wefalck wrote:
In deciding what machine you want (and can afford) you should first know what kind of materials you want to machine, what the likely maximum size of part you would be working on, and what kind of operations you may need to perform.
The PROXXON MF70 is made from aluminium. Particularly the table and all dovetails are aluminium. This more or less excludes in my opinion steel as working material. The steel swarf is likely to damage the machine sooner or later. On the other hand SHERLINE machines are also made from (eloxated) aluminium and their manufacturers promote their use with steel. The eloxation toughens the surfaces.
The PROXXON MF70 is designed for the application of small high-speed milling cutters. The maximum capacity of the collets is 3.2 mm if I am correct. This limits you to largely the small carbide cutters that seem to be ubiquitous these days. Most HSS-cutters have a shaft of 6 mm or above. If you have a lathe, you could make yourself flycutters to either screw onto the milling spindle directly or to be held in a collet. This would allow you to face larger items. The maximum size that can be machined is in the order of a cigarette pack (I am not a smoker, so I hope my size guess is about right).
In its basic configuration the PROXXON MF70 has three axes, x, y, and z. There is small rotary table (without worm-drive though) that allows you to make simple dividing work. I don't think that PROXXON offers an angle bracket, but it could be fashioned easily and would allow to mount the rotary table in a vertical position, greatly expanding the machining options. With it you can mill facets onto round objects, drill into the circumference etc.
Another thing to remember is that you (have to) typically invest another 50 to 100% of the basic machine price into accessories and tools, such as a good milling vice (go for a small screwless one, rather than the PROXXON one), a rotary table, clamping devices and cutting tools.
wefalck
Thanks Wefalck, clear and sensible advice. I had been thinking along the same lines myself.
I will not be looking to machine large pieces of steel, mainly brass, plexiglass, HIPS and resin (castings). I model in 1/72 scale so most pieces will not be too much larger than your "cigarette packaging size....." (But one of the fundamental laws of tool selection is that "I should have got the bigger one.....'
)
Consequently I have been considering a Sherline as an alternative to the Proxxon. However I am concerned that for the fine work, when i need to use the very small cutters, that I will not be able to use them in the Sherline chuck - any comment or further advice?
Much appreciated.
Andrew
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