RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Are there CNC-only jobs, or is it only for duplicates?

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> Believe it or not, the CAD/CAM program that you use makes a huge
> difference
> in what you can do and how much time it takes to do it. I would
> never dream
> of doing it without Vectorcam now.

Dan,

You make a good point here that I try to get across to people and feel I
have not done very well. Seems when someone gets started in putting together
a CNC setup the focus is usually on the hardware and the controller program.
I keep insisting you need to budget to get a true CAD/CAM package like
Vector. Seems many people think they can just draw the parts in any old CAD
program and use a shareware .dxf to g-code converter and get good pars. I
don't know how to make them realize that solution just doesn't cut it even
for hobby usage. I am constantly using contour tooling and pockets and would
not want to be coding this by hand or manually drawing the tool paths.

Regarding the actual post topic:
I have done a number of 1 off things that would have been hard to impossible
without CNC. Examples are:
Monte Blanc style pens with true elliptical profiles
A torque meter for rubber band planes that has an elliptical end cap
An X Y table where I didn't have the vertical clearance to use the correct
size drill bit for the rails. The solution was to drill a pilot hole and
then use a 1/2" end mill to bore out a 3/4" hole.

Tim
[Denver, CO]