Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and the cnc world. I know what cnc is and what it has done for me in the past but not that much more. I would like to be able to learn this skill so that i do not have to pay someone else a fortune to get work done. I do not know where to start. My final goal is to be able to machine cylinder heads. I build cars and love to make them faster. Where should I start and in what direction should I start moving? Thank you in advance for all of the help.

Do you have any manual machine experience?
Reason for asking this is that if the answer is no, I guess that my suggestion would be to bite the bullet, hire someone and maybe look over his shoulder. There is a reason that the CNC trade is a 4 year full time apprenticeship. If you have experience with manual machine, you have the basics down, and now you can move on by doing a lot of forum reading and purchase some machining books.

HTH
Lars

Only three ways i know of to get started.
Go to school and get some guidance.
Get a job in a shop that does the work you want to learn.
Buy a machine and hire someone to learn from.
You can read all the books and info you want, but as soon as you put your hands on the NC,you will be lost without some experiance, or someone experianced.

I'd recommend School, aside from smashing up your parts and or machine (like running the tool into the headstock) there are serious Health Issues- the thought of someone with no- experience pushing the big green button makes me shiver.

I mean this with the greatest of respect- you don't want your hair/ jacket wrapped round a spindle or a chuck key launching itself at you at 3000 RPM!

Take care!

You got some good advise so far. I too would run as fast as I could when a greenhorn reaches for that green button. Just remember one thing. A machine doesn't think, it does what you told it to do, even if it's the wrong thing, and it does it faster than you blink. I tell you this not to scare you but too inform you of the dangers.

I first driver licence was automatic. when i learn the mill and lathe i was too scare to engage automatic feeder. Now i m in CNC cad cam no worries. I ride my mottobike in the weekend. If u lkie what u do go for it dont let any one stop u.

You can read all the books and info you want, but as soon as you put your hands on the NC,you will be lost without some experiance, or someone experianced.

No offense, that's just wrong!

At least since machine manuals have been printed.

It's all common sense, If you can read, know your way around a PC, & mechanically inclined, you will do just fine.

Don't get me wrong, it (cnc machine) can be dangerous, so can walking across a street.

First rule, the "Feed Overide" dial is your best friend. :)



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