Warco WM-14 or Amadeal AMA-16

http://www.warco.co.uk/milling-machines/31-wm-14-variable-speed-milling-machine.html

http://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/AMA16V.html

Now these two machines look pretty much identical to me, the specs are all most the same,.....although why is the maximum end milling capacity 12mm on the Warco when it's 16mm on the Amadeal?

Which one would you buy and why?

I couldn't get to the Ally Pally show the other month, snow prevented me from leaving home, hopefully the weather will be OK this Saturday, hoping to get to Warco's open day, may pick up a bargain??

Depends on how they measure the bed BUT advice do NOT go for one with a round pillar.

Bob

Hi Steve,

there isn't much difference between the two, although Amadeal seem to have slightly lower prices. Remember you also need tooling to the mill, collet chuck, milling cutters etc. You could probably buy where you get the best deal. If you live close to Warco you may be able to pick it up directly - no carriage to pay.

Regards

Thor

It is the same machine just a different paint job.

You seem to get a plastic chip shield on one in the picture but that is probably on the other too as necessary safety equipment. The free extras are probably the same: the arbor is just what the chuck has to go on to fit in the MT2 socket, the drawbar holds it in place. One mentions the drawbar (note singular) is 10mm & 3/8in so it is probably double ended and the same for both (check on phone).

Warco include delivery in the price so if you do pick up yourself negotiate the saving. they use their own guy for delivery and I have found it a good service on 3 occasions over 20 years. A cregualr courier might not be so accomodating but some are just as good if regualrly dealing with deliveries to amateurs.

Warco have a big showroom (not been there) and a long pedigree.

Amadeal are in a inner city industrial estate (have been there). They are relatively new small operation and the owner seems a nice enough chap. I think the smaller operation etc allows and requires lower market making prices.

After a short delay while I went to the club meeting I will just add some more.

The size of cutter quoted is not significant. The speed range is the same for both so they can take the same cutters and the rate of metal removal is related to the wattage of the motor which is equal. With a larger cutter you just use lower speed and take smaller depth of cut. More significant is the size of holder needed to hold a big cutter. Half inch is fine for most modelling needs.

You don't need to get lots of tooling straight off. If you get a 2MT direct collet for 1/2 inch or 12mm and a single slot drill of that size (not end mill) you can do quite a bit for 6 months while you learn enough to make wise decisions about the next purchase.

Mr Steve

Until you get into bed with a woman

you will never know anything about women, no matter how much advice you get, or how many books you read

**LINK**

Cimb into bed with one Mr Steve, go for it

Both Warco and Amadeal are correct in their own way. Both machines are on an MT2 spindle. If you use MT2 collets, then the maximum end mill capacity is 12mm. If you use an MT2/ER25 milling collet chuck, then maximum end mill capacity is 16mm. As with any machine, how the 16mm endmill will perform on specific materials at specific speed and feeds is open to question. Other comments similar to Bazyle. However if I recall correctly, you are from London and geographically you are closer to Amadeal then Warco.

Ketan at ARC.

Ketan at ARC.

Steve

I have the WM 16, see my write up in.. **LINK**

George

I also have a WM 16 and to clarify Bazyle's post the drawbar is a captive arrangement (avoids bashing the top of it wiv an ammer to release your tooling). To cater for different arbors and chucks Warco supplied 2, one at 3/8 Whit and the other at M10. I have used both.

Jim

Ha ha, yes very good. It's just a fair old wedge of cash to me, I can't afford or plan to buy any more machines, just hoping to avoid buying a lemon first time out of the box as so to speak.

By the time you have made your mind up they will have gone up £300

Which, the woman or the mill ?

Dennis

Both, probably.

Roy.

That can't be right? I suspect the mill would have gone up by £300, but the woman would have made a decision, spent the money allocated to the mill and the extra £300.

Andrew

.

And then told you how much money she had saved, spending it.

I think it ironic that the males of the human species usually have part of their anatomy removed just after birth.

Why can't the female of the species have their Barclay cards surgically removed ?

Because it's part of their DNA helix,...mmmmmm, I wonder?.. if we can genetically modify vegetable DNA....... ??? .. Naaahh dream on guys!

Warco seem to be out of stock of the metric version. Are the measurements spot on with these machines anyway, I'd imagine that checking/using a micrometer several times throughout a job would be more accurate? Apart from the folks who live in the States does anyone prefer to have an imperial marked machine?

The measurement question is open to conjecture with all machines; how slack/tight are the gib strips, how much backlash on the leadscrews, how good is your eyesight when looking at the dials, do you look at them directly from above/off to one side, account for parallax error, which side of the line are you looking at, are the X axis stops utilised etc.etc.. I have since fitted DRO's (albeit economy priced) to my X & Y axis so I can virtually forget about most of the previous, & having used them to modify the vice jaws on my bandsaw last week I found the measuring to be spot on.

My machines are metric but if I need to use imperial, as when constructing my rear toolpost recently (Hemingway kit,usual disclaimer) the plans of which are Imp, & prior to fitting my DRO's, I simply converted by multiplying by 25.4, or dividing by same as the case may be,so working in either imp or metric should pose no probs' plus there are a plethora of conversion charts available... (Zeus booklet !).. in all cases I check with micrometer/vernier/depth/ internal mic' /anyway, as on occasion the 'Z' axis fitted DRO has sometimes gives spurious readings. (probably due to me not setting it up correctly, or maybe the battery is low/cold?) anyhow I am getting used to its foibles(ea.mach' WILL have its own) & so far I am content with both machines, touch wood, fingers x'd.

Happy hunting

George