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  1. #61
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    Hi Colin and Bob,

    Dunno about software not really experienced in that area however I have been learning AutoCAD 2005 at TAFE....Big curve, check out http://www.emachineshop.com/ quite cool little software package but I don't think it is very compatable with anything as it is designed for them only. But I learnt to use it and helped with my adventures into SolidEdge - I'll try to attach my efforts so far....cool that worked!

    I'll put together some sort of list of suppliers I have found that may be usefull. some very expensive and some cheap.....be nice if we had some sort of industrial disposal industry like in the US.....eBay is a must in my opinion there is a guy selling Aluminium scrap there, good prices I think......5083/6061-t6 sometimes.....I'll see if I can make a list out of my bookmarks file. But IMO either way you are better off sourcing from OS....lost cheaper, even with shipping....prob better lead times too.

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  2. #62
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    Hey All,

    Ebay is definately the go, would just be nice though to be able to sometimes talk to someone over the phone, or to see some items (eg: stepper motors etc) rather than just forking out $$$ for something you hope like mad actually turns up - I've only been ripped off once but there is always the chance, then you have to rely on Australia Post!

    On the subject of recomendations though. I bought all the electronics for my CNC lathe conversion from www.oatleyelectronics.com
    They are in Australia.

    Great (quick) service, easy to build kits, emailed a few times about different things and have always received a response, don't really sell suitable motors though, but these kits are great for my first CNC adventure, hooked up to some motors and an old computer and it went first go! I know........I'm scared too!!

    www.oceancontrols.com.au also has some kits and stepper motors.

    Hope this helps someone.



  3. #63
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    Default CNC related Links XLS file

    Hi, finished compilig a list for perusal, Might not be nearly as many Aussie suppliers as you might have hoped (or I thought!!), however there is a lot of information there and in some cases you will find that the US prices are reasonable.

    There is also a LOT of just general information on CNC have a look anyway might be of some use to you guys. Do check ebay for supplies. It is worth it.

    cheers,
    Lachlan.

    Attached Files Attached Files


  4. #64
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    Nice work Lachlan, I will be filing that list somewhere for future use, I haven't even finished my first router yet and I am already planning my second, lol. This stuff is very addictive.

    Russell.



  5. #65
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    How do

    Well, i am in Tassy, Launceston to be prezact. I know bugger all but hope to overcome that. My background has nothing whatsoever to do with CNC. It gets better. I have a couple of disabilities - i think one of them is my mouth, another one is my height. Not that i am real tall you understand. It's just that at 6'3" most equipment stands are too low. i like scrounging, love it. Hard garbage collection night/day was always my favourite. Going to the tip was even better. By gee i used to get some schtick for bring home more that i took, but you can't waste it now can yer, i mean to say?

    Anyway, now that i am disabled i would like to make somethings that will help me make life a bit easier and if figure that CNC milling and lathework will do just that. Plus casting aluminium, moulding plastic etc.

    Thus far i have scored my neighbours dead microwave so i have the beginnings of a power supply. I have been scrounging the local computer and printing places for old printers, video recorders etc. So it looks like my first CNC device will be made from old printers if i can get to them before they get thrown away - wasters, sheesh.

    Oh for those who haven't try a web search on the name Dave Gingery - never met him and he is dead now but that man deserves a chest full of medals. Talk about creativity and inventiveness, he was brilliant, a ruddy genius. He could build anything FROM anything. What a pity we don't have the knowledge to make brain recordings he would have been a wonderful library all on his own.

    Ok, the first thing i need to make is a decent breathing mask as i have to avoid all dust. I have to make my own because my head is too big. Shuddup youse mongrels. German hat maker down in Hobart siad i had the second biggest bonce he had come across - lovely, real nice, sigh. So i have tried the Trend head gear, the Triton gear, the 3-M gear etc etc. To small and some is just rubbish.

    What i need is a light to wear, battery-powered fan, HEPA filter with a pre-filter. There isn't one. There are $1400-1500 units (BOC Gases has some) and there are the really expensive ones - i have a firefighters one.

    So i am making a prototype. There are lots of folks who need them. I figure on making them available though LungNet and the Asthma Foundation at cost plus: this way folks who are in similar positions to me will be able to do more if the choose to. Like me includes those of us who cannot use unpowered masks because we don't have the lungpower to draw the air through the mask.

    The mask also needs to be made out of decent materials not the flimsy break if you look at them sideways type plastics they use. And, certainly, not at the enormous prices that gear that was the tag "medical" on suddenly seems to get.

    So, there are bits that need moulding, machining etc. My hands are not too steady so i will use a machine to help - a CNC machine to be specific and, if i have built the machine myself - oh, bliss!

