Any thought on my Z axis Design (first build) Steel vs Aluminium Plate?

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

I'd do the same as you if I had the option. I don't think we have the same small odd job type machine shops here in the UK, at least I can't find anything locally.

I don't believe you, the UK used to have a reputation for engineering excellence and capability and now you can't find a medium capacity surface grinder?
Even if you don't grind them you could put them in a mill and that will get them to 0.02mm even old clapped out workhorse mills can do that.

About four or five blocks in the other direction there is a company called South Fence, an engineering company that make wire machines for fencing. I' always
known it was there, I mean I driven past it countless times but what I did not know was their capabilities. They have a near new Okuma double column mill
that you could put your car in.......its huge! 4million dollars worth! They have an Okuma five axis that you have to walk inside to load the parts, one million dollars worth.
The point is they don't have a sign hanging outside saying that, it was only when I was looking for a company to machine my cast iron mill parts that I realized
their capability. $170NZD/hour, so not cheap but the results are better than I can measure.

If you want that sort of capability you have to find it, they won't come knocking on your door.

Craig

[Thunza]

I will try again it's just it seems businesses these days with that kind of machinery mainly deal with large corporate style businesses, they aren't interested in small jobs for an individual. I imagine there are businesses out there but locating them might take some work so I might not give up completely just yet.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

I imagine there are businesses out there but locating them might take some work so I might not give up completely just yet.

Quite so. Your money is as good as anyone else's. I felt somewhat the same way when I approached South Fence, this is after all a 50 million a year company, and
yet they did my work for me, and indeed was well treated by the staff I dealt with.

Toolmakers tend to be smaller companies, say ten to twenty employees, and yes they do have important customers whom are the bread and butter, but that is not
the only string to their bow.

Craig

[ardenum2]

I will try again it's just it seems businesses these days with that kind of machinery mainly deal with large corporate style businesses, they aren't interested in small jobs for an individual. I imagine there are businesses out there but locating them might take some work so I might not give up completely just yet.

Same experience here in germany, companies will only deal B2B or give you ridiculous quotes, mostly though will just straight up ignore your email. Starting to think building a grinder myself on a granite slab is the best I can hope for. mom n pops shops are long gone over here, especially in my state.

Not to mention. even if you find some shop, the service will be lacking, plenty of uhpc/g build out there where the shop did poor ass job and not to the agreed spec, money spent and got nothing in return.

build a grinder or sand/lap yourself

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
you guys are trying to tell me you cannot get a piece of steel ground in either Germany or the UK? Emigrate!.

Craig

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

plenty of uhpc/g build out there where the shop did poor ass job and not to the agreed spec, money spent and got nothing in return.

Cant get a good job done in Germany?????

Craig

[mactec54]

Hi,



Cant get a good job done in Germany?????

Craig

This is very common I have done many jobs for customers in Germany and other countries, shipping is the worst part because the cost of shipping can get expensive.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
but Germany ranks as the best or near best for 'quality of engineering' in the world, and you can't get a very simple job done, it doesn't make any sense.

I'm more inclined to think that the guys have not made a decent search of the smaller toolmaking and precision engineering companies and their capacities.
When I had my mill parts done it was eyewateringly expensive, maybe because I was such a small amateur customer, but the results are literally better than I can measure.
I can well believe amateurs want everything done on the cheap but then be disgusted that the quality is not there. While I do not like paying any more than the next man
I will pay for quality....and pay the price demanded.

Craig

[ardenum2]

Hi,
you guys are trying to tell me you cannot get a piece of steel ground in either Germany or the UK? Emigrate!.

Craig

I can, but for 10-20x the price you get it at, what was it $80 one side? Cheap shops like that are long gone over in my state, only big engineering companies left, ones that specialize in R&D and the job shop is there just for that, outside orders just for the shop, they don't even respond to your emails. A few years back I mailed a dozen of these with a simple mill job, mill 2 channels on the bottom of a heat sink, for heat pipes, only one answered, quote was $2000+

What these companies are for, is for you to come with an idea of what you want, then they use their 20+ engineers to design and prototype it, so they can bloat up the bill. That's what it's about. Walk in shops don't exist anymore.

What is left for non company people is xometry which outsource the work to eastern european shops and protolabs.

At these levels of prices, it would be much cheaper to just buy an entry haas or tormach than to do anything yourself or buy used and retrofit. I don't know about others, but I have neither the space or capacity to bring anything like that to my 2nd floor, no elevator, flat.

[mactec54]

Hi,
but Germany ranks as the best or near best for 'quality of engineering' in the world, and you can't get a very simple job done, it doesn't make any sense.
Craig

Thats just hype, Germany Engineering is no better than anywhere else in the world, there are qualified Tool makers / machinist's, in every country that will equal any in Germany, even NZ have more versed Tool makers than Germany, ever owned a BMW that was made in Germany, well they wear out even quicker than a Toyota, so there is nothing special about German Engineering.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

so there is nothing special about German Engineering.

Except the price!!

Craig