/diy/ - Do It Yourself

When I jumped in about six years ago, I quickly came to the conclusion that unless you can freecycle most of the parts you need, no, you can't make it cheaper than you can buy it. The only reason to make is if you can't find a close match to what you want.

What you can do is buy a lower end machine and modify or add to it. I started with a $150 harborfreight special (it's Sieg X1) and it was my first foray into home machining. I added everything I could to it, new leadscrews, belt drive, better bearings, new spindle, power assists, hydraulics, etc. Spent maybe $1500 adding to it. I worked that machine to death. I still have it, but it's small, worn out, and I don't feel like pouring more money into it.

Next machine will probably be a Sieg X5. Because I have no chance of building something for less than they can sell it to me. :-|

I suppose it's cheap if you want to build a machine that can't actually do anything (lol RepRap) or if you already have all the parts. But at some point you spend all your time building the tool and none of your time using the tool.

>>40110

It's a light for sure, yeah :-) The knobs will be polished, the rest will get painted. I considered powdercoating and decided against.

Old pic of the mill when I had just finished building it out. It's a Sieg X1 under the upgrades I made by hand. The mill half built itself. Sadly, It cracked a pillowblock so I need to tear it apart and service it soon.