    I am really look forwards to all this. Maybe a little glossary would be handy so i can ask questions that sound intelligble?

    This is better than my first Meccano set.

    Tom

    chronological age: 57
    mental age: 10 (big enough to use tools that work).



  6. #66
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    Default Hey Tom, Welcome

    Hey Tom,

    Not that I'm a regular on CNCZone but welcome! How's Tassie this time of year, I'm on the GOld Coast so it doesn't really change that much up here.

    Aaaahhhh, 'dump diving'.....some of my best memories as a kid! No doubt some of my mother's worst!

    Good luck with the whole CNC thing, be prepared for a learning curve of biblical proportions. I know, I was in your position not more than 3 months ago, knew absoloutley nothing about CNC (though it stood for Can Not Comprehend) , but now have a fully functional CNC lathe to show for it.

    There seems to be a lot of info on the web that misses out some important steps and considerations for beginners, some things have to be found out the hard way, (usually hard way = expensive)! Luckily I managed to get it right first go...I know...I'm as suprised as everyone else, but it did take a lot of research, using the old builders saying of 'measure twice cut once'!

    If you are unsure on what exactly is required from a controller point of view, I found the simplest explaination on the Oatley Electronics website www.oatleyelectronics.com one of the staff there even built his own milling machine using their boards. They are the same I use and for the cost, have had no probs whatsoever.

    Either way, if I can offer any assistance just ask.

    Colin



  7. #67
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    Thank you Colin, that is very kind of you :-)

    Tom



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    Hi Tom,
    I would try to keep the design as simple and cheap as possible. Would think a simple 12 volt fan as used in computers would sufice. This could then be hooked to a 12volt battery pack. Think Nicad initially but NiMH would be best for production. Sizing the fan would I think be preferable to any form of speed controller (lower cost). Maybe have an option for just a simple dust filter as this would suit a lot of people.
    Paul



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    Quote Originally Posted by paulC View Post
    Hi Tom,
    I would try to keep the design as simple and cheap as possible. Would think a simple 12 volt fan as used in computers would sufice. This could then be hooked to a 12volt battery pack. Think Nicad initially but NiMH would be best for production. Sizing the fan would I think be preferable to any form of speed controller (lower cost). Maybe have an option for just a simple dust filter as this would suit a lot of people.
    Paul
    Yes Paul i agree with you.

    Thus far i am going with a 9volt battery (small, cheap and slows fan), the fan will be the blower type fan which fits nicely up against the filter which at this time is a P3 Sundstrom Particle filter that has a clip on grill with a prefilter pad.

    For the prototype filter case i am using white thermoplastic; this will become injection moulded plastic (which needs dies).

    The hose is readily available. The mask will be based on a CPAP design but the head strap clip comes from emergency resuscitation gear this will need making. Prototyping of the face mask will in clear polycarbonate thermoplastic, (samples are on the way). Also need to make a face seal from neoprene.

    Later on, if this one is viable, would be looking at increased airflow on demand which would require circuitry. Not sure about a datalogger yet. Manual or automatic air control.

    Initially the unit will be dead simple and it might even stay that way. The more advanced electronics could be useful for testing purposes and gather data for stats. The medical profession like stats, me too, come to think about it.

    Multiple power sources - NiMH battery pack, mains and emergency 9VDC battery would depend on where unit is being used.

    If the 9volt battery works out ok i could stick with that. Will be undertaking some trials, obviously. i have a guinea pig selected and he wont refuse will i.

    Tom



  10. #70
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    You should start a new thread so we can follow your project.
    Think everyone here has an interest in breathing.
    And I think most would be interested in your solution. You may even make some sales in the future. Have seen posts asking for cheap HEPA solutions but no answers.
    Paul



  11. #71
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    Half and Half
    Half Yank and Half Aussie. Up in Sarina, Qld. G'day. Building a wood router. Learning Linux and EMC2. www.granelements.com Have a sherline with flashcut controller. Just boxed up a Xylotex controller - works fine first time! No magic smoke lost.

    Don't think there is any CNCbody living near me except cane farmers and coal diggers.

    Last edited by Gran3D; 12-10-2006 at 01:00 AM. Reason: spelling


  12. #72
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gran3D View Post
    [B]Don't think there is any CNCbody living near me except cane farmers and coal diggers.
    You're not totally alone in CNC, I make regular trips (every 6 or so months) your way from Cairns, in fact returned last week from there, if you are still playing around with CNC in 4-6 months time I'll give you a call, I might have my second machine going by then. Any excuse for a quiet Ale.

    Are you going to post a build log for your machine ?

    Russell.



