h4nd Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 What model / cost cnc? I'me more keen on one than a 3d printer, because of the more stable materials. Also, for the 'tronics heads, 3d printer, and Solder paste, and Pick and place combo machine kickstarter: http://delta.firepick.org/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 CNC is a Craftsman 60-40, it was $3600 inc GST It comes with machine, collets, computer (yes they give you a computer), controller box, VFD. You need to buy, keyboard, mouse, monitor, and tooling. He sells tooling too and really cheap. Tungsten carbide 6mm end mills for $9 a pop (trade tools as $48 at trade price and retail them for $89 each!). Machine takes ER11 collets so maximum tool size is 7mm, spindle can do 26,000 rpm and is 1kw i think. It cuts aluminium, but does complain about it. I am cutting MDF with a 6.35 (1/8") cutter at 2500mm/min at a cut depth of 1.4mm for roughing. However the way it processes lines of code means it does ramp up and ramp down in speed, so it proberly averages 800mm/min for changing contours and splines, and can do 2.5m/min for cicles and straight lines. www.craftsmancnc.co.nz Real good guy, lives in his workshop and makes the machines from scratch here in New Zealand. I highly recommend and wish to show him support by putting you guys on to him. I agree on it being more versatile then 3d printing but there is a shitload more to know about CNC machining and is a heap more dangerous than a 3d printer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 And messy. Can't have a router sitting in the lounge (probably guys doing messier stuff in the lounge here on os tho haha) So badass. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 The 2 finished halfs. Ordered carbon fiber from ACP Composites in America, Tooling Gel coat and West Systems Epoxy resin from Fiberglass NZ 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anglia4 Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Thats looking fucking choice. Now I want one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Quite keen on one of these tbh http://www.shapeoko.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Quite keen on one of these tbh http://www.shapeoko.com Yeah, I've yet to find a place that does aluminium extrusion like that in NZ though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Quite keen on one of these tbh http://www.shapeoko.com I was very keen on one of these machines, but the desire to machine aluminium was too strong and I sought out Craftsman. You definitely get what you pay for. I essentially produced 2 $2000 molds on a $3600 machine, I have made flanges for friends, mounts for speaker pods, and am lining up another mold for those Carbon trumpets. The fact you have a Z travel of 50mm with the shapeoko, this means you only have a 'true travel' of 25mm (25mm long tool in the chuck and 25mm work piece, this would mean the collet would also be touching the top of the job) The Craftsman has a advertised Z travel of 100mm, but can actually do 140mm if you remove the spoil board and mount work directly to the machine board. I am looking at replacing the bottom board with a piece of 8mm steel with threaded holes in it giving me an additional 10mm travel, which would give me 150mm, with a 75mm tool this gives me a ~75mm working depth. Which is awesome for a home machine, I know professional machines that are $30k that dont have this Z travel. However a 75mm long 6mm end mill has other problems. Really comes down to what you plan to do with it. I understand that it is a sizable cost/investment that could be something that just sits around and doesn't get used, so the shapeoko is ideal for that in the sense you dont loose out to badly and can be just a toy you play with now and again. Also note i spent an easy 7 - 8 months looking at hobby CNCs before I bought one. Humming and harring, I even made designs of a CNC I was going to make myself (went overboard and wanted the table made from granite). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 I hear its a dark dark slippery slide once you start making things out of carbon.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Purely curious.. Could you place something on the bed, have a probe in the chuck and use it to map out a 3d file? I know it COULD be done..but does the code exist to do such a thing? If you were entering a steel object you could ground it and just have a shaft in the chuck that completes the circuit when it touches the object. Makes sense in my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Purely curious.. Could you place something on the bed, have a probe in the chuck and use it to map out a 3d file? I know it COULD be done..but does the code exist to do such a thing? If you were entering a steel object you could ground it and just have a shaft in the chuck that completes the circuit when it touches the object. Makes sense in my head Most low end CNC mahcines run completely open loop, no feedback at all. Like Nic said, possible, but wouldn't give great results for the effort involved. Better of getting a 3D scanner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Well, my seat didnt turn out as well as I hoped. Few things i learnt:- Mould surface finish is everything, my parts are Matt in finish cause my mould surface was crap (even though i spent 2 hours sanding, the resin i chose to coat my MDF in wasnt ideal)- Take my time with the resin, I went a bit crazy and rushed it on cause I thought it would cure faster than it did. - MDF moulds dont last very long, the epoxy pretty much destroyed my mould surface when I pulled my part out of it. - Wax the shit out of everything with mould release. I put on 10 coats and it was still a prick to get out. Photos from my potatoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 OK so the mould should be sanded smooth then sealed with a durable paint/epoxy then sanded, then polished with finer and finer grades of paper and polish till its like glass. Then million coats of wax and buffing. Then.. Ditch the underside mould and get some mylar and a vacuum pump (like a fridge pump). Apply a layer of resin/ gelcoat with a roller or spray gun and let it go green before you lay on the cloth. Do the cloth and resin thing then place in a mylar bag that you made earlier.. Seal up any holes with duct tape and tape in a hose to ur vac pump. Have a vac tank catch can thing inline so any excess resin is caught before it goes into the pump. Sorry if telling you to suck eggs but vac bagging is really the only way you will get a light and strong professionally looking piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillway Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 always wanted to give it a go: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 OK so the mould should be sanded smooth then sealed with a durable paint/epoxy then sanded, then polished with finer and finer grades of paper and polish till its like glass. Then million coats of wax and buffing. Then.. Ditch the underside mould and get some mylar and a vacuum pump (like a fridge pump). Apply a layer of resin/ gelcoat with a roller or spray gun and let it go green before you lay on the cloth. Do the cloth and resin thing then place in a mylar bag that you made earlier.. Seal up any holes with duct tape and tape in a hose to ur vac pump. Have a vac tank catch can thing inline so any excess resin is caught before it goes into the pump. Sorry if telling you to suck eggs but vac bagging is really the only way you will get a light and strong professionally looking piece. Have you layed carbon before? I want to Vacuum bag, but $$$$$$$$$ I will endevour with what i am doing, I have seen respectable results from high class manufacturers in NZ doing what I am doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Yep done cf. Vac bagging is cheap. All you need is the plastic and a pump plus a catch can for the resin. Fridge pumps are perfect for this. The vac infusion method is cool BUT you can still end up with dry spots. Just as easy to wet it out by hand and then place in bag. The bag ensures that everything is sucked tight into the mould and only the bare minimum of resin remains. You really need to vac it to get the layers of cloth and the fibers really tight together. It also must be hard separating the two rigid moulds from each other with your part in the middle! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicT Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Sperating the moulds wasnt too bad, just drove a wedge in there. I dont think the part turned out too bad, it is strong and ridged and will do its intended purpose, but my comments were remarks for any future attempts at carboning. You have sold me on the idea of looking into a vacuum pump. Might start looking around, ACP composites in the US sell them real cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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