Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Complete Beginner (sherline cnc)

This feels like Deja Vu to me.

I got into home machining simply because RC helicopters was my main hobby
and I was tired of paying $50 for a $2 part.

My first lathe was a Unimat. I paid for it the first week I had it making
heli parts and making a bearing for an electric motor.

I then got into CNC with bigger equipment. I bought the Flashcut controller
soon after it came out. I've had two Ahha controllers for several years as
well. I've tried every $1500 or under CNC control I've been able to find.

My advice for what it's worth:

Save yourself some serious $$$ and forget the Flashcut Sherline system. It's
way over priced for what you get. Get Art Fenerty's Master5CNC instead.
That's enough savings to pay for a small lathe or mill. Ahha controllers are
ok but again way over priced.
They run in DOS. Master5CNC, Flashcut or Ahha are the only 3 I would
recommend.

Seriously rethink your Sherline idea. I've got a Sherline mill and the
Unimat lathe was about the same size as a Sherline lathe.
I quickly outgrew the lathe. I would love to have a big engine lathe but for
now I have a Shoptask. It's a lathe and mill.

So for $1900 you can buy a Shoptask lathe / mill. It comes ready for CNC by
just adding 3 Nema 34 sized motors.
You can find these motors for under $100 each. Then you'll need drivers. You
can get those for $100 each or less.
You'll also need to add freight for the Shoptask. $250 or $150 depending on
where you live.

Add to that $100 for Master5CNC and you have your hardware ready to go.

Now you'll need some CAD / CAM software. You can go cheap to expensive. I
would suggest Vector Cad-Cam for
the price. $795 but I think there's usually a discount for list members.


http://www.shoptask.com
http://users.andara.com/~fenerty/master.html
http://www.vectorcam.com/

Shoptask $2145 ( assuming $250 shipping )
Motors $300
Power supply $100
Drivers $300
Master5CNC $100
Vector Cad-Cam $795
===================
Total $3740

This assumes no scrounging and no discounts. The downside is you have to
wait for the Shoptask to come in.
You can scrounge the power supplies. You can get the motors usually much
less than $100 each.

Instead of a Sherline mill, I would buy a Grizzly Mini Mill. I have one of
those as well. It's far more capable than a Sherline.
Grizzly also has some small lathes that are more capable that the Sherline.
The Grizzly will be a little more difficult to convert to
CNC but it's not that difficult.

If all you ever want to make is RC helicopter parts, then the Sherline rig
will work fine. I would urge you to think bigger though.

later,
Larry E.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <robv@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 7:47 PM
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Complete Beginner (sherline cnc)


> For years I have been into numerous hobbies where I end up creating
> specialized parts. Recently I've gotten into R/C Helicopters and
> found that there are a million parts that can be reproduced at home
> that are far better than what comes in the original kit. The parts
> that I create are very simple and created using tools such as hand
> drills and dremels. I'm thinking of dropping some $$ on a Sherline
> CNC mill and lathe so I can start creating some more advanced parts
> out of better materials (i.e. aluminum). The reason I'd like to go
> with a CNC setup is because I'd like to create a number of the same
> part and then sell them to other R/C hobbyists.
>
> OK.. So my questions.
>
> Is it very difficult for a beginner to get into home machining?
> (I've very mechanically and technically skilled - I'm a software
> engineer by trade)
>
> Is going with the Sherline CNC Mill and Lathe a good choice?
>
> Am I crazy with this idea?
>
> Thanks in advance for you help.
>
> Rob
>
>
>
>
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