Preparing for the Workshop

[Jim72]

Hello,

I have been lurking on the zone for years and have been watching the Tormach since its birth. I have no cnc experience, however I have not been able to forget about this machine and walk away and ignore it. I have been manually machining, at the hobbiest level, for close to 12 years now. My concerns have always been the learning curve on the software side. I am not computer illiterate but I am not fluent by any stretch of the imagination. I just can't stop wondering if I can use this tool to make stuff. So, I decided to sign up for the 3.5 day workshop and see if they can persuade me not to get in to this.

Is there anything I should be doing to prepare for this workshop?

Thanks,

Jim

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[Scott_M]

Hi Jim

I think you may have made a mistake by signing up for the workshop. That is if you really don't want the machine. If you go, you will discover what a great machine it is and be shown how to make it work by trained professionals. In a couple of days you will discover that it is not that intimidating and you will have produced a useful tool or widget or whatever they are making in class now. You have the benefit of having some machining experience and know the limitations of turning the handles. Now you get to see the cool stuff. You will also get to meet all the great people at Tormach and find out first hand what first class operation it is. After all of that it would be hard not to buy one. Please don't confuse that with any type of "sales pitch" while you are there. I am sure that won't happen. They let the machine and their customer service do all of that for them.

So to go over it again.

If you want the machine and need a gentle push GO
If you really do not want the machine DON'T GO


I guess this would be as good a time as any to welcome you to the "Family"

Let us know when you order it !


Scott

[Jim72]

Scott,

Thanks for the reply, I guess I am not being subtle am I. I just need to show myself that I can deal with the software. I am getting excited for the workshop.

I will keep you posted!

Jim

[Fish&Chips12]

I'm sure there are many on this sight who can help with the software part. Very interested to hear about the Tormach tour.

[mike sr1]

Hello,

I have been lurking on the zone for years and have been watching the Tormach since its birth. I have no cnc experience, however I have not been able to forget about this machine and walk away and ignore it. I have been manually machining, at the hobbiest level, for close to 12 years now. My concerns have always been the learning curve on the software side. I am not computer illiterate but I am not fluent by any stretch of the imagination. I just can't stop wondering if I can use this tool to make stuff. So, I decided to sign up for the 3.5 day workshop and see if they can persuade me not to get in to this.

Is there anything I should be doing to prepare for this workshop?

Thanks,

Jim

Welcome to the forum Jim! The list of things it can make with precision is amazing....... I have had mine since Feburary and the "new" hasnt worn off yet! The software will take some time to learn, its an ongoing process in my case.
There are several on this forum that are very knowledgeable as Scott says so help here is readily available.
My background is similar to yours, I always wanted to learn CNC machining, so its learning a new form of the trade in my case.
If you decide to buy, you wont be dissapointed!

[mike sr1]

The software isnt impossible I am getting a handle on it, and I am not a spring chicken anymore.......

[Jim72]

Fish and Chips and Mike Sr,

Thanks for the replies. Yes, there is a lot of help available with this software, I have watched almost all the videos out there on the tormach. Part of the problem is I don't have any cad or cam experience and don't have any software on my computer yet, to try and use. I think the workshop may help with this.

The precision of the machining and the types of things you can put out with cnc are amazing, that is what has kept me so fascinated with it.

Back to the original question. Aside from watching videos and reading the white papers etc, is there anything I should be doing to prepare for the workshop?

Thanks,
Jim

[slowtwitch]

Hello Jim, I'm not a Tormach owner, although many times I wish I was. But, i was in a similar position as you are in now.

I kinda of developed a product on my old Enco column drill/mill. I made a few sets and was able to sell them, but, I just didn't like the end results, which was mostly due to machining the parts manually.

I then decided to have the parts machined by the "Pro's". After five shops gave me the run around and a couple Chinese shops ( actual shops in China) couldn't figure out how to do it, I then decided to invest in my own cnc equipment.

