CNC machine on a budget

[9rape_soda]

I need a serious CNC machine, but I'm kind of a noob!

I'm trying to drill tiny holes in metal, like 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm in diameter, a few centimeters deep. My ultimate goal is to make molds and super fine metal tubes (like 0.4 mm OD / 0.25 mm ID).

My budget sweet spot is $5k to $10k, maybe up to $20k.
Is there anything in that price range capable of that insane precision work with metal? And what specs should I be obsessively checking? Help a beginner out!

 

[Jessica_Albert]

You could start small like get a precision mini-mill and upgrade it with a high-speed spindle attachment. Not ideal for production, but good for learning tool deflection, feeds, and speeds. Once you get a feel for micro drilling, you’ll know exactly what machine you really need.

 

[Prince_Gotha]

That’s some wild precision work to jump into, man. Nothing wrong with it, but most hobby-level CNCs will struggle with that kind of tolerance in metal. You could get close if you baby the setup, but I’d invest in a really good spindle, collets, and coolant system before chasing micron-level accuracy.

 

[Kahran_Ramsus]

If you’re doing molds and micro tubes, I’d start by checking out machines built for dental or jewelry work. They’re small, fast, and made for precision at that scale. You won’t be cutting thick steel plates with them, but for 0.1 mm holes, they’ll do better than most “budget” CNCs trying to fake fine detail.

 

[kvom01]

.1mm needs 10K RPM minimum. Make sure the spindle has enough torque,

 

[Captain_Goofy]

Drilling 0.1 mm holes in metal is brutal. You’re getting into EDM or micro-milling territory. A $5k machine will struggle to stay rigid enough. I’d say buy solid tooling first, then see how far you can push a Tormach or similar.

 

[Alan]

In your budget range ($5 k–$20 k), you might find a good machine that can manage small holes around 0.5–1.0 mm with careful setup but expecting reliable 0.1 mm metal holes is optimistic without extra gear or specialty machines. If you go forward, prioritize: very rigid frame, rigid spindle with low runout, high RPM capability, and work-holding that avoids deflection. Do you plan to drill in soft metals (aluminum, brass) or harder ones (steel, stainless)? That makes a big difference.

 

[stanstocker]

If you want to do some retrofitting on older hardware HRG has a number of Servo tiny mills. If they are not clapped out they might be useful. Not common outside of the jewelry world it seems, never ran one myself so perhaps someone else will tell you from experience if this is a possible good fit. I think the smallest holes I ever poked were around 0.15 mm. It's not a trivial undertaking not only from the diameter perspective but in many or most cases it's into the realm of deep hole drilling if you do the finger math. Best of luck at it!

 

[mhenry]

If you want to do some retrofitting on older hardware HRG has a number of Servo tiny mills. If they are not clapped out they might be useful. Not common outside of the jewelry world it seems, never ran one myself so perhaps someone else will tell you from experience if this is a possible good fit. I think the smallest holes I ever poked were around 0.15 mm. It's not a trivial undertaking not only from the diameter perspective but in many or most cases it's into the realm of deep hole drilling if you do the finger math. Best of luck at it!

Would that be HGR out of Cleveland?

https://hgrinc.com/?query=Servo

If the parts are small, the Pocket NC might be a possibility, depending on the precision needed for the holes. That is a 5-axis CNC and runs ~$7k to $10k, depending on spindle configuration, either 10k or 50k rpm.

https://www.pentamachine.com/all-products

 

[stanstocker]

Would that be HGR out of Cleveland?

https://hgrinc.com/?query=Servo

If the parts are small, the Pocket NC might be a possibility, depending on the precision needed for the holes. That is a 5-axis CNC and runs ~$7k to $10k, depending on spindle configuration, either 10k or 50k rpm.

https://www.pentamachine.com/all-products

 

[stanstocker]

Just a wee bit east of Cleveland but close enough .

I had forgotten about the Pocket CNC but there is a person on youtube channel JohnnyQ90 who has done some really impressive small engine work on one. So many wonderful toys, sadly a bit less than infinite resources!