Cheapskate in Cirencester, Glos.

[brian]

Just returned to the UK after living abroad for several years, and now eager to get my teeth into fixing and making stuff just like I used to enjoy. I'm a keen woodworker and I've dabbled with some electronics (e.g. making my own parallel port interface boards), and I would happily do some engineering if I had a suitable workshop. For the moment, I'll probably just bash together some low-accuracy cnc router or engraver just for some fun.

As an aside, when I was living abroad (Thailand), the local markets sold second hand steppers, leadscrews, x-y tables, bearings, and other control gear all over the place. I can think of some second hand stalls that sold nothing but. I'd imagine it was much cheaper than I'm going to find over here, so I might have to buy some stuff on my next trip out there. I guess the same is true for a visit to China.

If anyone has a project on the go and lives in my local area (Cirencester, Glos.) I'd be interested in hooking up and learning from some of your mistakes. :smile:

[Lee Roberts]

Hi,

Welcome to the site, your membership has been approved and you now have full access.

Please post your questions in the relevant forums for the best assistance.

Sorry for the delay,

Lee

[Kenneth Paine]

Hi Brian,

I recently joined for the same reasons. I live in Cheltenham. I used to live and work in Ciren. and I have a client there whose premises I occasionally visit.

My CNC router project project is still in my head but I am getting tooled up for it. I purchased a second hand Sieg X2 mill last week and a lathe is next on the list, probably a Sieg Super C3 when they become available. Naturally these machines will eventually be CNC retrofitted.

Anyway, whoever gets started last can learn from the other's mistakes.

Kenneth

[brian]

Hi Kenneth,

There won't be much activity from me for a while (well, maybe I'll look into the electronics) as I'm currently renovating a house and my kitchen is my workshop. Still, it's handy to have a kettle, chopsaw, router, and bandsaw all in such close proximity. Hopefully I'll have more convenient workshop space in my next place, and then I may make a start. If I need any turning done, I may refer to my father (now retired) as he still has a decent sized metal working lathe.

Brian

[brian]

Lee,

No problems about the delay. Maybe I can see some of those photos now.

Great site by the way.

Brian

[Swarfing]

Welcome Brian nice to see another local to the fold. I'm only in Swindon and your welcome for a vist, i've made plenty of mistakes.

Paul

[brian]

Thanks, Paul. I'm often in Swindon and would welcome the chance to see what other people are doing before I embark on anything myself (not that that's going to happen for a while, anyway).

[Swarfing]

Brian

Sent you a PM

[brian]

^^ Thanks. Just replied.

[markc]

Just joined and am fairly local, would be great to hook up and learn from you guys, am just the other side of Marlborough in Pewsey. Would not be adverse to cheap Chinese parts either.

Mark

[Swarfing]

Mark

Just replied to your other thread and you would be most welcome to join us. Seems all of a sudden that the north wiltshire borders becomes an engineering centre???

[brian]

Hi, Mark. Paul seems a very friendly guy and has already offered of viewing of his machine, and when I get a chance I'll take him up on his offer. He also knows another guy who lives locally, so it seems there are quite a lot of people interested in the local area.

Regarding Chinese components, my gut feeling tells me to avoid buying controllers etc. with possibly poor service, badly written instructions, and little or no support. There seem to be some reasonable deals going from UK suppliers, who although they probably import from China themselves, will be able to give more advice and support if things go wrong. Having said that, I'm not averse to buying stepper motors or linear slides etc. which I'd feel a bit more confident about getting.

[Swarfing]

Chinese boards (TB range) are OK for the right application and budget of machine and if you can put up with the lack of support. Preference as I'm sure many on here will vouch for is save your cash and buy right. Waiting another month or two to get supported kit that will be much better is cheaper in the long run. Brian remember i said I've made plenty of mistakes?

[markc]

I have looked and wondered about the chinese boards on ebay, used a hobbycnc board in the end for my cnc foam cutter as he offers such great help and back up, would like to go that route also for the router though the soldering will be a lot more complicated. Plenty of time to think about it as have to save up first and learn lots more stuff.

Mark

[Swarfing]

I use a five axis board for my small machine which works great but was real headache to set up in the first place. For the big machine i use the type that Gary sells from Zapp, a much better proposition and separate Bob.