In the introduction thread @jimg asked me what CNC machine I’m getting. I figured I’d start a new thread, since it would be interesting to see what others are using.
I ordered a Langmuir MR1 (MR-1 CNC Gantry Mill | Langmuir Systems), which should ship in the next week or so. It’s a gantry machine that was designed around metal working and has a work envelope of 20x20x6" which is pretty exciting for something that I can get down the stairs into my basement. The other interesting feature is that the base is concrete filled, which you do on site, which kept the shipping weight down. The biggest downside that I see is the use of ER collets instead of a CAT-style collet, so there isn’t any way to get a tool changer with the stock spindle. The spindle looks good for a machine this size though, with a 220V/3hp spindle motor and a decent RPM range (0-8000).
I used to own a Taig and I’m looking forward to having something a lot more capable but that still works in a home shop. I’d of course love to have something nicer and I’m impressed to see what people are doing with machines like the Brother Speedio, but all machines are a compromise. Honestly the Taig was a fine machine for hobbyist framebuilding use too and I made dropouts for many of my frames on it, a hundred or so alignment gauges that I sold a decade ago (Hahn Rossman makes the current version), and many fixtures and jigs on that little machine.
I’m curious to see what others are using. My other machine tools these days are an Emco Compact 10 lathe (with a homemade but flaky electronic leadscrew) and a simple Delta 4x6 bandsaw.
Alex