Awl --
I've been finding new ways to fritter away time, and so's not to feel so guilty, I figgered I'd at least look at 5 axis machines and the like, on youtube.
wow....
Some of the stuff is hard to even grok, but it looked like to me they are coming out with real sophisticated Smithy/Grizzly type deals, so that there isn't even a real distinction between a VMC and a turning center anymore -- at least not beyond a certain level/price tag.
It's almost as if we are near to having a part held by a robotic arm(s) in the middle of space, that can spin, surrounded by live tooling that can also spin/move in any direction. "Think a little", and voila, done part!
Any ideas of what these machines can/cannot do, price tags, etc? How practical would one of these be for a shop owned by a mortal?
Would/could they justify themselves over sep. vmc/multi-axis lathes, or is the cost just too high, so as to be for highpriced specialized stuff?
What's the prognosis for prices of these super-machines?