tattooist seeking knowledge

[LanceHayes]

yay! hello everyone.

my name is lance, and i have been a tattooist in manhattan for many years. i have also struggled with making my own machines using drill presses, files, dremels, ... well, you get the picture. i don't know much about machining, but i used to have a sherline many years ago, and i sold like a big fat dummy.

now i find myself needing it again. but better yet... please let me askk you guys a few questions so i don't go around buying the wrong tools, and creating problems for myself. bottom line is this. i want to be able to machine parts similar to the parts in this picture below, and i want to know whether to buy a lathe, mill, or combo, and would like to know what you may suggest as far as versatility and bang for the buck on a miniscule budget. i was hoping to keep the price below $600.

Thank you very much for any help or opinions you are able to give. -Lance

 

[Kermit]

Either one is going to eat up that budget and leave nothing for tools...

I would suggest the mill as being the more versatile of the two, especially with a small number of tools. milling on the lathe is harder and needs considerably more tooling/work holding equipment.

I just recently got my self one of each and use my lathe often but use my mill daily.


Kermit

 

[LanceHayes]

Cool, thanks! I meant the budget for the machine being about $600... I have some more $$ for the tooling part. So, what is your opinion of this unit?

http://www.boltonhardware.com/categ...he-mill-drill/5-x-7-mini-combo-lathe-mill.php

Do you think it would be capable of doing the cuts and chamfers pictured? Or would I be better off going with just a small milling machine?

Thanks!

 

[Tin Falcon]

Not my usual type of response but think this will help you .
Some times tool catalogs are great text books. go to http://littlemachineshop.com/ and browse look and browse. It has lots of info on the chinese import machines. You can good idea of what is available as far as tooling and accessorize. . look at the Learning center and info center.
yes please also check out Taig tools and sherline as well theses are American made and good stuff.
There has been much discussion on 3-1 machines and lathe mill selection so read on here as well .
You will have to decide what tooling you need but I know that is hard not being familiar with machining. Download and read over The army Machine tools manual found here http://metalworking.com/tutorials/ARMY-TC-9-524/9-524-index.html
also the Navy Machinery Repairman's Manual http://www.metalwebnews.org/ftp/machinery-repairman.pdf

Welcome and thanks for the Introduction.
Tin

 

[Tin Falcon]

Lance the picture is great but you do not give us a size reference.
But I can tell you that a chinese X-2 mill like those sold by harbor freight and others as a mini mill has an effective work area x -Y of about 4 x 8 inches maximum.
Most folks find the combo machines very limited in capability at best especially a small one like that.
Tin
Also lance If those maine frame parts ar aluminum you might be better of researching building a home foundry make the part(Pattern )out of wood then cast in aluminum then finish by hand tools or machining. Those parts look like sand cast aluminum to me but it is just a photo.

 

[MakMov]

I agree on the combos. It does a lot of stuff --- okay, but not it does very well.

On these cheaper machines a lot of it is your own personal skills to make it do what you want it to do. Some times you have to trick it into submission, some times you have to out smart it without out smarting yourself, and sometimes you just have to realize it just isn't going to do everything you want it to do. The operator is the magic not the machine.

Having said that, I would strongly encourage you to get a separate lathe and mill, a mill first if you can only afford one, however you will find a lathe comes might handy.

Get as much machine as you have space for and can afford.

You can do really tiny stuff on a Bridgeport, but they take up a lot of space and cost an arm and a leg, however, the point is you cannot go too big.

The smaller the machine the accurate it seems to become and the more difficult it is to turn out a “perfect” part. Not impossible, just more difficult.

 

[rake60]

Welcome to HMEM Lance.

Rick

 

[Maryak]

Lance,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Blogwitch]

Lance,

I am not a person who usually will try to put someone off their choice of purchase, but in this case, I will make an exception. Normally, everyone to their own.

To put the cards on the table, I honestly think that combo machine you are looking at just isn't man enough for the job you want it to do.

Just look at the overall length of the machine. It is absolutely tiny, and having seen one in action a few years ago, I can see why they stopped pushing them in the UK.

It is basically a gimmicky machine, hoping to compete with all the well made micro machines, and it fails miserably.

I think they only hold a max of a 1/4" cutter, and when I saw one working, it was really struggling to get thru a thin ali plate with a 1/8" cutter, and the work area is absolutely tiny.

To me, not really up to the job you want it to do. It would be easier for you to buy a good set of files and a vice and do it all by hand.

Sorry to spoil your dreams.


Bogs

 

[wm460]

G'Day Lance,
Welcome to the forum from the centre of Australia.
Cheers,
Mark.