RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Vector Cam

Tim

It seems to be more than a hobby to you and most of the people that
use the high bucks stuff. You have more than one business that may
or may not pay its way. But I know that you cut balsa wood on at
least a semi commercial basis as well as have a sales of software and
hardware that I assume you don't want to run at a loss.

There is hobby and then there is side line business. All are good but
to many the idea of sending 2-3 k just to watch motors spin is out of
the range fro starting.


Like the new CNC controller in HSM this month. 1700 dollars using 10
dollar software. Now if one uses the 1000 dollars of software you
have near 3 k into the system with still what you refer to as low end
software. This includes no Iron or motors.

For many of us this is way to much for a pure hobby..

At this time I have no plans to sell or try to sell anything..

I am looking more at things like "Hobby CNC" or the stuff at
http://www.crankorgan.com/.

There is the complete laser cut router kit for aroung 500.00 from
europe. This is a neat concept and I wish some one over here that has
a hobby business would do something similar.
http://www.rcmodels.net/cnc/

Anyway for me the start of CNC will have to be under 1k for the cnc
end of the stuff. I really don't want an old bridge port at this
time. I have a Claussing and don't want to CNC it.

So what I am intrested is the stuff like the Taig or a home built
router table.

I would like to be able to engrave in metals as well as cut 1/4 inch
plywood for my first machine. The tradeoffs I am facine are size as
on the Taig or Sherline or lack of rigidity as on the small router
designs.

The really interesting thing is you can get a real machine (such as
your Bridget) for about the same as you can make a machine to cut
plastic. I just don't want to deal with that size or weight right
now.

If I would learn enough I might then want to cnc my Claussing mill or
something similar...

But there are a lot of us out here that are on a budget less than
what is considered low end professional grade software. Which i
consider high end hobby.

For those of you that like to look at the lower end hardware some of
the best pages are.
http://www.rcmodels.net/cnc/
http://www.luberth.com/plotter/plotter.htm
http://www.geocities.com/majosoft/

I got into the hobby machining stuff as a way to keep old stuff
running and basically I'd like to get into the CNC just to make neat
trinkets for the grandkids.

Garry



To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
From: "Tim Goldstein" <timg@...>
Date sent: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 12:03:28 -0700
Subject: RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Vector Cam
Send reply to: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com

> Vince,
>
> Yes this is a hobby list, but you will rapidly find that CNC is a very
> expensive hobby. We had this same discussion about a month or so ago.
> My take on the general consensus is that people just starting out with
> CNC feel that any software with a price tag $100 or more is too
> expensive for hobby use. On the other hand it seems many people who
> have a machine up and running will gladly pay much more for software.
> I think it has something to do with looking at the total amount spent
> on the machine. When you are just starting and setting your budget for
> $30/axis drives and hoping to get a machine together for a few hundred
> $$ conversion cost than the software seems out of the price range.
> After you get the machine together and running and have upgraded the
> drives to $1xx/axis Geckos, get accustom to buying $25 couplers and
> pulleys, start pricing and buying ball screws, etc. spending a few
> hundred $$ on software becomes trivial. It also can rapidly become the
> least expensive way to increase your capabilities.
>
> In my mind you really need to budget at least $300 - $700 for
> software. What that will buy you is a machine controller package ($0 -
> $200, EMC, TurboCNC, Mach1, DeskWinNC/DeskCNC, CNCPro) and a CAD/CAM
> package ($300 - $500, Vector, Dolphin, DeskCNC). Yes I know that there
> are plenty of people who are using free CAD/CAM tools, but it can be a
> frustrating and limiting way to go. I think you will find that anyone
> who had invested in a real CAD/CAM package and invested the effort to
> learn it thinks it was money well spent. I have never hear a person
> that bought Vector or Dolphin say they prefer to use one of the
> freebies.
>
> Just for the record, my investment in software was all made before I
> started dealing in the Sherline products. The software I have was all
> bought for hobby usage. OK, I will admit that like many on this list I
> do from time to time use my hobby machines to make something I can
> sell and therefore generate some cash out of it. But that is an option
> available to all of us and it is a great way to defray the costs of
> this hobby.
>
> Bottom line is this hobby costs $$ and like most things in life the
> more expensive stuff works better. Yes you can put together a machine
> for a couple hundred $$ using threaded rod, Home Depot slides, wood
> parts, and free software and it will have some capabilities. For
> someone starting out and trying to learn this hobby it can be a smart
> way to go. But it will not have the capabilities of a Sherline, Taig,
> mill drill, or a Bridgeport. On the other hand if someone's goal is to
> have a hobby cutting parts for their model railroad buddies and a CNC
> machine is just the tool to get the job done than it probably makes
> sense to spend some money out of the chute as the hobby is really
> cutting chips not building machines.
>
> Bottom line is different people approach this hobby in different ways
> and with different resources. Same as every other hobby. Heck, I have
> one neighbor who wanted to get into boating and bought a canoe. I have
> another who bought a $20,000 speed boat instead. Both are recreational
> boaters, but they had different resources and needs. Same thing
> applies in the CNC world. What you will find interesting is that you
> can learn a lot from both ends of the spectrum and then pick for
> yourself what suits you the best. My best advise is keep an open mind
> and don't let the $$ scare you.
>
> Tim
> [Denver, CO]
> Sherline products at Deep Discount
> Mach1 and DeskCNC with credit card ordering
> www.KTMarketing.com/Sherline
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > I thought this list was geared toward hobby type support,
> > shying a bit from Commercialism that any Internet Search
> > would only point you to. The retail price seems a bit steep
> > from where I'm standing. A price maybe a business could
> > afford, but the Hobbyist? What is the discount offered to list
> > people?
> >
> > You deal in Sherline products.... Of course you would have
> > plenty invested in software for many reasons, could easily
> > deduct from taxes the full amounts, and possibly make plenty
> > of cash using this software to create perfect duplicates each
> > time. But if you take my point of view, its slightly
> > different. But let me dive into my safe-zone and say, "This
> > is from my (hobbyist) point
> > of view." :)
> >
> > Hey! one more thing! Just celebrated New Years at my home
> > and my 1 year old girl wouldnt sleep so I was holding her.
> > Just as the clock hit 12:00 my kid threw-up on me worse than
> > I've ever experienced. My wife and I laughed our asses off!
> > Man,... Is that a bad omen or what!!!??? I even took a final
> > sip of my Champagne only to realize afterwards that some
> > went in there too! Gast!!
> > So I hope yours went better than mine!
> >
> > Happy New Year!
> >
> > Vince
>
>
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