What is your next machine?

[hman]

My wife and I are planning to move to a retirement community within a few months. That means I'll have to hold a major sale of nearly all the tools in my ~1500SF shop.

I'll be posting the sale announcement somewhere on H M a few weeks before the sale - once I can figure out the best date to hold the sale (even though most forum members don't live in or near Arizona).

After our move, I'll most likely buy a 3D printer. Right now, the leading contender is a Bambu X1 "carbon." I've read that they're as close to plug-and-play as anything on the market.

Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo EDU Bundle - The Works

The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo Bundle is an optimized 3D printing experience for users of any level. It offers a large 256mm x 256mm x 256mm build volume, includes AI-assisted quality-of-life features like dual auto bed leveling, is capable of multi-color and multi-material 3D printing, and so...

www.matterhackers.com

 

[tim81]

My wife and I are planning to move to a retirement community within a few months. That means I'll have to hold a major sale of nearly all the tools in my ~1500SF shop.

I'll be posting the sale announcement somewhere on H M a few weeks before the sale - once I can figure out the best date to hold the sale (even though most forum members don't live in or near Arizona).

After our move, I'll most likely buy a 3D printer. Right now, the leading contender is a Bambu X1 "carbon." I've read that they're as close to plug-and-play as anything on the market.

Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo EDU Bundle - The Works

The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo Bundle is an optimized 3D printing experience for users of any level. It offers a large 256mm x 256mm x 256mm build volume, includes AI-assisted quality-of-life features like dual auto bed leveling, is capable of multi-color and multi-material 3D printing, and so...

www.matterhackers.com

Sorry to hear it. Hope you will have a nice time there.

 

[hman]

Sorry to hear it. Hope you will have a nice time there.

Thanks! I expect that we will ... no more house or yard maintenance to worry about once we've moved. And I do plan to bring along a few of my goodies (small CNC mill, plus electronics components and assembly tools), just to avoid "tinkering withdrawal symptoms."

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I have my eye on a $260 Chinese Ditron D80 4 axis + RPM DRO for the head unit for my mill.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256801298467546.html?src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=19108282527&albag=&trgt=&crea=en3256801298467546&netw=x&device=c&albpg=&albpd=en3256801298467546&aff_fcid=abe736b2326649c58e24d2ec03c85d3c-1698796382611-06459-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=abe736b2326649c58e24d2ec03c85d3c-1698796382611-06459-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=10858813ac274cc7a1578df38e24ff09&afSmartRedirect=y&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I always get stuck when it comes time to figure out which scales to purchase. The magnetic scales seem quick and easy but then I start reading reports about problems with them missing steps. I will probably start with the D80 4 axis head unit with RPM input and just X and Y scales on my mill. I figure I can add scales for the other axis later.

Maybe I should start with a simple 2 axis install on my lathe to gain some experience before tackling my mill? I still get lost on which scales to get?

Just pony up for Touch DRO and you will be way ahead. And do the mill first, it will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

The 5UM glass scales are affordable enough now I would (And did) just jumped in with both feet. I wanted, and may still go for mag tape for my lathe due to size constraints, but even though matching and mounting the scales on my tiny mill bed was a PITA, it is well worth the time and cost.

The cost savings with T-DRO comes in when you setup more than one machine as you can use the same head unit (Tablet) for both machines, but the initial buy in between the one you listed ($260) vs T-DRO ($150ish) and a decent tablet ($100) and T-DRO has way more versatility.

I have been using DROs for many years and this setup just blows me away.

 

[MikeInOr]

Just pony up for Touch DRO and you will be way ahead. And do the mill first, it will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

The 5UM glass scales are affordable enough now I would (And did) just jumped in with both feet. I wanted, and may still go for mag tape for my lathe due to size constraints, but even though matching and mounting the scales on my tiny mill bed was a PITA, it is well worth the time and cost.

The cost savings with T-DRO comes in when you setup more than one machine as you can use the same head unit (Tablet) for both machines, but the initial buy in between the one you listed ($260) vs T-DRO ($150ish) and a decent tablet ($100) and T-DRO has way more versatility.

I have been using DROs for many years and this setup just blows me away.

