Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 3110
Location: Castle Hill, Sydney. N.S.W
my 72 or whatever dollar bunnings ryobi drill press has been prety good for most things (like glen said except for huge pieces where u gotta drill a hole in middle or something) and even after i tripped carrying it and threw it across garage with a bent top section (mounting for pulleys and eveyrthin) and broken switch housing it still soldiers on like it was new. _________________ Andrew Welch, Team Unconventional Robotics
Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:29 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
XD classic andrew moment
Hmm just outta interest are those combined lathe/mill/drill machines any good? Could be worth it later on instead of buying the seperate machines and is more compact... they look pretty complex and dangerous though!
http://wic015u.server-secure.com/vs4487_secure/dept.asp?id=27 _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 1459
Location: Brisbane
Remember to check what you want to use the machine for. A lathe/mill combo is only capable of working small sized jobs. Also remember that these things are heavy! That is what put me off the lathe/mill combo, the fact I couldn't easily move a 1/4 of a ton into place in our garage of our rented house.
Also the cost of the machine does not include the stand and tooling. The tooling might include a carbide lathe tool set (if you want to work steel), live centre, drill chuck and taper for tailstock, milling tools chucks and collets. It adds up to a surprising amount. _________________ Get Some!!!
Secretary of the Queensland Robotics Sports Club inc.
Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:08 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
I second that. It would be better to get two seperate small machines rather than a combo. The mill functions on these machines are particularly weak and there is very little room for movement on the mill table. The tooling would cost the same for a combo or seperate machines and you have the delay of switching from one function to another. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:21 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
LOL yeah i just checked that and its true! No savings at all lol.
It's thinking into the future however, don't really need a mill at the moment, although a lathe would be damn handy for making weapon and wheel hubs as well as kewl belt drives like in plan b and plan f .
Is the abrasive cut off saw a good idea? _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Cut-off saws are great but mainly for higher volume. You can do the same stuff with an angle grinder or a hacksaw, unless ther are heaps of repetitive cuts. If you find a cheap saw (doesn't XU-1 have one?) then it would be worth it. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:33 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
Ok thats good, don't know about XU1 but the supercheap auto equivilent superworks does. As i said before my parents arn't comfortable with me using an anglegrinder so yeah the next best thing is this... and i absolutly hate usinga hacksaw with steel!!! Takes frekkin ages! _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 18 Jun 2004
Posts: 3842
Location: Queensland near Brisbane
You can buy a cheap tool and replace it every couple of years or buy a quality tool and have it for most of your lifetime. Sometimes, the cheapest way is the dearest way. _________________ So even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems
Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:54 pm
Totaly_Recycled Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Posts: 1346
and just some times the cheapest way is the cheapest way ..i have ryobi Angle grinder that cost me $35 about 17 years ago and its stil going strong it gets used nearly every day just ask Aaron what ive done with it ..lol it took two hours with it going contiouniously to machine a slot in vertexs disk 40mm deep to put a winding in for the electric clutch and it took about 4 hours non stop to machine vertical limits disc and pully out of the 8.8 grade steel .
Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:05 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
The only limitation of cut-off saws is the length of the cut. They are fine for cross cuts on tube & bars, but not so good for cutting lengthwise - still worth having on the cheap.
You might look at a basic metal cutting bandsaw. They are one of the safest workshop tools (if not abused) and Andrew still has all ten fingers after owning one for a year (sorry, couldn't resist!). Another option if you want to cut lengths of thin er metal is a quality jig saw or a sabre saw. My Makita jigsaw can cut surprisingly thick steel when it has the right blade fitted. Slower than a band saw but highly portable. Just don't confuse XU-1 jigsaws with good units _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:08 pm
Nick Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Even my XU-1 angle grinder did allright for a while. I know it was good, cause it was the only tool stolen when my house was burgled _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:14 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
lol! Hmm yeah a metal bandsaw is a pretty good idea! My current cheapo jigsaw can cut ali fine,but havnt tried steel yet lol.
By the way, andrew only has 10 fingers because his 5 extra mutant ones were cut off XD XD XD _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
ill go with andrew on the ryobi grinders, mine was $45 and hasnt skipped a beat.
one thing i should mention is when me and shane where buying some tools at bunnings they had a ozito grinder that was about 1000w, had variable speed and i think it was 5" capacity for $50. we didnt get it cause it didnt have a box or key... wishing i did buy it in retrospect...
angus - wrt to the steel cutting an abrasive saw would be useless to you unless you only planned on cutting box section and stuff... i dont even think you can get a portable type version (like a hand held circular saw with a cut off wheel). only way i can think youll be cutting steel is via a grinder or bandsaw. but remember with bandsaws like a drill press you can only fit material of a certain width in them.
makes me wonder if you can get angle grinders for left handed people on account of angus cutting like a total freak lol i guess its dangerous having to reach over to the other side of the grinder to turn it on and off and what not.
i loved that jigsaw you had nick, even at like 1/20th power it still cut polycarb faster then mine how much did that set you back?
cant say i reccomend the XU1 grinder on account of mine melting down. same with the $35 moto-tools. they melt down as well. but the xu1 bench grinders are great given there price.
while im on my rant angus youll want a decent vice. $50 for a big one at bunnings was what i payed, its pretty massive and does the job. but shane and nick got an even bigger version (about 2x the size) for $90. they weigh like 50kg and tilt in 2 different ways and have a pipe holder built in... wish i waited and bought one
and a drill press vice too, cant live without one. mine was like $20 from bunnings. no problems with it...
and also! having had my dremel for the last week or so, the difference between the proper one and the imitations its massive! the dremel is just so much better in every regard... such a handy thing. and the 3 jaw chuck that came with mine kicks ass espcially. _________________ www.demon50s.com - Minimoto parts
http://www.youtube.com/user/HyzerGlen - Videoooozzz
Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:50 pm
dyrodium Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 6476
Location: Sydney
LOL ok!
Yeah being left handed sucks, and alot of power tool related injuries are from lefties using normal tools designed for righthanded people
I'll be getting a proper vice too yeah.
By the way i do intend to do alot of steel tube cutting... _________________ ( •_•)
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 11802
Location: Sydney, NSW
Yeah, the original Dremmel is without compare! I thought they were toys until bought one; now its a star in the workshop .
My Makita Jigsaw is the more powerful one (they make two models) and it can power through 8mm steel without slowing down as long as it has the proper blade fitted. It cost over $300 but I think it was worth it compared to other jigsaws I have owned. As long as your jigsaw has pendulum action and around a 500 watt motor, its going to do OK.
That big $90 vise from Hare & Forbes is worth the money too. Its a Chinese copy of a popular US model and the rotating features really add to what it can do. Mount it on the corner of your work bench and there is almost nothing that can't be clamped. _________________ Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
UK 2016 Gladiator champion
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum