I know ... Joe! Plasma! Think PLASMA!!!

[Joe Jones]

Hi. My name is Joe ... and I am a retired hobbyist. (Clap. Clap. "Hi, Joe!")

I know this is the PLASMA SPIDER FORUM board, and I do love to work with sheet metal and other materials. I honestly DO! However, my life seems to be moving in a different direction, and I am really spreading myself THIN now.

I have recently drifted into different areas of hobby shop fabrication, and although I want to return to cnc plasma cutting, my attention has been drawn away from my Samson 510 table, toward other processes.

I confess that I have drifted away from metal art, into lasers and most recently, 3D printers. They certainly are ADDICTIVE hobbies.

Well, as fate would have it, some friends ... friends who KNOW I have NO self control ... THOSE friends ... they pointed me to a machine that I absolutely could not resist, once I knew that it exists.

It is the Langmuir MR-1 cnc MILL. I didn't know about it, but now it is one of those "MUST HAVE" things that I cannot imagine life without.

http://www.langmuirsystems.com/mr1

LANGMUIR MR-1 CNC MILL.jpg

So I resisted ... briefly, before ordering one.

Now, contrary to popular opinion, I am NOT Elon Musk. I will have to sell some things to raise the money to pay for this machine. I think I will be forced to sell my .50 cal Bushmaster rifle and ammo. That should be enough. I don't have much "WARRIOR" left in me anyway. This old body has no 'fight' left in it now. If the world goes to Hell, I will just cook burgers for the Patriots who CAN fight.


But come on! An affordable CNC MILL!!!


Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


I need help.


Joe



.

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https://www.ratchetwerks.com/langmuir-mr1

Langmuir MR-1 review.jpg

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGyFhN01M4M

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0UD2-lELKY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CEu0wdb_3g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4_5-AmjpM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfgLN7H5dys

[acourtjester]

Nice gift to yourself, may you be happy

[Joe Jones]

Nice gift to yourself, may you be happy

No wife. No kids. No pets. No plants to water.

I do PLENTY for family and friends and neighbors all year long. I also get things for myself once in a while.

Merry Christmas!

Joe

http://youtu.be/qsou3o2IRHc?si=ZbQJWp14ykPspX9A

[Joe Jones]

I have decided to pay them their fee for assembly, so they will deliver a fully assembled unit, with the concrete and everything already DONE.

This is going to be exciting!

Joe

[68rscamaro]

Looks like an expensive "toy" at best.
I'll stick with my haas Vf's

[Joe Jones]

Looks like an expensive "toy" at best.
I'll stick with my haas Vf's

Okay. So ... YOU use million dollar multi-axis cnc milling machines. This thing is less than $8,000.00 and does not require an airplane hangar of space to own it, and it does not require 3-phase power to run it. Some people fly fighter jets. Others fly Cessnas!

What was YOUR first computer?

Joe

[68rscamaro]

I have no idea what my first computer was honestly.
Yes there are million dollar machines out there.....A haas Vf isn't one of them!
You can get into a decent used machine in the 8k range. A vf is going to need 3 phase power but there are plenty of used tm and mini mills out there that run on single phase, have cat/mt40 taper and tool changers.
Just mark my words.....If you start doing much machining at all you're going to despise changing and setting tools.

Best of luck with your new machine.

[Joe Jones]

I have no idea what my first computer was honestly.
Yes there are million dollar machines out there.....A haas Vf isn't one of them!
You can get into a decent used machine in the 8k range. A vf is going to need 3 phase power but there are plenty of used tm and mini mills out there that run on single phase, have cat/mt40 taper and tool changers.
Just mark my words.....If you start doing much machining at all you're going to despise changing and setting tools.

Best of luck with your new machine.

Okay. so post a link to your machine. I CAN cancel my order!

Joe

[68rscamaro]

I don't have one I'm selling. Just saying they're out there if you're patient something will come along.
Just did a quick scroll on a Haas machine buy/sell group these may be bigger than you're looking for so just an example of a couple.
Didn't look for long or hard but there was a tm1 for 12k on there. I realize that substantially more than 8k but it's 10 times the machine!

[Joe Jones]

Links to software demos? Training? Etc.?

That machine is 27 YEARS old.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

Didn't look for long or hard but there was a tm1 for 12k on there. I realize that substantially more than 8k but it's 10 times the machine!

What software does it use? Is training available, in person or online? I am not a machinist!

I can learn on the MR-1, and then move up to something bigger, can't I?