I try to keep my shop a computer free zone. I spend all day in front of a computer designing and writing code, my shop is my escape. I considered Touch DRO many years ago when you soldered the kit together yourself and off the shelf DRO's were incredibly expensive. With as inexpensive as the Chinese DRO's are these days I like the simplicity of a purpose built head.

You guys have pretty much convinced my to go with the 5 uM glass scales.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Actually not looking to add anything (at this time). I'm actually getting around to selling my Atlas MFB and Jet JVM830 mills. Neither has been turned on in 2-5 years, I might as well let them go.

On the other hand, my wife would like a 3d printer and a laser scanner to create a math file of an object. Those will end up in the shop.

And if I could afford it, I'd love getting a laser cutter that'd handle 16 gauge.

Bruce

What kind of laser scanner are you thinking about?

 

[matthewsx]

My wife and I are planning to move to a retirement community within a few months. That means I'll have to hold a major sale of nearly all the tools in my ~1500SF shop.

I'll be posting the sale announcement somewhere on H M a few weeks before the sale - once I can figure out the best date to hold the sale (even though most forum members don't live in or near Arizona).

After our move, I'll most likely buy a 3D printer. Right now, the leading contender is a Bambu X1 "carbon." I've read that they're as close to plug-and-play as anything on the market.

Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo EDU Bundle - The Works

The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon Combo Bundle is an optimized 3D printing experience for users of any level. It offers a large 256mm x 256mm x 256mm build volume, includes AI-assisted quality-of-life features like dual auto bed leveling, is capable of multi-color and multi-material 3D printing, and so...

www.matterhackers.com

Sorry to hear you're giving up your shop but it's probably the responsible thing to do. I used to be in Mesa but that was more than a decade ago, if you do your sale in winter you may get some of the northerners willing to make a trip out of it.

I just unpacked and did the initial setup of a Bambu X1 at work, we haven't printed anything yet but the setup was pretty painless.

Good luck on all your future endeavors, I know some of the retirement communities have a shared shop space. If yours does maybe some of your equipment would fit there. Usually it's just woodworking from what I've heard but you never know....

John

 

[tim81]

Sorry to hear you're giving up your shop but it's probably the responsible thing to do. I used to be in Mesa but that was more than a decade ago, if you do your sale in winter you may get some of the northerners willing to make a trip out of it.

I just unpacked and did the initial setup of a Bambu X1 at work, we haven't printed anything yet but the setup was pretty painless.

Good luck on all your future endeavors, I know some of the retirement communities have a shared shop space. If yours does maybe some of your equipment would fit there. Usually it's just woodworking from what I've heard but you never know....

John

Not trying to be an ass, but why do people in USA chose to go to retirement communities?

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I try to keep my shop a computer free zone. I spend all day in front of a computer designing and writing code, my shop is my escape. I considered Touch DRO many years ago when you soldered the kit together yourself and off the shelf DRO's were incredibly expensive. With as inexpensive as the Chinese DRO's are these days I like the simplicity of a purpose built head.

You guys have pretty much convinced my to go with the 5 uM glass scales.

Do it!

We'll work on convincing you about T-DRO later.

Other than the initial setup its just like using any other DRO Ive used if I want that. Yeah there is some setup and calibration, but Im a hack when it comes to this and I honestly found it simple and fun. My biggest hurdle was taking my big boy indicators and figuring out how to make them work on my mini mill vs using the same thing every day on the Bridgeport's at work.

Everything I've been doing for decades was somewhat useless, that was a head trip.

Now if I want to use the DRO, I just use it. If I want to venture into a new feature, I can do that at my leisure, or not.

Then again I fly 3D helis to relax and setting up the Flybarless flight controllers is like deciphering ancient Sumerian texts while juggling chainsaws.

Keep an open mind to it.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Not trying to be an ass, but why do people in USA chose to go to retirement communities?

Dude, you live in canadensis.

Its paradise, people go there on vacation to pet the bears.

The old lady we bought our house from was 77yrs old and didn't want to care for a big house and 3 acres of property anymore. I don't see it for myself, but I can understand it for some.

Plus you know their throwing the car keys in the fishbowl at parties like its 1973 all over again.