Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] New guy needs advice!

I don't think you will find any of the mini mills that will satisfy your requirement for stainless steel. I would be very
skeptical of anyone who says otherwise.
There are several workarounds though, so you might not have to invest in a full size machine right off. For instance, you could
machine wax, or an aluminum mold and have your turbine wheels cast (vacuum or investment)
IMHO, if you must machine stainless steel, don't even consider a miniature machine. Find a descent old vertical mill and
upgrade the controls or retrofit. If you have 3 phase and a big shop with easy access to move in a big machine, you will have no
trouble finding a good deal on the iron. A retro-fit or upgrade can cost 500 bucks on up, depending what you're starting with and
what you have on hand.
Most of the software you mentioned is CAD software. I have both Rhino and Solid edge and they are not timed, just limited
features. Solid Edge Origin is an extremely powerful modeling package and it is totally free. Assembly mode and Draft mode are
disabled, but you could for instance model your turbine wheel pretty easily. Rhino has a limited number of saves (25 I think).
Most CAM demos will let you do everything but post code, which doesn't do you any good. Your selection of a CAM package will be
very dependant on your needs and personal taste. I worked with a prototyping shop that used BobCAD/CAM exclusively and turned out
some very intricate work. XCAM, SurfCAM, Gibbs, MasterCAM, and those guys all cost several thousand dollars.
Good luck.

smcleod007@... wrote:

> Hello to all,
>
> I'm very excited about purchasing my first CNC milling machine, and
> want to make sure I get the right one 4 my needs. An engineer,
> (Mariss), from Geckodrives, told me this was the best place to seek
> advice on how to put together a cost-effective CNC milling machine. I
> saw an ad in a machinist magazine for a MAXNC10 mini mill and was
> surprised at how affordable it was. So I started calling a lot of CNC
> companies to find out what's available in my price range. I
> explained that I needed a machine that could mill to .001"
> consistently for prototyping small engine designs from RC models to
> motorcycle size. The largest piece I could see cutting right now
> would be a 6 in. diameter turbine wheel made out of stainless-steel.
> Some mini mill companies have told me their mills will do everything
> I need. Others have said I need a bigger machine to cut the harder
> steels. Unfortunately for me there is a huge price difference
> between mini CNC mills and the next step up. I'm turning a storage
> room in the basement of my apartment complex into a tool room so I
> have enough room for a larger mill. It even has three phase power
> available! So all I need now is the right machine and software to
> get me started. I'm a mechanic who is computer literate with lots of
> spare computer parts laying around, but no CAD CAM experience. I've
> downloaded evaluation versions of, Rhino, Solid edge, Visual mill,
> XCAM and machine tool path viewers to play with, but I'm not going to
> install them until I get my CNC mill because they're all time bomb
> versions. My email address is, (smcleod007@...).
> Thanks to all who can help me get started. Scott McLeod.
>
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