Proxxon

[Graeme BartonParticipant @graemebarton49345]

Hi there,

I’ve written a couple of times before (thanks for the replys on fly cutting and using a slitting saw – never did get the slitting saw to cut, bugger) but i’m now home for a few months with no access to the machines i’ve been using.

 

I’ve looked at a few different items from proxxon including their lathes (x2) and various milling options. They look like they are good quality kit and a number of people seem to stock their stuff in the UK but i don’t see many articles on them. i know they are a bit more expensive than some of the far eastern equipment available but are cheaper than the Cowells machine i long for!

 

Does anybody own any of these bits of kit?

 

I’m planning to make mainly smallish bits for motobikes and would like to get into some CNC stuff so was considering the MF70 for a beginners conversion

 

Look forward to hearing something back

ta

graeme 

[Graeme BartonParticipant @graemebarton49345]

Possible purchase

[Graeme BartonParticipant @graemebarton49345]

Oh forgot to mention,

I’m also considering a Taig lathe or possibly an EMCO Unimat 4.

There’s an EMCO Unimat Basic PC on ebay at the minute any info on this type of machine and why it is so much more expensive than the basic Unimat? 

[Billy MillsParticipant @billymills]

Hi Graeme,

Have a Bandsaw MBS/E – DB250 wood lathe- DH40 Planer thicknesser- two MT300 shaper/router table-KS115 mini circular saw -DS115 Scroll saw  and the FKS/E table saw.

Use most of these on a daily basis. Proxxon tools are unlike any others, they are basically good quality hobby tools on a miniature scale.

 

Some are quite unique- such as the DH40 thicknesser which is solid alloy casting under the plastic covers. This is a very good tool for wood and plastic thicknessing but is very expensive against a full size maketa machine. But would not be without it.

 

The bandsaw is a very small  machine, it works ok on thin materials, it is a light duty machine. The blade guides need re-work. Again unique small machine of table top size.

 

The table saw FKS/E is a total gem, when fitted with the solid carbide blade or carbide tipped blades and a few modifications this machine is capable of sawing and slitting wood,plastic and ali within 0.1mm consistantly, would not be without this machine. The lighter and smaller KS115 has fixed blade height but finds a role as a thin parts instant saw.

 

The router  table MT300 is a scaled down router & table very useful for wood & plastic moulding. Again a unique tool.

 

Wood lathe DB250 is small and light but there are too many  errors, plastic collets are very poor, the tailstock slips!!! and the whole thing is a disapointment.

 

DS115 scroll saw works ok but blade mounting is poorly thought out. It is again a light table top machine for miniature work.

 

The MF70 micro mill is an odd machine. It has some of the attributes of a good miniature mill, variable speed to 20,000 rpm – as is vital at this scale- and 1mm/ turn feedrate on X,Y and Z axis and is rigid in the Z axis but the table is ali and plastic !!!!!!

For very light milling it works well although this is the milling equivalent of the dead flesh keyboards of years ago. If the table had been a little more conventional then this could be a great tool.

 

I have no direct experience of the Proxxon metal working lathes. But would comment that they are very expensive in the UK. Proxxon do seem to re-badge far eastern machines, some machines are available from other brands just like Seig machines.

A unique range of micro tools for light duty that you can pick up with one hand and put in a cupboard but do take a good look at each one before buying.

Regards,

Alan.

[Billy MillsParticipant @billymills]

Graeme,

On second thought would suggest that the Arc Euro XL1 would be much better for a CNC conversion than the MF70. Much bigger table, much bigger X Y Z range and cheap spare parts readily available. It would also be better for a 4th axis. Same kind of price.

 

Regards,

Alan.

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