Cheap CNC Machine

[Tokay444]

You don't need to spend $90 000 to get "proper equipment". Used CNC machines can be had for less than $20 000, and they're decent enough for most activities.

If we're talking needs, all anyone needs is food, water, and a rough shelter.

 

[Budweiser360]

I'd be very interested to see what the runout is on the tool. They say spindle is .0004", tool holder could add that on again, that's starting to get pretty high for small tools spinning fast. Tool changer looks like some proprietary quick change R8 with separate tool/EM holders. Very interesting little machine, I'll be watching this closely

 

[trevj]

The advantage of CNC is making many hundreds of the same thing... not so much one offs...

Having made more than my fair share of "one-of" parts for various aircraft, with a CNC mill, I'll call crapola on that general line of reason.

Simple parts are most efficiently made on simple machines. When you need a complex part, with a lot of different geometry, it sometimes makes a lot of sense to program up the complex part, run the simulated cut-paths, and troubleshoot the potential errors, then make it with a CNC machine.

Keep firmly in mind, that there are CNC machines that are NOT designed for raw numbers production, without bar feeders, robotic loaders, tombstone work holding, etc., and they have their place too.

 

[.45automatic]

Strong disagree on that. CNC is great for one-offs that aren't simply square things with holes. I use it for one-offs all the time, and it's dramatically easier than dithering with a manual if the part has many features, or heaven forbid, it has curves.

As a life long CNC programmer and machinist, I agree. We all have made tons of one offs on breaks.

 

[guntech]

As a life long CNC programmer and machinist, I agree. We all have made tons of one offs on breaks.

When you are on coffee breaks?
It took me a minute... you mean brakes as is muzzle brakes... or I guess it could be both, on your breaks you make brakes.

 

[.45automatic]

When you are on coffee breaks?
It took me a minute... you mean brakes as is muzzle brakes... or I guess it could be both, on your breaks you make brakes.

Work breaks. Lol

 

[I Dont Care About You]

As a life long CNC programmer and machinist, I agree. We all have made tons of one offs on breaks.

You wrote the g-code, dropped the piece into the vice, touched off the part, hit RUN and the finished part came out exactly as desired the first time?

I've never seen anyone do that.

 

[Blastattack]

You wrote the g-code, dropped the piece into the vice, touched off the part, hit RUN and the finished part came out exactly as desired the first time?

I've never seen anyone do that.

You haven't seen very many people then. I've done that many times.

 

[.45automatic]

You wrote the g-code, dropped the piece into the vice, touched off the part, hit RUN and the finished part came out exactly as desired the first time?

I've never seen anyone do that.

I used to type out G codes, as a teen. Modern software makes it a lot easier. Some machinists don't crash cutters, check everything a few times and do things right. I know it's hard to believe, in a world full of incompetence.

 

[Tokay444]

You wrote the g-code, dropped the piece into the vice, touched off the part, hit RUN and the finished part came out exactly as desired the first time?

I've never seen anyone do that.

This every day for skilled machinist programmers.