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3k +or mimus .0005 not going to happen even cutting air
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I am relatively new to CNCzone, and I would like some advice. First of all, please advise if I am posting this in the wrong place!
What I would like is some advice on how to get into CNC milling.
If you had $3000 budget for CNC milling machine, would you buy a system or piece one together?
What I would like is a system that can mill hardwood or aluminum, with a operating space (not sure of the term) of 12" x 6" with a 3" to 4" depth. I would like it tolerances to +/-0.0005. If I had to choose between speed or accuracy, I am for the accuracy.
This will be for hobby use and I can see it being used easily about once a week, perhaps more.
I am not including computer/software costs in the budget. I do have Rhino, so I can make .dxf files. But I would need additional software to convert that to g-code, if my understanding is correct.
I just want to tap into the experience base here to see what is possible.
Greg
3k +or mimus .0005 not going to happen even cutting air
I think what you mean is that I need to input more money or drop a zero?
Greg
yes add at least a 0 or subtract a 0
So if you had a friend who wanted you to give him some advice, how would you direct him?
I dont have any friends
Sometimes there is nothing that can be done with expectations and the money one has to spend. so you have to save more or get less.
Being a pratt and whiney in someones garage for 3k isnt going to cut it. figure out exactly what you need to accomplish, then firgue out how to do it. this is one big problem in the machineshop/hobby industry. guys think cnc on a label and they think it will repeat and cut perfectly like a real cnc. This is where china came into play. you have hobbiest and guys in a garage that think they can buy a cheap cnc( because the label says CNC) and make high quality parts and make a killing or some extra money on the side.
if you look at this forum and others you can see perfect examples of it.
You need to figure out exactly what you need to accomplish and not ask about pricing (getting an unbiased option)then once you figure out what your going to need start asking about pricing, then you will find out what you can do exactly for the amount of cash you have.
Alot of people think alum and plastic can be cut cheaply, but thats not true for accuracy and repeatabliity.
Fair enough. What I need is X=20, Y=8, Z=6. Wood, plastic, and AL milled to +/- 0.001. Primarily for hobby, this is mostly for me and my enjoyment of making something that I can use that I cannot buy. Mostly "one offs".Originally Posted by Delw
I need direction on how to go about it. The problem appears to be too much information out there. I have begun looking at a lot of things and it takes some time to digest. There is a new vocabulary, DIY vs turnkey, this vs that, etc.
I am a knowledgeable hobbiest in another forum, and I didn't get that way over-night. So I understand that there is a certain amount of "paying your dues".
Ok. That is something I didn't know. Why is that? Is that because if the workpiece isn't sufficiently cooled the workpiece will begin to warp (albeit slightly) because of uneven thermal expansion?
Greg
Hi ,
you still did not say what you want to do-.
If you want ok 0,1mm or less i think this should be possible on hobby machines. If you want to deo medals forms for instance we talk around 30.000euros a machine starting. So try it opposite way.
Make a look on an example and look how far you get. For instance i will nit buy any chines stuff if i can avoid it so it has to be close to my home (for me living in europe for you i guess canada or us )
so have a look to the usovo proxxon cnc kit. or machine. it is around 1k Euros and may be ok for your tasks. then see what software you need so you will see depending on your need that the software may be as expensive as the machine ,.. (or even more- Then have a look at heiz 400T machine (i bought having long thoughts and comparing all offers ) so i then spend for software almost same amount like machine. But because i am "learned" mechanist with it background i still had an 10 Months learning curve but now i can do cool stuff so try to see it from that angle
best reg
thomas
I bought then a manual Klippfeld machine for turning lathe and mill and did refurbished it to cnc
Let me answer the question of what I want to make.
Attached is a fin mold (which I made in Rhino, self-taught, after learning AutoCAD, self-taught), hopefully to be milled from 6061 some day.
This is a special fin profile that I engineered for a hobby rocket that I am in the process of making. The molds will be for a carbon fiber layup, with high-temperature epoxy at the edges to mitigate frictional atmospheric heating. These fins are supposed to perform well in the transonic region, and with the right motor maybe get to about Mach 1.4 at motor burnout. (BTW: there are some guys who get their rockets to fly at Mach 3+, so this isn't that big of a deal).
There are lot of custom items like this that exist theoretically, but you just cannot go out and buy them.
If I get a quote of $550 or so to mill these, I begin to think, why not get my own CNC milling station?
So, like a few RC flyers, the CNC hobby augments aspects of their hobby. I'm learning to get from where I am to get to the point where I have the finished product in my hand. All while managing job and home responsibilities. I hope this makes sense.
Anyway, I'm a Texan by birth and heritage. I don't intend to quit.
Greg
It's a bridge-type mill with a moving table; the travels are 19.68"(X) x 15.74"(Y) x 6.10" (Z) and it's repeatable to +/- .0008". An automatic toolchanger and rotary table are available options. It can cut plastics, wood, and non-ferrous metals. Here's a link to the product page on the Roland site: MDX-540 Milling Machine The "S" model holds higher tolerances and costs more than the base model MDX-540. It lists for $26,295, but I can get you a better deal on it. There are also lease-to-own programs available that can break it down into monthly payments.
Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software
No doubt that it is a nice machine, but the price tag is a bit more than I wanted to pay.
I have to do some thinking. Perhaps +/- 0.005 is good enough. Perhaps a smaller work area, too. Maybe DIY is the way to go for me.
Greg
You might take a look at the Taig mill. Their top-of-the-line model, the DSLS 3000, goes for $2995 (and I can discount it 10% if you're in the US). It has travels of 12" X, 4.5" Y, and 6" Z. Accuracy is better than +/- .005" but it's not as bad as +/- .0005": - +/- .0025 is reasonable to expect (you can vary it by adjusting the leadscrew nuts). It cuts wood, plastics, and metals up to and including mild steel. And you can add an optional rotary table and tailstock.
It's made in the USA by a family-owned company, it's a great deal for what it does, and it works great right out of the box (some assembly required). If you ultimately want to build a larger router, having one of these would expedite the process considerably, since DIY CNC building is all about making motor mounts, etc. with accurate bolt spacing and trepanned holes.
Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software
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