Fireball CNC ? ? ?

[scratch_6057]

Sometime around the end of last year (06) and carrying over into
the first couple of months of this year there was a LOT of talk,
plans and speculation about a DIY CNC router kit (started in the
Yahoo Homebrew_PCB Group, and started a couple of their own groups)
that was supposed to start off at a base price of around $100.00.
IIRC that price quickly jumped up to around $300.00 and quickly
climbed from there.

There were a couple of prototypes made and I lost track of the
project after that. Did it ever get off the ground? Does anyone
have any idea what (if anything) ever happened to the ‘FIREBALL CNC’?

http://www.fireballcnc.com

[fireballcnc]

Yes Mike,

We're all moving right along!

The 14th machine goes this week

John

[yham]

Originally Posted by fireballcnc Yes Mike, We're all moving right along! The 14th machine goes this week John

Hi John,

I am wondering, do you accept orders for your fireball cnc kit? I found web site with info about this, but no other info, where and how to order.

Regards, Milosh

[fireballcnc]

Hi Milosh,

I'll have info on my site in a few weeks about the Fireball cnc machines.
I took the summer off to build a bigger workshop. I'm almost done with that
I'll be doing some slight redesign on the current model to reduce the
shipping weight, as MDF is heavy and expensive to ship.

Thanks Milosh!
John

[fireballcnc]

In case there's anyone interested....I have the first
of the new Fireball F90 model up on ebay....

http://tinyurl.com/2wp3bw

Thanks!
John

[fireballcnc]

Second machine is up on ebay...

http://tinyurl.com/3c93rj

No couplers come with this one...

More to come...

John

[chuck99z28]

Do you have a list of what would be needed to put this P90 into operation for precision PCM milling?

[fireballcnc]

No Sir,

I only make a mechanical kit that's easily assembled. The choice
of controllers, power supplies, spindles, cutting tools, software,
etc...is left to a machine owner.

The two on ebay do come with a tool holder for a Dremel model 300.
That isn't good enough for very, very fine PCB trace milling.

For doing extremely fine PCB work, this is the way to go...

http://www.lpkf.com/products/rapid-p...tter/index.htm

Mine is a kit intended to get someone up and running with the mechanical
end of having a cnc machine as easily as I am capable.

It's mostly good for the person with limited space or no access to the
tools to make his/her own.

John

[chuck99z28]

Thanks.
So if I read this correctly, the P90 isn't recommended for PCB milling?
No matter which choice of controllers, power supplies, spindles, cutting tools, software,
etc, that I use?

I looked at the German unit you referred my to. I bet that gots for $5000 or so.
I was hoping to mill pcb boards, as a hobby, for about $1200-1500.

[fireballcnc]

As of today...No.

I'm finding that expectations for PCB milling vary Widely.

Someone wanting to mill 10 mil traces would do better with
a commercial machine.

That's not to say a determined person couldn't do an
excellent job. It'd work. But it'd be up to that person
to gain the experience and practice necessary.

Lots of trial & error!

John

[chuck99z28]

Thanks for your openess on this.
I'll have to give it some thought I guess.
Chuck

[fireballcnc]

You're very welcome....

I wouldn't want anyone to be disappointed. I don't like to
be mislead myself..

That said...it is a very good little machine that's tight, rigid,
easily assembled, reliable and very useful.

I built a huge one to reproduce the small ones.
the small ones make parts for themselves.
I don't "cheat" by using a "real" cnc machine. These
must be capable of light commercial work or they're not
good enough in my mind.

Pictures are always nice!...here's some of my project
along the way...

http://www.fireballcnc.com/milling/machine/

I started making these 2 years ago to eventually end up
with a standard design, which I'm now working on making
into "stand-alone" machines.

They'll be run by micro-controllers reading a single file
from an SD card. Point of that is a single part that requires
multiple operations...slotting, grooving, chamfering, then logo engraving...
will be successively moved from machine to machine without
tool changes and the adjustments that come with that.

A row of cheap machines all doing "semi-continuous" production
of parts for themselves.

CNC at it's coolest...

John