  13. #73
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    Build Log
    Love to meet a CNC crocodile wrestler. Call by for a coldie on your way thru. Want to post a build log, but so green I'm waiting for someone to tell me how.



  14. #74
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    Ha, dunno bout croc wrestler but I am pretty addicted to this CNC stuff.

    Russell.



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    Talking Greetings All!

    Hi Everyone,
    I just discovered this forum - been a cnczone member for a couple of months and only just stumbled upon you guys!

    I'm in Canberra (the Nation's capital - had to laugh about someone in an earlier post thinking Adelaide was the capital!).

    Anyway, my background is 5 year fitter and turner apprenticeship in Her Majesty's Royal Naval Dockyard, Portsmouth, England. A great apprenticeship - learnt heaps.
    Never worked as a fitter and turner though, went off to sea as a marine engineer when I finished my apprenticeship.

    In the 'merch' for around 7 years then got married so settled in Pompey again for a couple of years working as a senior toolroom technician at the IBM mainframe computer factory nearby - great place to work, anything we wanted we just ordered it. We had world class toolroom machines and tools. No CNC stuff though.

    Immigrated to Oz in 1972, lived in Emu Plains (just across the Nepean river from Penrith, NSW) worked as an office products customer engineer for IBM in Sydney for a couple of years but left as they wouldn't transfer me to the IT section (I wanted to work with computers).
    Moved to Canberra and into computers, worked as a mainframe hardware engineer, then senior, then tech support, then (ugh!) management. Had enough after 20 years or so of being on 24x7 call out (money was great but you've gotta have a life!).
    Now working as a technical writer.

    Have never lost my love of machining though and I swore that one day I would get a lathe. I got one about three years ago and was as a happy as a pig in you know what.
    Then early last year I decided I needed (wanted) a milling machine so I could use all the cutters etc I had brought with me back in 1972!

    One thing led to another and I am now in the process of CNCing my mill, with the lathe to follow after that. Didn't know anything about CNC before I started browsing forums, have learnt heaps!!

    My gear is only cheap Chinese stuff but it does what I want. A 9x20 lathe and a X2 mill. I have fitted them both out with Shumatech DRO's (I can recommend them) and have bought a Xylotex driver to run the steppers I got from Keling Inc. I'm currently machining the motor brackets etc from a set of plans I got from Fignoggle designs (I wanted to keep the manual controls as well as use CNC).

    Am I having fun? You betcha!

    Cheers,
    Dave.

    PS:
    A guy was asking for help on a USA forum and I figured he was in Canberra, so I asked which part so I could go and see him and maybe help. He lives in the same suburb as me and when I asked for his address I found he lives five houses round the corner from me!
    We both cracked up when we found out we were near neighbours!



  16. #76
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    Welcome aboard Dave. Pun intentional.
    The CNC thing becomes quite adictive and I have to agree this forum is the best resource I've found. If you can't find it, ask and someone will point you in the right direction.
    Paul



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    Thanks Paul - many a happy hour spent sailing the seven seas .



    Quote Originally Posted by paulC View Post
    Welcome aboard Dave. Pun intentional.

    The CNC thing becomes quite adictive and I have to agree this forum is the best resource I've found. If you can't find it, ask and someone will point you in the right direction.
    Paul
    Yep - you've got that right!

    Cheers,
    Dave.



  18. #78
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    Default Servo & Stepper - 'reclaimed' in Australasia (NZ)

    We are slowly getting our stocks sorted out:

    http://www.casa.co.nz/motors/

    It is a lot of work for a 1-man-band (which I am these days except for a little casual retired help) but the 'collection' is quite extensive and we will try our best to help even before our resources are properly organised.

    We are sometimes even SKYPE enabled and we do-do PayPal.

    [QUOTE=chola;191756]Hey All,

    Ebay is definately the go, would just be nice though to be able to sometimes talk to someone over the phone, or to see some items (eg: stepper motors etc) rather than just forking out $$$ for something you hope like mad actually turns up - I've only been ripped off once but there is always the chance, then you have to rely on Australia Post!




  19. #79
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    To Anzac group
    I'm in Invercargill (Worlds Fastest Indian town) Shifted lathes and milling gear out to my cow shed in the country from the town
    I bought a non- working Shizuoka cnc mill back from UK and have a Ahha conversion with Dolphin software. Stepper motors. Making con-rods , plastic dies and light aircraft parts for home-builders. Other interests -Aviation-flying /engineering Jaguar V-12 ,Motor sport and most things mechanical.
    All the best to the group.
    Neil Robertson (1942 model NZ)



  20. #80
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    Hello Neil,
    I won't mention Mick Jaggers description of Invercargill then
    Still its better than Jafa town.
    Welcome to the zone.
    Paul



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