Joe

[68rscamaro]

You can absolutely learn and then move on to bigger and better!
They don't have specific software. The most common lower priced solution is fusion. Mastercam is the "gold standard" but it's $$$$$. I've used both and prefer mastercam but that's what I learned on and was trying to find a cheaper solution. I decided that this dog is too old to learn new tricks so I decided to stick with what I know.
If you're just starting out I highly recommend fusion. There's way bigger and better shops than mine that use it every day. I just didn't have the desire to basically start over in programming.

Yes, those machines I posted are older (but still good) that was just a real quick example. I've come across some pretty killer deals just being patient.
There's tons of tutorials out there for these machines, probably the most common machines out there. Haas has a youtube channel they call haas tip of the day there's literately thousands of videos covering pretty much anything you can think of

[68rscamaro]

Also.....That 27 year old $6500 machine will be worth that same $6500 in 10 years! Can't say the same for that MR-1 half it's value is gone when it's delivered and in 10 years (if it's even still running) might be worth a couple grand if you throw in the thousands of dollars worth of tooling that you acquired.

[68rscamaro]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/326379452759?_ ... R9Smy8OAZQ

There's a tm with tool changer and enough Z height to actually be useful and be able to run a "real" vice.

[Joe Jones]

There's a tm with tool changer and enough Z height to actually be useful and be able to run a "real" vice.

You ride a Harley, don't you!

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I have purchased old machines in the past. The usual "support" from the manufacturer is, "We don't have any parts for that machine .. We don't support it any longer ... We don't offer training on that machine ..."

Buying a machine as you suggest is probably a good idea for someone like you, who is already intimately familiar with HOW they work, and what needs to be in a file in order for the part to come out correctly. You can just plug it in and get to work.

I hear good things about the MR-1, and countless reports of their stellar after-sale customer service. I will learn this machine, and do as much as I can with it, and then decide whether to move up to something more industrial.

No one learns how to fly a plane, in a 747.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

Also.....That 27 year old $6500 machine will be worth that same $6500 in 10 years! Can't say the same for that MR-1 half it's value is gone when it's delivered and in 10 years (if it's even still running) might be worth a couple grand if you throw in the thousands of dollars worth of tooling that you acquired.

I will be DEAD in ten years.

Joe

[adbuch]

I own and use Matsuura and Nakamura Tome cnc machining centers. I've had them in the shop here for over 20 years, and they work well. I also use MasterCam for creating tool paths and g-code. I use many different programs for the actual drawings - including AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Design Edge, Inkscape, etc. - it just depends on what sort of project I am working on. Both Matsuura and Nakamura Tome are made in Japan, or at least they were when my machines were manufactured. These are large, heavy machines - and do require 3 phase power. I am running them (along with my Bridgeport and conventional lathes, and Powermax 85 plasma cutter - from a 30 HP CNC Rotary Phase Converter.

These are top quality machines, but do require some technical knowledge to service and maintain them. I have acquired that knowledge and ability over the last 20 years and do service and maintain my own machines. New replacement parts are no longer available - so I rely on some of the existing companies that still offer rebuilds for circuit boards, spindle drives, etc. This can get expensive, time consuming, and probably not much fun for the average hobby guy. I use my machines for production parts for my customers - so for me it is worth the time and expense.

For the average hobby guy - from what I have seen looking at the videos and reviews of the Langmuir MR-1 - I personally would recommend the MR-1 as a nice cnc machine for making custom and one-off parts - both steel and aluminum. The machining time will be a bit longer than with the "big boys" - but they will get the job done. I also like the idea of buying brand new and having Langmuir do the assembly so that a "turn key" machine is what is delivered to the customer. If I had the additional shop space (and time) I would probably order one just to check it out. Also - at around $8k out the door - I think this a pretty good deal. I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

David

Matsuura and Slant 1.jpg

Matsuura and Slant 2.jpg

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mr-1.jpg

mr-1-1.jpg

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https://toolguyd.com/langmuir-mr1-cnc-mill/

mr-1-2.jpg

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZMU6IHiU38

[Joe Jones]

I registered for gunbroker.com tonight. I am going to sell some guns to pay for the machine. I have a nice collection of guns but there is no "warrior" left in me. So why have them? If the enemies of America succeed in preventing Mr. Trump from returning to the White House, I suspect the value of those guns will immediately double or triple. I have already sold several guns, but at low prices to good friends. I want to sell some of the others, but it is a bittersweet sale, because I had envisioned a different world ten years ago when I began buying them.

Anyway, I am looking forward to getting my hands on the MR-1 for various projects. Since I cannot find the proper suspension for the coffin trailer, I will just design and make it myself.

Joe