlight]

I would put a lathe way up your list of tools.

For your budget, I would suggest this Lathe with Tool stand. This size lathe could really accomplish any future machining needs you might have.

With a lathe you can quickly make custom drivetrain axles, make spacers, Standoffs, etc.

I would also order additional tooling including:
Typical carbide cutting tools
Cutoff tool
Grooving tool (multi-blade set) for E-clips and C-clips
A Drill and Tap set
If you don't have a micrometer and calipers already, I'd add that to the list as well.

I've ordered tooling from www.use-enco.com in the past, and can recommend them.

[snoman]

I am getting in a little late but.. for any serious new manufacturing equipment 4k is very little to work with. If you decide on a lathe try and get one with a DRO. ( we had students standing in line to use our lathe this year). It is a sharp. Fixing up the little milling machine may be good. Figure out what taper it has and get a set of collets, get a keyless chuck, some endmills 2 flute HSS is good for alu. We use our Milwaukee portable band saw all the time. Do you have a good tap and die set. A small sheet metal shear is nice. Maybe a plasma cutter (requires a good air compressor ) personally I wouldn't get a cheep CNC . In that market you get what you pay for.

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by snoman

Maybe a plasma cutter (requires a good air compressor )

In terms of FRC use, what could you do with a plasma cutter that you couldn't do with a vertical bandsaw?

[Lireal]

Originally Posted by mman1506

In terms of FRC use, what could you do with a plasma cutter that you couldn't do with a vertical bandsaw?

Generally, it can cut larger peices, like belly pans, and is able to cut complex shapes in the interior of material. A plasma cutter would be significantly more efficient in machining gussets to a decent accuracy in large quantities than a bandsaw and drill press.

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

The lathe is going to be much, much more important than the CNC router. I would prioritize even a crummy Harbor Freight benchtop lathe over a hastily bought router. You can buy all sorts of gussets these days, but making custom shafts, spacers, and all sorts of things is more necessary. I'd put that over anything else on this list.

I would guess this is more dependent on your teams design habits than anything else. For instance, we always design to use COTS shafts and spacers (or shaft collars), but often find the need for machined tubing or plate aluminum for gearboxes and the like.

It seems to me like having the freedom to design a gearbox or sheet metal that requires machining saves a lot more time than having the freedom to use custom shafts/spacers but having to fit your geometric design to COTS parts. Machine geometry is the big time sink for us, and a CNC mill/router would alleviate that a lot more than a lathe. Would you agree?