I looked at used pro equipment, but was turned off by the complexity in repairing them when needed and the cost of running a large Hp motor over a given time. I then looked at the so called "hobby" mills, like Tormach, Mikini and others and decided that this type of mill would fit my needs perfectly.

As you, I had zero experience with Cad/Cam programs. Shoot...I had almost no experience as a machinist, for that matter But, I bought a used mill (a Mikini...ouch) and proceeded to learn this cnc stuff.

It's not an overnight thing, but, it can be done. It took me close to a year to get things in order. I took a course in Gcode at the local high school, which really helped in my understanding of what the cam programs put out.

I retrofitted an Enco cnc lathe to run Mach3 and was able to get my mill working and learned how to use a cad/cam program. Mostly, by reading the forums and using Google (Google is your friend) and Youtube.

Granted, my cad/cam skills are limited to 2.5D, but today, I'm making product. I don't have to rely on the "Pro's" and at my old age, it keeps the brain cells working. Is it frustrating at times....yes. Is it fun....absolutely!!!

[rowbare]

Jim,

Download a copy of Draftsight DraftSight. It is a free Autocad clone. Then download the Getting Started Guide and work through it. It will probably take a week of evenings to do all of the examples. When you are done, you will be able to do quite a bit of 2.5D stuff. If you export your drawings as an Autocad 2000 text DXF, most any CAM software will be able to read it.

There are several inexpensive 2.5D CAM programs and most have trial periods. SheetCam is very well regarded. I use CamBam. Its trial is based on number of uses (around 40) and you can learn a lot in that time.

If you have time to work with these a bit before you take the course, you will be at least a step or two ahead on the learning curve and will get more out of the training.

bob

[WOTDesigns]

Have you read the Tormach PCNC Manual? Its H U G E, but amazingly helpful. I don't own a tormach yet, but read the manual and was literally convinced I could operate a cnc... so I built one. Now I operate it. I was right.

Your a lucky man- I would love to check out one of their workshops.

[Jim72]

Hello Jim, I'm not a Tormach owner, although many times I wish I was. But, i was in a similar position as you are in now.

I kinda of developed a product on my old Enco column drill/mill. I made a few sets and was able to sell them, but, I just didn't like the end results, which was mostly due to machining the parts manually.

I then decided to have the parts machined by the "Pro's". After five shops gave me the run around and a couple Chinese shops ( actual shops in China) couldn't figure out how to do it, I then decided to invest in my own cnc equipment.

I looked at used pro equipment, but was turned off by the complexity in repairing them when needed and the cost of running a large Hp motor over a given time. I then looked at the so called "hobby" mills, like Tormach, Mikini and others and decided that this type of mill would fit my needs perfectly.

As you, I had zero experience with Cad/Cam programs. Shoot...I had almost no experience as a machinist, for that matter But, I bought a used mill (a Mikini...ouch) and proceeded to learn this cnc stuff.

It's not an overnight thing, but, it can be done. It took me close to a year to get things in order. I took a course in Gcode at the local high school, which really helped in my understanding of what the cam programs put out.

I retrofitted an Enco cnc lathe to run Mach3 and was able to get my mill working and learned how to use a cad/cam program. Mostly, by reading the forums and using Google (Google is your friend) and Youtube.

Granted, my cad/cam skills are limited to 2.5D, but today, I'm making product. I don't have to rely on the "Pro's" and at my old age, it keeps the brain cells working. Is it frustrating at times....yes. Is it fun....absolutely!!!

Thanks for the comments Pete. I looked at our local community college but all of the machining related classes are on another campus 70 miles away. I am still working a day job so scheduling time is difficult.

Jim,

Download a copy of Draftsight DraftSight. It is a free Autocad clone. Then download the Getting Started Guide and work through it. It will probably take a week of evenings to do all of the examples. When you are done, you will be able to do quite a bit of 2.5D stuff. If you export your drawings as an Autocad 2000 text DXF, most any CAM software will be able to read it.

