Need help with my cnc mill!

[ieezitin]

Minitech Machinery CNC MINIMILL/2 cad cam desktop manufacturing system

Gentlemen.

I need your advice. Here shown is a Minitech Machinery CNC MINIMILL/2 cad cam desktop manufacturing system I purchased back in 2004 on Ebay. It runs on a old computer system ( 2003) windows 2000. It came from a vo-tech school. I have all the instruction manuals on programming ( g-codes) and it functions. But the system is locked up and I can only work it in that environment on that said computer. You even have to back up your codes on floppy disk so that shows you its age.

My knowledge of CAM and programming is 0. I  taught myself on using the machine via the manuals but found it clumsy and awkward and the manual was written for someone who had half a clue.

When I did use the machine I milled aluminum blocks and found the cuts had to be light as the mill was not able to handle the torque, and chatter was a problem. So I found out the structure was light, that in its self was not a problem because I did not care if the machine took 4 times longer to do its work but really it is limited. But I liked the idea of it being a small and compact unit so I could transport it around and this would suit my needs. This feature I still like.

These are my questions. Do I sell it and recoup some monies from this purchase. Can I chop up the machine and use the parts elsewhere.  Can I make a better milling machine from the parts I have?. Is there programs out there now that will run the equipment I have, if so where do I get it and what is evolved?. Does anyone know this machine or the manufacturer? You must know that I made a fixture so I use the milling head on my Logan lathe to drill and mill on the tool post, also I could use the indexing head so do I keep these items and not sell them?. But then I need the computer to run them.

My needs are this, I design and make small tooling and I have a  need for a cnc Mill, some examples are shown in the pictures. In the future I plan to be making  small gun parts, brass plates, steel & copper blocks, one of my designs has 35 8-32 holes in each hence the cnc. I have plans for next year to purchase a full size mill so all heavy milling will be done on this machine. it’s the small repetitive work are my desired use.

There are many more pictures on the link below.

http://s721.photobucket.com/albums/ww212/ieezitin/Machine%20shop/Minitech%20cnc%20Milling%20machine/?start=0

I thank you in advance for your help.  Anthony

[Bernd]

Anthony,

Never having owned one of these minuature CNC machines my advice my be worth only 1 cent, so.

I believe these machines were more of an engraver type of machine than milling. Reason I say that is that from the pics it looks like it's column is not very sturdy as compared to a regular milling machine. If it can do 3-D milling it might be worth keeping, but for doing heavy milling? I don't think so. I would keep it just because it looks like you can do engraving on it.

If you still want to get rid of it I might be interested.

Bernd

[andyf]

It looks like they still make 'em - http://www.minitechcnc.com/Mills%20contents.htm

For $5,500  you get to machine anything "from wax to non-ferrous metals"

Andy

[ieezitin]

Bernd
You hit it on the head, after posting this thread I ploughed through google and got to the site of the manufacture and you are right its made for the jewelry trade. I did not realize this when I purchased it. Lesson here is before you buy get informed on your product.

Well while I was there I browsed there software sales and if I think I read it right they want about $2000 for the program. Oh my!!!!!!!!! Im in the wrong business.

 Andy thank you for the link. Try upping that price from $5500 to $9400 it’s a 4 axis machine.