Milling Machine (21% Funded)

Equipment Wanted
3

One day, perhaps :slight_smile:

There are much more compact, desktop versions that I think would be more suitable for the space and weight limit we might have at the Boileroom :smiley:

4

I would settle for a little Proxxon MF70 for now. East to CNC too :wink:

5

I feel it might be a bit too little, and that we’d soon outgrow it. It is nice though.

6

Too big. Too small. I’m renaming your account to @goldilocks.

7

This is more like it :wink:

http://www.warco.co.uk/milling-machines/31-wm-14-variable-speed-milling-machine.html

8

Yes. Yes it is.

9

This would fit nicely into the space we have…

10

Is that your weird gyro-and-sticky-tape-measure router you keep trying to get us to believe in? :wink:

11

Get out, you heathen

12

Plenty more used and ex demo machinery as well as tools will be available at the next Warco Open Day on Saturday 5th November 2016.

13

Cloud capable! I’ve gots to get one.

14

Oh how much I’d like us to have one of those… but @Jagmills is right, we can’t fit that in our space, and it’d be dangerously heavy to put upstairs, if we even managed to get it there in the first place.

I think the Warco WM14 would be the ideal machine for us to start with, as it should serve most of the parts we need, plus they’re a local company which is always nice to support.

15

So I’m doing a cost analysis of a milling machine for the space. :dollar:

There are two realistic options for us - the WM-14, and WM-16 mills.

WM-14:

Cost: £835 (inc VAT)
Table size: 500x120mm
Weight: 60kg
Dimensions: 600 x 460 x 800mm
Motor power: 500w

WM-16:

Cost: £998 (inc VAT)
Table size: 700x180mm
Weight: 113kg
Dimensions: 950 x 590 x 930mm
Motor power: 750w

The WM-16 is of course a more capable machine, but I (personally) am unsure of the justification of cost. We don’t necessarily need a bigger, heavier machine - especially with a smaller space with limited access.

The other side to consider is that we’ll need some additional accessories for operation; and then there’s a few accessories that could be considered initially to expand the usability.

Probably mandatory accessories:

  • End mills (£26 from Warco, can be sourced elsewhere) - probably essential. These are sundries, you break one you buy a new one.
  • Milling vice (£58 from Warco) - for holding something to mill.

Probably optional accessories:

  • Clamp Kit (£39 from Warco) - useful for bigger things.
  • Rotary table (£56 from Warco) - handy for making round things, expands the usability of the mill.
16

Personally I think the difference in cost between the WM-14 and WM-16 makes the WM-16 far better value, when you consider the 50% power increase on the motor, and the significantly larger work area.

The Endmills and vice are definately essential, and the clamp kit is really worth having, it will make a lot of things easier!

  • ER25 Collets and chuck - Not cheap at £99 but essential for using endmills!

  • Wiggler - £9.50 from Warco - let’s you find edges and also trace layouts and hold a dial in the spindle to center over holes. Plus the name is amusing. Not really essential but at the price it does give you a lot more precision when following layouts.

17

Warco have an open day march 11. They claim to have some deals and second hand bargins. Maybe as it is for a makerspace, a better deal could be had.

1 Like
18

A grand suggestion. I’ve spoken to Warco and they have very kindly offered us a nice discount, however I will enquire if this is extended to open day deals too.

19

Okay, well lets see what sort of pledges we can get to pay for this thing then :slight_smile:

1 Like
20

I would like to officially pledge £150 :slight_smile: My justification is I currently overpay my membership fee to make us last that little bit longer!

21

What is the money from easyfundraising destined for?
I know that it is only currently a small amount, however why not allocate it to a specific cause, for example a milling machine or another specific item, rather than just ‘the pot’?

22

Good question. So far it just goes into the pot - I like the idea of having it go somewhere specific, but I think it gets complicated. For example, what if someone disagrees with wanting a milling machine and wants a new lathe instead, etc.

I think into the pot and see how we go first. The MS will likely chip in eventually if we can get enough pledges :slight_smile: