Re: Quick and Dirty One-Offs?

Ballendo,

That is a selling point of CNC, but not what got me into it.

Due to the tremendous setup investment (time and money) for a first
time CNCer's one-off part, I didn't want to answer that way. The
question involved a first-time run-through of the essential steps.

I don't do enough one-offs to CNC the process: when I need to
duplicate a single cast ornament, I might rough it out on a manual
machine and finish it up by grinding, filing, sanding, and polishing
using my manual 8-axis 5-digit appendages. It really does work well
that way.

Another advantage of CNC you didn't mention and that I needed was
the ability to form complex curves: no one's that good with the
handwheels.

Charles Hixon

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "ballendo" <ballendo@y...>
wrote:

> Hello Charles,
>
> I believe this is a very common misconception...
>
> Actually, CNC is VERY helpful for one-off and short run stuff. In
> fact, a huge part of the reason for the variety of products

offered

> nowadays is the ability of a cnc machine to effectively make ONE

of

> something!
>
> Another reason to "go CNC" is that it will replace LOTS of

otherwise

> needed special tooling and accessories. Rotary table? Not needed

in

> most of the old "classic" (flywheel spokes) cases. Engraving

machine,

> or stamps? nope. Many different sizes of drills and reamers and

taps

> and endmills? Well, yes<G> BUT... you can sure do a lot with many
> fewer tools...
>
> I think it's sad that so many people share the idea that CNC is

for

> multiple items of the same type... I got into CNC when I was doing
> one-off's exclusively; found it was just the ticket to effective

use

> of my time, materials, and tooling. (Gotta say that having the
> computer add the last few touches to something with hundreds of

hours

> already in it, is a nice time to reflect on David Pyes issues of
> workmanship of risk versus workmanship of certainty...
>
> Ballendo