Hi from Crewe

Even though I have been machining for almost all my working life, I haven't yet dabbled into CNC.
I have a small but fully manual machine equipped small workshop, with all the usual items.
Being of rather a ripe age, CNC machining will be a complete minefield for me, when I eventually get a CNC mill into the shop.

Even though I know John S personally, I thought I would try to at least attempt to help myself before falling on his superior knowledge.

If things go to plan, later in the year, I will be investing in the larger of the two Sieg CNC mills, mainly because it will take most of the tooling I already have, and it should compliment the size of machines I already own.
My workshop is used as a sort of small production unit making precision items and doing rework, but only for a minor amount of the time, just to pay for keeping the workshop running, the rest is devoted to my designing and making of small steam/air driven engines. I am hoping that the CNC mill will help take the pressure off me when I am doing production work.

Thats about it for the moment :wave:

Bogs

Hi Bogs welcome to the site, i look forward to seeing some of these steam engine parts coming ot of your cnc once your up and running.

Unfortunately Lee, I doubt very much if my engines will ever be made by CNC.
I design and make on the run, manual machining here and there where necessary. I doubt if CNC could keep up with my one off production. I don't even use CAD, just rough sketches.

This was designed and made just like I described above.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...os/custom1.jpg

Or maybe a three rotor air/steam turbine will wet your whistle

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/finish21.jpg

Both about 4.5" high

I need massive help for when the CNC eventually turns up, not hardware, that is all sorted hopefully, but where to start in getting it to do what I want.

I am looking at Dolphin and Mach III software.


Bogs

That's neat! :clap:

Fantastic work Mr Tandard

Nice work mate,bet that used up a good few hours.

Hi Boggy time you introduced the brains of the partneship, Bandit

Peter

Hi Peter,

I mentioned about him joining as well, but he mumbled something about becoming a physicist, and was too busy to take on anything else.

Maybe he will change his mind a little later.

John

Hi! It's a small world - I recognise you from the Home Model Engine Machinist forum!

I've just purchased a CNC Taig Mill and currently coming to grips with it!

Good to see you here too!

Alan

Steve,
I forgot to answer you before, sorry.
Not really, the piston valve engine, I made two 'on the run', designing and making as I went along, and they took about two months. Mostly made from scrap picked up from here and there, and cost me about £10 each, and most of that was on the fastenings. The forum build for it was turned into a 'book', which should be able to be downloaded from here. A fair few have been sucessfully made.

http://rapidshare.com/files/23781034...ngine_book.exe

Hi Alan,

I have still to purchase my machinery. I want to try to get some facts and figures and software under my belt before I take the plunge. Mainly because it will be a secondary machine in my shop, and I won't be able to spend all my time on it when it eventually arrives.
If I can get the basics learned first, it won't be such a struggle for me when I get my grubby hands on it.

John

Hi Bogs

Good to see you over here, it was your posts over at madmodders that got me into making my first engine, and am now on my second.

I use Mach3, Solidworks & Visualcam/Visualmill for my cnc stuff, adds up to be a powerful combination esspecially if you end up playing with 4 axis

If I can ever help with anything cnc/software related just let me know

DJH

Hi DJH,

Yep, I do get around a bit, mainly on the manual sites. I'm glad my meanderings gave you a little inspiration. There is nothing like getting your first runner to spur you onto bigger and better things.

4 axis for me will be a necessity if I decide to go ahead with this project. So that will mean a higher learning curve from the very beginning. All this will be to lessen my workload, and hopefully be able to get better turnround times.

Many thanks for the help offer, unfortunately, mine and family health issues at this time is the main problem. Once that is sorted, I will be able to get more quality time on the subject, and then maybe I will be knocking on your door in the middle of the night.

Bogs

Hey no problem, it's an open offer,

Ive spent months trying to figure out 4 axis as not that many programs can do it, and even less do it well, but for me solidworks & visualmill work very well together

Thanks

DJH

Hi from Sandbach
Joe here, been in electronics for 40 years, so decided to tax my brain with a little mechanical stuff...hats off to all you guys, I make 5 of everything, 4 scrap and one nearly right :)
I have just converted my old Tom senior miller to CNC, so we will be climbing the Gcode hill together.
cheers
joe