Does My Desired Mill Exist At Any Price?

[chip whisperer]

• NOT MADE IN CHINA
  
• benchtop
• variable speed belt or brushless DC (2-speed gearbox ok)
  
• decent RPMs for aluminum
  
• R8 or 3/4" shank compatible taper (I want to use TTS)
  
• "enough" Z clearance for a chucking reamer (8" too short; 12" maybe ok?)
• X power feed option

New preferred, but used ok as long as it's actually readily available in the US and not some fairy tale legend.

The only product that seems to fit the bill is the RF-45VN2F-DRO, but it's not readily available yet.

 

[rick9345]

Ahhhyhh-dreams do exist,but a mill(?),not that I know of. Some have been modified to specs but that is a project, not a mill. NOT MADE IN CHINA! Rong Fu? New?

 

[Eddyde]

The RF 45 is available
http://www.ebay.com/itm/32-Tbl-1-5H...997660?hash=item23707b819c:g:udUAAOSwawpXtirW
Though you might have to add the DRO and DC spindle motor.

 

[chip whisperer]

The RF 45 is available
http://www.ebay.com/itm/32-Tbl-1-5H...997660?hash=item23707b819c:g:udUAAOSwawpXtirW
Though you might have to add the DRO and DC spindle motor.

Any pages I can find on the conversion make it seem hard and fraught with problems. I imagine I'd also need to update the bearings (RF-45 only turns 1500 rpm), that's beyond the amount of work it would be worth putting in. I would just wait it out for the 45VN2F to become available.

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

Have you looked at the Haas Office Mills? Not a bench top but they come on wheels, the smallest has 8" X 8" XY and 12" Z, 30,000 rpm spindle, 3 Axis and a tool changer and a 20 taper spindle.

I have no idea what they cost but you did say any price.

http://www.mfgnewsweb.com/archives/micro_mfg/jul11/Haas_Office_Machines_pic_files/image001.jpg

 

[chip whisperer]

OM-1 appears to be $35,000.

 

[chip whisperer]

And they go up to $50k. They all have a tiny work cube (not big enough for a reamer) and very high speed spindles (30-50k) with very small tapers. So they wouldn't work for me even if I would fork over that much. Besides they are a full enclosure and not benchtop.

 

[george wilson]

I have seen a few small mills for sale recently,on an UN NAMED,but very large machinist's site. NOT HSM.

There was a Rotex there just a few days ago. Don't recall where it was located though. But,it was a nice mill in good shape. It did have a stand,but could be removed from the stand and sat on a bench.

 

[Eddyde]

Any pages I can find on the conversion make it seem hard and fraught with problems. I imagine I'd also need to update the bearings (RF-45 only turns 1500 rpm), that's beyond the amount of work it would be worth putting in. I would just wait it out for the 45VN2F to become available.

I would try to call Rong Fu dealers and ask if they can get you one. Also try sending an email to Rong Fu asking to buy one, see what they say.

 

[chip whisperer]

I have an inquiry out now. Lead time is 4 months, don't have pricing yet.