There are several inexpensive 2.5D CAM programs and most have trial periods. SheetCam is very well regarded. I use CamBam. Its trial is based on number of uses (around 40) and you can learn a lot in that time.

If you have time to work with these a bit before you take the course, you will be at least a step or two ahead on the learning curve and will get more out of the training.

bob

Thanks Bob. I have debated doing that for years, and maybe should have. Now I want to see how it goes with alibre, sprut, and vectric, as after reading the debates on this site and watching the videos I think that is what I would use if I get the mill. I know it is just a matter of doing it, it's just that the software isn't the fun part for me. Making the part is what's fun. I don't have the room in my head to learn a bunch of systems (multiple cad or multiple cam and compare them), or the desire. I am thinking I will go with what tormach sells as the support with them is good. The videos for sprut seem to be good, just need to remember what to click to do what you want. Hopefully the class will shed light on the various software programs that Tormach sells.

Have you read the Tormach PCNC Manual? Its H U G E, but amazingly helpful. I don't own a tormach yet, but read the manual and was literally convinced I could operate a cnc... so I built one. Now I operate it. I was right.

Your a lucky man- I would love to check out one of their workshops.

Yep I have read just about all of the manuals and documents on their site through the years. I think I will read the user manual again before I go, good idea, thanks.

Jim

[Don Clement]

Jim,

I had no Cam or G-code experience before buying my Tormach and all of my machining experience is self-taught. If I can do it anyone can. Also Tormach is a good choice with excellent support and no sales push. BTW I also initially went the route of having someone else build my product on a CNC. After buying my Tormach six years ago wouldn't go that route again. Having that direct control from prototype to production is the way to go.

Don Clement

[BRIANJiowa]

Jim,

I have to say I came from the totally opposite side of the spectrum. I knew CAD/CAM software before I even knew handles existed on mills. With that being said, I believe you have the difficult part done. Knowing how to cut a material is more difficult than making a few sequential mouse clicks.

May want to brush up on speeds and feeds calcs if you are used to manually cutting each part. But that is a minute detail.

Cheers,

Brian J

[Jim72]

Jim,

I had no Cam or G-code experience before buying my Tormach and all of my machining experience is self-taught. If I can do it anyone can. Also Tormach is a good choice with excellent support and no sales push. BTW I also initially went the route of having someone else build my product on a CNC. After buying my Tormach six years ago wouldn't go that route again. Having that direct control from prototype to production is the way to go.

Don Clement

Hey Don, thanks for the comments. I am totally self taught too. Started with woodworking, then machining, then welding, then started to build a furnace for casting which is almost ready to fire up. CNC mill seems to be the next logical step. I knew the first time I saw the tormach that if I ever got to the point of getting into cnc that it would be the mill I would get.

Jim,

I have to say I came from the totally opposite side of the spectrum. I knew CAD/CAM software before I even knew handles existed on mills. With that being said, I believe you have the difficult part done. Knowing how to cut a material is more difficult than making a few sequential mouse clicks.

May want to brush up on speeds and feeds calcs if you are used to manually cutting each part. But that is a minute detail.

Cheers,

Brian J

Thanks Brian, you are right on the speeds and feeds. With the manual machines at best it was guessing and looking for the best finish. I will probably look in to G-wizard or something similar. By the way, I checked out some of your videos and was impressed. The steel and bronze plaque is pretty cool looking. If I get the mill I know what I am making for Christmas presents! How do you like the 770? You have some nice toys to play with in that shop.

Jim

[BRIANJiowa]

Jim,

Thanks for checking out the videos. I really like the Tormach PCNC 770. It's a high quality machine for the cost. If I was going to personally buy one I would opt for the 1100 for the spindle horsepower (For odd some reason I really enjoy trying to take very heavy cuts). And yes I am very spoiled, not having to pay for stock, tooling, etc. I also have a haas mini-mill and haas tl-1 lathe. Hopefully I get around to making a few videos with them.