(Micro-Mark Mega Mini R8) Milling machine for fabricating parts... advice needed.

[Greg]

Am very seriously looking into acquiring the Micro-Mark Mega Mini R8 Milling machine Super Package. I have a list of simple adapters that I want to make. Have never used a Milling Machine before, but I am very handy and resourceful. Up to now have been making metal adapters from aluminum stock for years by hand, but this way is very slow to say the least, and not all that precise by far. Plus aluminum no wheres as "solid" as steel. Threaded aluminum works but doesn't stand up to continuous use, and an accessory shoe's male counterpart when made of aluminum far from being useable without bending in little time. Distinct possibility of taking an adult Ed course in (metal) "Machine Shop" locally, which would be a real plus. Am not looking to adapt barrel lenses to shutters... will leave that S K Grimes. My adapters are simple constructional configurations with usually only 3/8" or 1/4" female threads included.

Currently have a Horseman bellows lenshood that I would like to adapt to my Sinar X and Chamonix cameras. Have seen images of the adapters to make this so, but the adapters look to me to be beyond being manually fabricated. Using a milling machine I believe a must for fabricating these adapters. Also use a Nikon Multiphot whose some accessory parts are seemingly non existent, but look to be quite easy fabrications. These Multiphot parts require tolerances way more accurate than what I can do with a hand file.

So.... hopefully am looking for advice. Hopefully some forum members have some experience with fabricating metal parts.

Thanks

[Tin Can]

Take the class first

The Micro looks neat

Lifelong paid hacker of metals, flame cut, any type welding, big and small machine shop work, some very accurate adapters for high speed Dyno testing

But I now get a lot done with a cheap drill press, and many thread taps with correct drill bits.

Anything you make just needs to work, beauty is overrated

[Drew Wiley]

Another one to look at is the Jet Hobby Milling Machine.

[seall]

Definitely worth taking a class before spending the money.

Start checking out the modelers forums and buy something that people get along with and has a good track record, the hobby market is full of badly designed / manufactured mills and drills due to established western companies getting involved with overseas manufacturers then re-badging lower priced equipment. It is all very good getting a reasonable warranty period but not so good if you have to return the machine time after time.

The things I would be wanting to know are:

1. What kind of motor - Brushed or brushless?

2. What kind of gearing - belt, geared and if geared nylon or metal?

3. How exactly does the speed controller work, does it govern? Is it just a potentiometer wired to simple electronics, or is it digital with PWM and PID?

4. What is the bed accuracy?

5. How powerful is it?

Hope this helps:
http://www.siegind.com/product_detai...857815262.html


Good luck!

[Tin Can]

Yes the class is mandatory for at least 3 reasons

1 You will learn safety first, I was on a factory response team, seen plenty of terrible accidents. Some were not accidents.

2 You will learn a lot very quickly.

3 Your classmates may be expert or just starting like you, but they all want to know what machine to buy.

The one just recommended looks like my $150 drill press with a geared table, not a good Mill, but a low grade drill press.

[Drew Wiley]

In other words, have about a thousand bucks set aside for anything new, and leave bargain hunting for used options. And that's for miniature gear. Precision drill presses start around $2000. Cheap ones don't have precise run-out and wobble too much for serious work. But I made due with an old industrial large floor press a friend parked in my shop because he didn't have room. Small presses can be downright dangerous for cutting big holes in metal lensboards etc.

[Tin Can]

A far better forum is https://www.practicalmachinist.com/ and a member here moderates there.


I have 2 Unimats which I don't recommend as they are all old now. One is set up as Mill and the other as Lathe, they are convertible.

Here is the guru of Unimat. I have bought parts from him. http://unimat.homestead.com/
,
I also have 2 of these Watchmakers' Lathes - USA, but I don't make or repair watches.

None of it is for sale.

The first lathe I was used was freshman HS a massive automatic taper lathe for making cannons. I made slot car wheels on it.

[Drew Wiley]

I could have had any number of big industrial lathes and milling machine cheap when the shipyards closed around here. But all the necessary supplementary tooling would have been quite expensive. You have to factor that in, plus good measuring gear. It's often better to have a connection to a fully equipped machinist who will accept small projects. Some kinds of material are amenable to newer relatively affordable CNC milling.

[Leszek Vogt]

Being about 60 miles from Bridgeport, I'd think this stuff would rub off on you, Greg (?). Being able to do 3/8 or 1/4 inch threads requires v. little knowledge....but taking a class would certainly help. Bridgeport milling machine used to be THE item to get for this kind of work (could be an overkill). My machinist converted his into CNC and the accuracy is around 1/10,000". Yes, accuracy is very important and the heavier machines tend to deliver this. I've done some projects on the lathe and milling machine in HS (Vo-tech orientation), but I also know that more stuff/tools is needed to get great results. Wonder if there is a place where you can experience this machinery.....like a showroom ? Yes, the more hands-on, the better your results. Safety...or shall I say anything that rotates with some serious HP...always requires respect (my mo).

Les

[Audii-Dudii]

Before you buy any machinery of your own, you might see if there are any "maker spaces" in your area where you can --usually for a fee, but sometimes for free -- get time on various machine tools to turn your ideas into tangible things.

Although this does impose some limitations on when you can do the work and for how long you can monopolize any machine tool in one go, it's a great way to gain some experience, especially as most such spaces offer training and usually have other members around who can answer your questions.