Custom CNC parts

[vlad]

You have to look in your area or where ever, that has a wire edm or water jet...

I think Jim was just saying off hand as an easy place to start.

And like wise what exactly is the part required. post a pic or sketch..

I did check out water jets in the area for some custom furniture I'm building. They are not nicely priced either. That's why I was asking may be somebody knows a place.

Sketches are in my build thread.

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showpost.php?p=305761&postcount=46

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showpost.php?p=305719&postcount=35

things like that.

 

[firemanjim]

If you have a drill, air grinder n compressor, cutting disc , a sandpaper roll/flapper wheel, and a flat bastard file, you can whip them things out in a couple hours out in the garage.....

 

[machinist@large]

I did check out water jets in the area for some custom furniture I'm building. They are not nicely priced either. That's why I was asking may be somebody knows a place.

Sorry, Vlad, the independant water jet outfits in our area are competing with the companies that got off at what the independents were charging, and bought their own...

How are you getting this stuff quoted? Just a fixed price? Or by the linear/ square inch of cut? Fixturing charges are what they are; speaking as someone who has had my share of individuals wander in the door with the instructions starting with "All you have to do is..." I need A LOT more detail to even begin to understand just where you are coming from.....

If you have a drill, air grinder n compressor, cutting disc , a sandpaper roll/flapper wheel, and a flat bastard file, you can whip them things out in a couple hours out in the garage.....

Jim, why do you continue to preach to the choir???

Pat

 

[vlad]

Sorry, Vlad, the independant water jet outfits in our area are competing with the companies that got off at what the independents were charging, and bought their own...

How are you getting this stuff quoted? Just a fixed price? Or by the linear/ square inch of cut? Fixturing charges are what they are; speaking as someone who has had my share of individuals wander in the door with the instructions starting with "All you have to do is..." I need A LOT more detail to even begin to understand just where you are coming from.....



Jim, why do you continue to preach to the choir???

Pat

Fixed price for 2 parts made from cad file. I needed two pieces of aluminum for a coffee table, and another time 8 pieces for legs for another coffee table, and it all came in half a grand range... I ended up ordering online for almost half less.

 

[machinist@large]

Fixed price for 2 parts made from cad file. I needed two pieces of aluminum for a coffee table, and another time 8 pieces for legs for another coffee table, and it all came in half a grand range... I ended up ordering online for almost half less.

~$500.00 / 10= ~$50.00 each; if that included the material, that price is dirt cheap. With out a separate scale for reference, I'm guessing between 1/2" to 3/4" stock. Since you have the CAD file, calculate the length of each cut X the thickness. Include all of the holes; dia, X 3.1416 X the thickness.

If the square inch of area cut / price (~$50.00 per part) comes in at a dollar or less per square inch (I'm guessing much less) means they were quoting a you a fair price. The fact that you found someone out in the internet that undercut it DOES NOT CHANGE THAT!!!

A CHEAP waterjet machine will set you back around ~$100,000.00. That's for a basic 3 axis machine with only a 40,000 to 50,000 PSI pump set that will only be rated for about an inch in steel, and can not use abrasives. Most shop's that I've been told about have outgrown those, because they're inefficient and really slow. Step up to a 5 axis machine with abrasive capabilities, you can clear half a million in no time flat, and the operational expenses are ~2 to 3 times higher.

Here's a basic question. Do you work for free? If not, why should you think that someone else is supposed to?

 

[vlad]

Just were did I suggest for somebody to work for free? Gosh....

I asked for people to share shops they use. Got two pages of everything but...

Those 8 pieces are 3/8, 16" tall, and were made for under $400, here in US. By the emachineshop. Immediate online quote and ordering. The place is obviously more efficient than the rest so it's cranking orders for many years now, while the rest busy with don't-know-what. It's just that I couldn't get there affordable price for very small single parts for my hobby project.

 

[machinist@large]

Just were did I suggest for somebody to work for free? Gosh....

I asked for people to share shops they use. Got two pages of everything but...

Those 8 pieces are 3/8, 16" tall, and were made for under $400, here in US. By the emachineshop. Immediate online quote and ordering. The place is obviously more efficient than the rest so it's cranking orders for many years now, while the rest busy with don't-know-what. It's just that I couldn't get there affordable price for very small single parts for my hobby project.

Vlad, I'm not dissing on you, I'm trying to explain the why and how of the machine tool business. You found a better price? Good for you!! The flip side is that the locals all have fixed costs that don't change, and those fixed costs don't go away...

As for what shops we use? The name says it all:

Do It Yourself Go Karts .com What shops do we use? Our own, of course......

I apologize if the response you've gotten isn't what you expected, it's just that we're a bunch of dive in and get our own hands dirty bunch, who's attitude usually trends toward "Why hire someone when I can do it myself?!?" Sorry, that's just the way we are.....

 

[ML-TOYS]

Perhaps something like this would be a good investment for you vlad. If i had the room i would have got one 2 years ago.
http://www.plasmacam.com

 

[vlad]

Perhaps something like this would be a good investment for you vlad. If i had the room i would have got one 2 years ago.
http://www.plasmacam.com

It looks like that thing can cut up to 1" of material? But that's probably something soft... If it could cut 1/2 aluminum and I had something like that in my garage - my family would lost me

 

[vlad]

As for what shops we use? The name says it all:

Do It Yourself Go Karts .com What shops do we use? Our own, of course......

Yes, yes, I got it. No more stupid questions

 

[ML-TOYS]

It looks like that thing can cut up to 1" of material? But that's probably something soft... If it could cut 1/2 aluminum and I had something like that in my garage - my family would lost me

You can use the point that you can sell custom parts for others.
I got the free video on that machine and it does quite a bit of different materials since the cutting part is a plasma cutter.

 

[rmm727]

You can also look at Torchmate. I've used a couple of there machines. I use the Growth Series 2x4 machine now with water table and router attachment. You can do quite a bit for not that huge of an investment.

 

[OzFab]

Yes, yes, I got it. No more stupid questions

I've said it before & I'll say it again, there are no stupid questions, we all learn by asking questions; the responses may not be what you were expecting but, nevertheless, we will answer to the best of our ability...

 

[jjarkys]

You can also look at Torchmate. I've used a couple of there machines. I use the Growth Series 2x4 machine now with water table and router attachment. You can do quite a bit for not that huge of an investment.

I'd like to have a 2x2. Any idea who has the best price?

 

[Poboy kartman]

I'd like to have a 2x2. Any idea who has the best price?

Home Depot- look in the lumber section. (Sorry- I couldn't help myself. ...)

 

[rmm727]

Try a local welding shop or trick-tools.com

 

[Armilite]

Anybody know

Hi

Anybody knows some online US shop that does custom aluminum ans steel parts for reasonable price, using the CAD file?

I'm using emachineshop for some of my projects. They have coninient software, where you can design and immediately, quote, and order the part. But their prices for single pieces are not good.

Are there any other shops with online (or simplified) ordering?

==========================================
Your local welding shop could probably make most of your parts you need. Most have a CNC Plasma, or Water Jet today. A cheap $350 110v hand held Plasma Cutter can make a lot of your parts, use Templates, just under size. A simple cheap Drill Press can make a lot of parts also. A Table saw can cut 6061 Aluminium up to 1 inch thick, like butter. Harbor Freight sells a cheap tube notcher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzVUfKslacY

Rich

 

[Armilite]

You print out your emachineshop Cad file 1:1 and paste onto the metal also. You can print to clear transparency paper also.

Your CAD allows you to view your part in 3D. Post some photo's of the parts you want to make.

Rich