There's all kinds of questions to ask on this subject. What type of work will you be doing ? Is this for business or a hobby ? Are finances a large consideration. With some extra effort you can do anything on a vertical that you'd do on a horizontal and vice versa. You also could spend the extra for a DRO on the vertical. If you get the Horiz/Vert combo you're gonna need more tools, but again that depends on the type of work you're gonna be doing. If this is for a shop where there's more than one person then you need to consider separate machines possibly. My self I would go for the vertical alone unless money was not a big consideration. One thing to consider and it's only my opinion is the knucklehead is not as strong as the fixed head but folks have done wonders with knucklehead so it's up to you. Horizontals are pretty much production machines unless it's the only one you got!
Hope I didn't confuse the issue
dickr
Good questions all. I don't KNOW what kind of work I'll be doing. I have some things in mind but plans/directions are subject to change. It'll be more of a hobby but some things I do may have business application though I don't ever plan to go in to production with anything, more of an R & D. Right now I can think of a couple of things that the horizontal would excel at. The future? Unknown. Finances aren't much of an issue (It's more a matter of whether my wife gives me "the look" or "THE look"
) It'll be a one man operation. I don't even know anyone locally that does machining. Just hope my son will be interested as he gets older.
847 with a good set of readouts..
Anything more specific as to why? I'm sure the 847 is a capable machine but I need all the input I can get before I'm willing to pry open the old wallet.
Get the 860!!!!
Ever since I laid eyes on a new one back in 1980, I've wanted one. I have a 645 Index mill, but there is times I wish I had that horizontal spindle for heavy milling.
Unfortunately, that is my gut instinct as well. :thumbzup: I'm really trying to approach this in a manner that, shall we say, (or my wife says
) is more appropriate for my age. :biggrin:
I really tend towards a machine that I perceive to have more flexibility and capabilities. What I really don't know, in this case, is if I am losing something or making a compromise that wouldn't be in my best interests as Dick brought up with the knuckleheads possibly being less rigid. That's where it would be great to have input from those who have actually worked with such machine (this model would be too much to hope for). I, like all of us, would like to get the best, most accurate machine I can even if my skills aren't up to the machine. I can always grow my skills. At least I would hope so.
I did tell my wife last night that I was looking at spending a considerable amount of money for a mill. She's tighter with money than I am but she'd never begrudge me a new "toy" that I was really set on getting. She's truly a treasure.
-Ron