Student needs single SIMPLE template cut for senior project

[robjaws]

Hi all. I've been visiting the site for a few months now, and being an mechanical engineering student, I've even started designing and collecting parts to build diy CNC mill. however, I need a part cut for the upcoming semester to use as a template while I weld together 60 identical pieces. I haven't drawn it in cad yet, but it would just be a quarter inch channel, about 1/16 inch deep, about 20 inches long, which follows a parabolic path, although in 8 straight sections. Since I only need 1, I thought I might find someone on here to do it relatively inexpensively. (Read: I'm a student on a budget!) It could be done in steel, aluminum, or maybe even wood as I'm a fairly careful welder. Cheaper=better, although precision is fairly important.

Lastly, I'm in NJ, going up to school in CT on Sunday. I'd prefer to be able to pick the part up sometime before tuesday, so anywhere along my path would be okay. (that includes all of nj and ct)

[keebler303]

I'm an ME student as well. If you have a drawing I have access to a cnc mill as well as a 4' x 8' router. Let me know if I can help.

Matt

[robjaws]

Thanks for the response. Where are you located?

I can have a CAD drawing uploaded by midday tomorrow for anyone to see, but I'm on my way out for the night right now...is 2D or 3D preferable?

[keebler303]

I am in ohio so shipping would be required. If it were wood, which would be by far the cheapest and easiest, although maybe not the most durable, shipping would not be too bad.
2d or 3d doesn't matter, just need the dimensions.

Matt

[bobborck]

I'm all the way out in CA, but if you run into trouble getting this -- I'll help you out.

send 3D model to bborck [at] r-dtech [dot] com

[keebler303]

If this is the type of thing you are looking for it would be fairly straight forward to make out of wood with a router and table saw, or just a router with the correct bits. I would guess you have access to a router and table saw at your school.

1) layout the 8 straight lines on a piece of wood, I would use MDF or the like.

2) lay a straightedge along each line and use the router with a trim bit in it. The bit I am talking about has a bearing to ride on the straight edge and a straight flute to cut your wood.

3) repeat step 2 for each line segment.

4) setup the table saw so you can stand up the board and run it through to give you the "slot" in the edge.

Done deal

Now if this isn't what you need or its concave then the table saw thing wouldn't work but you could still use the router with a different bit to give you the groove.

Matt

[robjaws]

Unfortunately, I'm really looking for someone local so that I can get this done quickly. Hah, that isn't at all what I meant, but the approach (router + trim bit) is one that I'll probably end up taking. Thanks anyway