When it comes to the various hobbyist kits, what would you recommend for milling Aluminum? CncRouterparts.com? Shapeoko2?
I realize a Tormach is probably the way to go for metals but I’m not considering it at this point.
Thanks!
If you are talking about machining aluminum or stainless with any seriousness, that rules out pretty much all the hobby class machines. I don’t think there is anything a shapeoko will do that a shopbot won’t.
I think you need to look at milling machines. Even then, you would need a very heavy duty machine for doing stainless. I think you need to budget $15k if you are serious about stainless. If you limit yourself to aluminum that price comes down a lot.
You need to specify what work area you want, and if you need to make a part in 10 minutes or 10 days.
I agree with @Alan_M . I started with a CNC Router Parts CRP-4848. Yes it can do aluminum, but I quickly found my self wanting the accuracy and repeatably of a more rigid machine. The CRP-4848 is a great machine, but you have to work constantly to keep it tight and accurate when working with harder materials.
I eventually went with a CNC converted Sieg X3. It can do steel and aluminum without too much problem. There’s even folks working Titanium with it. I still find my self wanting a larger more rigid machine, something like a Tormach. It’s a hard fact of physics that working harder materials means heavier machines.
I would recommend you sit down and decide what you really want to make and size the machine from there. After that, buy the largest machine you can afford in that class. Tools will come after, but you don’t want to second guess you largest single investment.
If your goal is to machine metals then get a milling machine. End of story!
Tormach is probably the minimum machine for stainless assuming your not doing CNC as a big DIY project.
In my personal experience I’ve ran the OX CNC kit only on Aluminum, and it has been acceptable. I do occasionally dig too deep and skip a tooth (6mm cut is too much, it’ll do it but it screams!) It is a little weak power wise, so I have to take small cuts, .4mm - .5mm per pass. But I love it. I built it, I sell them, the community is huge, and now with Chilipeppr it’s even more fun than ever. Look forward to using this machine every time… I look for a reason to use it. :-). Will not do stainless. I mean I guess if you took REALLY small cuts, but you’d probably get more chatter than chip load. Good luck on your venture and keep us updated on your decision.
Haas toolroom-mill, or minimill 
mini-VMCs can be done DIY, but it’s not necessarily any cheaper than a Haas. You need servos with feedback (linuxcnc can handle that), linear guides, ballscrews, and sufficient mass+stiffness for the frame. It’s a shame nobody makes a hobby-priced ATC spindle… they start at 4k or so and you want 2 kW or more.
How big are you wanting to go for a work envelope? Stainless is pretty hard, and many of the kits out there are for wood, plastic, and light metals. I converted a Harbor Freight Mini-mill to CNC, but the work area is small; and I will admit I spent a lot of time getting it tuned to where I could cut harder metals; budget is also a question; If you want a decent size and ability to do most any metals, you could consider buying a Grizzly mill and do a CNC conversion, even an older Bridgeport, but work envelope, budget and shop space are the big questions.
ATC spindle?
Automatic Tool Changer
As everyone else you need a milling machine especially for stainless. Also to cut metal with any speed, finish and precision you need to use coolant which rules out any wood based system. Aluminium if you take it easy doesn’t need coolant but stainless does or you will burn cutters out quickly.
I think you could get the job done for a lot less than $15k though.
I just posted one I found on ebay they have missed mark only have a couple hours to pick it up
thanks for all the feedback, it seems like most of the hobbyist kits (shapeoko, shopbot) are focused on woods/plastics, and not so much on aluminum
@Freeman_Pascal What about the CNC routerparts’ Pro CNC and Benchtop CNC kits?
It was mispriced and they caught it they pull it off though eBay. It was priced only for$193.50 and free shipping
@Alex_Lee1 I haven’t seen the Pro series up close, but the new linear V rail system and the improved tension kit on the rack and pinion system would provide improvements over the standard CRP router. Although, I would still point out that the mass of the machine has not increased significantly enough to say that it can handle the harder materials you want - definitely not stainless steel.
Caveat applies - I’m not an engineer but I did sleep at a Holiday Express once.
One other thing worth mentioning is you can’t just “make small cuts” on SS in a lightweight machine like you you can with with mild steel. You need to dig deep enough on SS to make a real cut, otherwise it will work harden and kill your cutters.
@Freeman_Pascal Where did you purchase your CNC converted Sieg X3? I found this website called CNCfusion.com
@Alex_Lee1 I purchased my Sieg X3 from someone who did the conversion. He used the CNC fusion kit. You can find the build log at: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/x3_sx3_g0619_g0463/53421-seig_x3_conversion_deluxe_cncfusion.html