Taking a machinist class | Page 3 | Construction and DIY projects | Forums

icanreachit said
Good call on walking away. I suck at that part but it sounds like you made the right call. From having to pull apart an entire lathe for repairs (twice), you don't want to do that. And if you bill yourself even at $20 an hour, it adds up quickly and that new machine starts to look better and better.

that's what I tried telling him, someone that knew what they were doing could easily break it down and fix all the issues, but someone that really knew what they were doing probably wouldn't want that machine and would walk away from it.

I don't think he liked that.

Oh well, I think I am biting the bullet today and buying a midas 1230xl with a dro kit, I was thinking of just getting the 1220 xl which provides 40% more milling capacity due to the extended head but for a couple hundred more to have the extra foot on the lathe bed is a no brainer imo. 2 year warranty, smithy has been around for years and parts and such are not a concern. 

http://www.smithy.co.....asMachines

unfortunately I have been searching for about 6 months and everything has been crap, so I bit the bullet yesterday, a very large bullet

So I was looking at the new smithys, I really like the machines, a new midas 1220xl is 1695

http://www.smithy.co.....asMachines

but the midas 1220 ltd is a much better machine for 500 dollars more, it has an extended head for greater milling surfaces, separate motors for the head and lathe, powerfeed on the x and y axis, etc

So that was the one I wanted to get, but I also wanted a dro for it as well, so I asked them to calculate the cost of the machine with a dro, I also asked them to price out the granite which is their higher end machine with and without a dro, the rep said if I was going with the dro and thinking of cnc at some point he would recommend the granite, it is already factory set up for the dro and cnc whereas the midas had to be drilled, tapped, and needs a 240 dollar bracket kit to accommodate the systems, it can be done but it takes some work.

http://www.smithy.co.....ite-3-in-1

So about a half hour later I received this e-mail, they offer in house financing at 5.9 percent for 48 months, so the monthly payments are broken down

Pricing is as follows
MI-1220 ltd - $2195 - monthly payments - $51.54
MI-1220 ltd + xyz dro@$750.00 - payments - $69.15

GN-1324 MX - $3529 - monthly payments - $82.86
GN-1324 MX w/ DRO@$1000 - payments - $106.34

Below is a write up on differences between granite and midas machines.
I highly advise you read it. The Granite is a much more efficient
machine, everytime you change feed rates and speeds on the Midas machine
you have to go in and change belts and gears, whereas the Granite its
all automated with levers, setup time with the granite is much much
less. Also, the above pricing includes shipping. Please let me know
what you decide, I'll process the sale on the YardCard and send you
sales receipt to sign and return.

What is the difference between the Granite and Midas Machines?

The biggest difference is that the Granite machines are bigger, more
powerful and more automated than the Midas machines. The Granite has
very good power feeds on X and Y, quick change gear box, and most
importantly, a variable speed spindle. Speed changes are made with the
turn of a dial. The Midas machines are more manual – gears and belts are
changed by hand.

The Granite machines also have tooling that is easier and faster to use.
The R8 spindle taper and D1-4 lathe chuck mounts are the industry
standard for US productions settings. Tool changes are quicker and
easier and the tooling is easy to find for both machine lines; the R8
standard tooling on the Granite machines is generally cheaper.

What are the differences between the Granite Classic, MAX, Industrial
MAX and I-MAX Elite?

Each Granite model adds features as you go from the Classic on up to the
Elite:

Granite Classic: The original model that's been paying its own way for
over 20 years. Tens of thousands are in use around the world.

Granite MAX: 30% more horsepower and higher torque with 2 HP brushless
DC variable drive spindle motor. 30% more milling capacity than the
Classic with extended mill head. The MAX is the ultimate small/home shop
combo tool.

Granite Industrial MAX: All the great features of the MAX series, plus a
lathe spindle bearing upgrade and expanded tooling package for real
production operations. Faster and easier to use. Also has 220 power for
all-day production operations. Perfect for production settings, yet fits
most shops.

Granite I-MAX Elite: Has all the machining function and capacity of the
I-MAX, plus lots of other features that make the Elite the “luxury
model” of the combo tool world. Built to last a lifetime – with features
that make the Elite a pleasure to use.
Includes these features:
Digital Tachometer
One-Shot Lube System
Splash Shield
Folding Safety Handles
Work Light

My first thought was to just get the midas, run it for a few years until I need an upgrade, well with the size of my shop I'm really not going to be able to upgrade much more than a 3 in 1 machine, I'm never going to be able to fit a bridgeport in there, I'm never going to be able to fit a larger lathe than a benchtop, so if I do upgrade it's probably going to be just another larger 3 in 1 like the shopmaster or individual machines similar to the size. For example the granite has a 13x24 lathe. Here is what a grizzly 12x24 costs.

http://www.grizzly.c.....athe/G4002

A separate mill would be about 2000, and once you add in a dro on each separate machine it would be well over 7000 dollars.

I hemmed and hawed over this for several hours and decided to go with the granite for the extra 30 dollars a month, I ordered it with the factory installed 3 axis dro, it just makes sense to me to get something that I am not going to grow out of in a couple years and then have to replace it, should be here in the middle of next week

Here is a video of one I came across on youtube