I want to DIY.. some questions please!

[ecat]

Digressing just a little.

As steel is more suitable and lower cost than ali profile why don't we see more low end commercial machines made from it? The only ones I know of are these sexy beasts http://translate.googleusercontent.c...Zrb3V7vkmqihcw , looks more like pressed thin sheet than welded box section :( So, is it tooling costs? Assembly and finishing costs? Weight? The price of paint? Or have we all become victims of the profile looks sexy fashion cult?

[Jonathan]

Thanks Jonathan. I saw you used steel box section for the frame of your machine. Trouble is I can't weld! I only have a gas bottle torch for doing a bit of plumbing, and I have little experience with it.

That frame was the first welding I had done. Practices on some scrap first that's all...

Digressing just a little.

As steel is more suitable and lower cost than ali profile why don't we see more low end commercial machines made from it? ... Assembly and finishing costs? Weight? The price of paint? Or have we all become victims of the profile looks sexy fashion cult?

I reckon it's because it looks fancy and most 'hobby' machine manufacturers are either too lazy or don't know better. They'll probably argue it saves a lot on labour. I got round the price of paint by not painting it - machine not art.

[JAZZCNC]

:( So, is it tooling costs? Assembly and finishing costs? Weight? The price of paint? Or have we all become victims of the profile looks sexy fashion cult?

No it's because lots are into bling and posing. . . . Paint aint expensive just messy.!!!

I'm always suspicious of machines with lots of fat looking plastic covers.!!. . . . Always makes me wonder what there hiding.????

[m_c]

Digressing just a little.

Moslty fabrication costs/equipment.
Alu profile just needs cut, bolted together with suitable brackets, and with a bit care you have a pretty accurate machine.
Steel needs cut (more expensive/time consuming to do accurately than cutting alu), joined, be that via welding or drilling and brackets, which both take longer than doing similar with alu profile. If welded, you then have to deal with distortion.
Plus alu profile is also more accurate out the box so to speak, as extrusions are usually accurate within a thou, unlike steel which can vary quite a bit.

I've used alu profile for frames before, and cost wise it is more expensive, but takes less time to assemble, and for what I used it for, resulted in a lighter stiffer frame than using steel. Plus it looks cool ;)