Andrew only started having an interest in CNC machining in the spring of 2016 when he bought a small CNC router in order to make some tools in graphite and brass for his son’s glass-blowing studio. Though the machine struggled with non-ferrous metals, it worked reasonably well in wood, graphite, and Delrin. This provided the knowledge and excitement to pursue CNC even more.
After two and a half years with the router, Andrew decided to get something more robust. First, he looked at a Tormach 440 but the customer service and sales support were non-existent for anything outside the US market.
After negotiating directly with the SYIL CEO Mr. Xushuo, Andrew placed an order directly with the factory in China. Shortly thereafter the SYIL UK partner came on board just in time to assist with the importing of an X5 CNC mill with a BT-30 spindle controlled by the LNC 5800. It was the first such machine to arrive in the UK!
Since delivery in early 2019 the machine has hardly seen a day of rest!
"The bare SYIL X5 arrived in January 2019. I only had space for a machine without an enclosure and couldn’t afford luxuries such as an ATC but I felt it would suit my purposes as a hobby machine. The machine has worked well for me and I have been able to make anything I have wanted. I have added my own DIY 4th axis and have also done some mill-turning. In May 2020 I had a problem with the spindle cartridge - basically, the bearings failed, a common problem with any CNC machine. Again, with the assistance of SYIL UK, I received an uprated replacement which I installed myself. I would highly recommend working with SYIL UK to specify a machine that would suit your requirements, commission the machine and provide after-sales support. I’m very happy with the LNC5800 and it has run faultlessly even though there is no direct customer support from LNC in Taiwan."
Andrew uses Fusion 360 from Autodesk exclusively and has made some minor changes to the post-processor to match his requirements.
On a number of occasions, Andrew has also assisted SYIL UK in matters of support and training.
We thank Andrew for his trust and for allowing us to share his story with our customers.