Re: Photo album updates

Ron,

taxes have nothing to do with this. we have no reward to go into manufacturing.

A friend asked me to design a small PCB type drilling/etching machine for him. something that would cost under $500 complete, software, everything. That means the physical machine needs to be under $300 to allow for motors/drivers/software.

So, I laid out a small design, and in checking around found about 20 sites like the one listed for the small spindle. there are dozens of websites of people making small machines.

and almost all have solid round rods suspended on the ends for all three axes ! a known poor design.

Also, the vast quantity of these are very low price. The rewards are not there to make a full time business and earn a livable income.

the spindle is simple an ER-collet stuck on the end of a small motor. the run-out is quite significant for the small work and will vibrate if the unit were at high speed. the speed is very slow, so it may compensate for the wobble.

The dremel is what we are going with for the first term. putting an hour meter on it to monitor length of run times. putting a thermal sensor on the plastic near the nose bearing to monitor temperature.

I looked at the idea or new for a good spindle. I made one a few years ago with a simple DC motor, but this project was to be as low cost as possible and to be home shop built with a minimum of tools.

for a spindle, the run-out should be 3 zeros after the decimal before you have any digits.

the ER-Collet would be great, but for PCB work, a set-screw on the side of a 1/8" bit is what the pro's use. Even the dremel collet with a tapered end that tightened under finger pressure is good.

Dave

ps: we need to keep the politics off this group. so, please try to eliminate posts that are not on topic.

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Ron Ginger <ronginger@...> wrote:
>
> ....
> > Regarding the lack of School based machine shops in the US. This is a situation that needs to be changed immediately if we plan to be competitive in the world market. Industry is now starting to make a rebound in the US and we are going to need more trained machinists soon.
> >
> > Bill
> >
>
> And with our mad rush to cut taxes to the minimum there is not even
> enough money to run the schools we have now. Where do you think they
> will get the money, or the trained teachers, to run shops.
>
> Our town had a reasonable shop, but a few years ago they closed it and
> sold off the machinery. The kids preferred to have a weight training
> room instead of the shop. That ought to help them get a job!
>
> ron ginger
>