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bakaguyjean

3axis cnc router/mill recommendations

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Does anyone have any recommendations for a small desk top size mill. Im mainly looking on ebay but most are descrided kinda strange. Im wanting to cut frp and carbon. Any advice would be great

Thanks in advance

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Proxxon offers some small milling machines for hobby applications. Might be worth checking them out if they happen to be available where you live, otherwise shipping costs and distant customer service might give you trouble.

http://www.proxxon.com/en/

I use their rotary tools (Micromot 50E) and those are better than Dremel's tools in my opinion.

Edit:

Proxxon's US distributor has some of the tools also available for 110 V mains. Usually, these are for 230 V, with some smaller handheld tools needing 12 V.

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I have a cheap TS-3040H from ebay, sold by many different people. It is cheap, but it works. I get the impression that these cheaper machines are better than they use to be, with quality being more consistent than when they first came out. However be prepared to fixed and upgrade it yourself along the way.

I cut mainly MDF, but have cut aluminium with it, but its not really build for that as the motor is only 200W. It screams like a wounded banshee when it does! So I can cut aluminium, I am in the process of building my own upgraded cnc machine. I bought the frame and added in a brushless and water cooled 800W motor, with some beefier stepper motors and an off the shelf controller board.

You'll want some sort of extraction system, especially when cutting carbon fibre. Currently I use a vacuum cleaner and follow the cutter around. But this is dangerous, so my next build will have this and some other things my cheaper one didn't have. Things like limit switches, mister, an emergency stop. The machine can be loud too when operating, so a cabinet is also on my list.

My original cnc machine came with a cracked version of Mach3. I decided to actually buy Mach3, as the included one was pirated and most likely had malware installed with it. I also bought a copy of CamBam to convert my dxf files to gcode.

Lastly, google what you think you might buy, there is now a lot of information out there on all these machines. I think they are great entry level/hobbists machines, but again, be prepared to learn a lot and to have to fix and repair it along the way.

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Proxxon tools are pretty good. I have been using the jigsaw they make for cutting chassis plates. I have looked into the mills they make for doing blukheads but right now im looking for something that can do chassis plates. Thanks for the advice though

Proxxon offers some small milling machines for hobby applications. Might be worth checking them out if they happen to be available where you live, otherwise shipping costs and distant customer service might give you trouble.http://www.proxxon.com/en/

I use their rotary tools (Micromot 50E) and those are better than Dremel's tools in my opinion.

Edit:

Proxxon's US distributor has some of the tools also available for 110 V mains. Usually, these are for 230 V, with some smaller handheld tools needing 12 V.

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Your advice really help as the machine you have now is what im interested in. I looked into the programs you use and there is a nice bundle for both around 300 i found. You say you cut MDF. Would you ming posting a picture of something you have cut. I used to use MDF on military aircraft so i am familiar with it. It seems slightly softer than carbon if i remember correctly.

One last question do you know of a forum that i should look into?

Thanks again

I have a cheap TS-3040H from ebay, sold by many different people. It is cheap, but it works. I get the impression that these cheaper machines are better than they use to be, with quality being more consistent than when they first came out. However be prepared to fixed and upgrade it yourself along the way.

I cut mainly MDF, but have cut aluminium with it, but its not really build for that as the motor is only 200W. It screams like a wounded banshee when it does! So I can cut aluminium, I am in the process of building my own upgraded cnc machine. I bought the frame and added in a brushless and water cooled 800W motor, with some beefier stepper motors and an off the shelf controller board.

You'll want some sort of extraction system, especially when cutting carbon fibre. Currently I use a vacuum cleaner and follow the cutter around. But this is dangerous, so my next build will have this and some other things my cheaper one didn't have. Things like limit switches, mister, an emergency stop. The machine can be loud too when operating, so a cabinet is also on my list.

My original cnc machine came with a cracked version of Mach3. I decided to actually buy Mach3, as the included one was pirated and most likely had malware installed with it. I also bought a copy of CamBam to convert my dxf files to gcode.

Lastly, google what you think you might buy, there is now a lot of information out there on all these machines. I think they are great entry level/hobbists machines, but again, be prepared to learn a lot and to have to fix and repair it along the way.

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If I could add my advice it would be this:

1. Buy the heaviest, largest machine you can. The heavier the machine, the less vibration you will get. If you buy something now to fit what you want to do at the moment, it will probably be too small for something you want to do in the future. I have a mill with a 400mm bed and that's barely big enough for doing 1/10 chassis on.

2. If you can, get something that you can fit industrial tooling on. I've been able to get cheap or free equipment from engineering shops that wouldn't fit onto a very small mill (My machine uses a MT3 taper and 14mm T slots.

3. Is CNC essential ? I can do a lot of stuff on my manual mill with a DRO fitted very easily

4. After I bought my mill, I found I spent a lot more on it over the course of a few years, needing some things more urgently than others. I would expect you would also need:

A clamping kit

A decent machine vice

collet set.

multiple sizes of cutters and drills

A drill chuck if the machine does not come with one.

A DTI for setting workpieces square on the machine

A coolant pump if you want to cut steel.

A good set of taps and dies for cutting threads

I know you said at the start of the thread that you only want to work in carbon and FRP, but I guarantee once you get the machine you will think, Ahh, I could do this, and this, and I could make that plastic bulkhead out of aluminium, and I could really do with some stainless steel UJs, etc, etc, so I would think really seriously about getting a machine capable of cutting steel, or at least aluminium and brass.

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happy to share.

This was my first attempt at making a Volvo 850 body, cut using 6 mm thick pieces of MDF. Build thread here. I've since moved onto another method but that is waiting for me to build my bigger and better machine.

Volvo-850-BTCC-Estate-build-28.jpg

This is the machine I currently have:

Volvo-850-BTCC-Estate-build-38.jpg

This is a 2 piece aluminium chassis plate I cut, but its not really something you can do a lot on a little machine like this.

Sand-Scorcher-Build08.jpg

This is my new machine I am building which tonight I've finally managed to programme so that Mach3 can drive the motors. There was a lot of trial and error and I still have to fine tune, but at least its working. Note the much bigger spindle :D

IMG_7383.jpg

Forum wise, there are several around. Instead of sticking to a particular forum, I found it easier to just google what I needed. Information is out there, but you will have to hunt for it.

As for Carbon fibre, it will be a lot lighter, but a lot more stiffer and stronger, but its a lot more expensive. Make sure to well ventilate and make sure you don't breathe in the carbon fibre dust.

Also cutting tips, I just bought mine cheap one of ebay. You'll probably break a few learning, so it won't matter, but take the time to learn what each time can cut and do. One problem I had with my small cnc machine was that it could only take small bits at 3.175 mm wide. This limited my choice, and was another good reason to upgrade.

If I think of anything else, I'll post and feel free to ask questions.

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I about have something figured out but wanted to ask about programs. Mach3 i understand what it does. About Cambam do i need another program to actually design parts? Cambam says it has some design software but is this enough? I am thinking about buying Cambam but in the future i would like to 3d also and do not know what cambam allows as far as design goes. Also tool paths. Does cambam have tool paths?

I want to buy the programs before i decide the machine. I know it going to be one of the China machines just dont know what size yet.

Any advise on designing programs would be welcome.

Thanks again

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