Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Is there a comparison between milling machines and software?

> One thing to bear in mind if doing ANY comparison to the Roland
> machines, they are built similarly to printers. There is not much
> strength in the frame, the spindle mount, the spindle bearings, or
> the axis drive motors. I have never heard from any Roland customer
> that had successfully and satisfactorily machined metals, and even
> plastics are problematic for some. Wax seems to be the preferred
> material.

Oh no! This is the mill we have at school, the Roland CAM2. When you
read the specifications it looks like it might just be useful, it says it'll
mill aluminium, brass and other soft metals. I remember, for a project, we
had to design and make something for the house and I decided to do a table.
I was going to have a piece of aluminium anodised, since no where was
selling it already done, and then have the CAM2 mill a chess board about
half a millimetre into it so it was nice bright aluminium on a neon blue
anodise. I had been told for weeks I could do this. Then the day I'm going
to get the metal I ask again and I'm told the mill can't mill aluminium, it
shakes itself too much and even then I would need to buy them a new tool. I
was seriously miffed to say the least, all I wanted it to do was scratch the
anodising off! It made me mad because I'd been relying on it for my GCSE
mark so I then had to 're-design' around the 'difficulties', or worthless
mill in other words.

I have NO idea why we have this thing, I remember reading it was
thousands of pounds. Why? We don't do any rapid prototyping, it doesn't cut
any sort of metal and it's the only one in the entire school that's under
CNC. We have a bigger mill but I think it's constantly used for end milling.
The only thing I would say is that it is very quiet, you can easily talk
standing beside it. If you want to do any metal work I'd look at something
else. The CAM2 looks, sounds and feels like you could brake it with a tap in
the wrong place. I'm sure a Dremel hand engraver has a stronger spindle
motor. Can you get a mill that _only_ end mills? Let me guess, it's called
an end mill?

John H.