I hope this is the right area to put this in if it is not i apologize...


O.k. i am a complete and total newbit to this stuff. But i want to get into making dies for rfwelding and fabric embossing. The fabric embossing uses predominatly aluminum or magnesium dies and the rfwelding uses brass.

I just want a simple machine to cut in house stuff for the company i am starting (doing garment decoration). All i need is someting simple to learn if it takes 4 hrs to cut a die i am cool with that.

The original company i was looking for equiptment 2 years ago said they had their own machine they recommeded me buying but that was 50K and while i dont doubt i could make that money back, that a ***** to invest on a 35k machine. Now 2 years later i am seeing more info on metal engraving (that i can find) and its looking like i would have gotten HOSED spending all that money because its over kills and i think i can use a roland cutter or a cnc shark to do the same thing.

Has anyone ever cut dies of brass or aluminum or cheaper machines like that??? And how easy is this stuff to learn, i am a graphic designer so i understand vertor graphics pretty well (i can do illustrator in my sleep)

The guys at cnc shark make it look easy peasy doing this stuff but it intimidates me. I am not an engineer or a programmer so i am worried that will get over my head quickly with this. I dont know about bits and which are better for what metals or wood or what. I havent really seen anything here.

Does anyone have any tutorials on what i should be looking at to get more familiar with the things i want to do??? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

die examples

http://www.rfappliquewelding.com/applique_mold_examples.asp

if i am confusing you on what i want:

1: pointer to tutorial from someone like me a complete newbie to learn about using a mill or cutting metals.
2: information if anyone has cut metal dies for fabric embossing or rfwelding with a cheapy cutter like the lowend rolands or the cnc shark.
3:(cause i just though of it) has anyone used bob art to cut metal??

thanks in advance for any help
-adam

when you say simple machine, thats kind of limiting. yes i can say a 1985 mill can do what you want, but im using surfcam, lots of money, and can the 1985 mill make it fast enough for you?, i think there is a soloution out there for you but i am not familiar with it-im tool and die.

i once used a "brother" mill, yes the typewriter ppl. it was small and fast, 10000 rpm, that could do what you want.

i think you want to go after the small cnc for what you wanna make, so "Brother" might be an excellent choice, hi rpm. hi rapid, ability to take a program feed from a PC, i know fanuc makes a Robotrol, guessing its more spendy, search for some brands, daewoo? and probably buy used to start.

hire a right hand man, to start out picking machinery, a 33% partner perhaps. someone who can get the job done. i cant train you to program in a paragraph, sry, i am not familiar with the brands you mentioned. GL

if you mean these

http://www.brother-usa.com/machinetool/

Wow... that looks like serious overkill *L* just for some dies that will be at MAX 8" x 10 "

I dont mean to laugh it just looks a little more involved that i may need. But i figure you probably havent done dies for what i am talking about (very few have)


i dont know anything about this stuff so you might be right. it just feels from looking at it like squirell hunting with a sherman tank.

has anyone used these engravers ???

http://signwarehouse.com/engravers/roland_egx400_600.htm

CNC router with a pointed tool works both the replica of a die male and the female exactly, so as to make them match to each other. Can you lodge your design / drawing to us so that we can do the die in aluminium and the rf welding base in common brass? Pls visit www.custompartsonline.com

Try with HAAS TM1 vertical machining center it is araund 20.000$(Machine working area x720-y320-z460). About software browse on www.delcam.com(Powermill,Powershape,Artcam). The control of the machine is very similar to FANUC and easy to use. If you need some cheeper software with similar capabilities try with www.mastercam.com it is cheeper but it is more time conzuming for the same amount of work with an advantage of integrated CAD/CAM in same working area. I am mechanical engineer at METALFLEX CNC
company (moldmaking,diemaking company). If you need help about someting just write me on karamitrov1@yahoo.com i can help you with lerning as much as you can without machine in your hands.