Any CAD/CAM CNC or 3D Print Folks Around?

[ThreeDJ16]

Probably just easier to link to my Youtube channel.  But I'll post a few extra pics too.

Here is my current CNC mill setup.  Myself and a group of friends decided to take an existing mill and slowly upgrade it to what we really wanted.  R8 spindle with TTS adapter and power draw bar, heavy duty frame and soon linear rails along with an automatic tool changer.  All the upgrades were designed and built from scratch.  One of the guys builds the spindles and has a CNC grinder to make the spindle shafts.

My YouTube Channel

 

My Emco turret lathe.  1986 vintage that I completely overhauled and added all new control electronics.

 

 

After pics - updated with an Acorn controller with PLC and temp controlled fan to keep things cool.

 

Before pics.  Used to be a large 3 phase motor here and the old electronics were in a separate cabinet.  This little BLDC motor I added has 3 times the HP the 3 phase motor had and about 1/25 the weight...LOL.

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by ThreeDJ16

[tony b]

Got any pics of your handywork with all those toys in your shop?

[ThreeDJ16]

33 minutes ago, tony b said:

Got any pics of your handywork with all those toys in your shop?

LOL, I spend much more time building upgrades, tools or work holding devices and getting my CNC room ready for retirement.  At some point, all of these things will be as desired and then I'll focus more on making stuff other than upgrades.  Though next year I plan on building a laser engraver setup....LOL...and I'm wanting a new 3D printer.  But the main thing is my machines are getting used and enjoyed.  Even if it's more for functional items versus fun items.  The vids on Youtube show several parts being made like motor plates and mounting brackets.  

Oh yeah, I have another lathe in the CNC room, just don't think I have any pics of it.  Manual lathe, but it probably gets used more than the CNC one for turning quick small parts.

The fantastic part of having all these tools at my disposal is the ability to need something, break something (very often) and just draw it up in CAD and either 3D print a part or send it over to CAM and mill or turn it via one of the CNC machines.  Home manufacturing is becoming a huge hobby market and is fun along with being interesting by learning new things.  I see this just continuing to grow.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by ThreeDJ16

[Bruce Pearson]

I used to have a CNC machine but sold it about a year ago

[MacKenzie]

Wow.

[ThreeDJ16]

47 minutes ago, Bruce Pearson said:

I used to have a CNC machine but sold it about a year ago

 

Nice looking machine.  

[Bruce Pearson]

It was a lot of fun. Water cooled spindle 6’ long bed it was 5 axes you could actually turn things with it. I kinda miss now.

[ThreeDJ16]

10 minutes ago, Bruce Pearson said:

It was a lot of fun. Water cooled spindle 6’ long bed it was 5 axes you could actually turn things with it. I kinda miss now.

Doubt I'll ever go 5 axis on my mill, since it's a rare case to actually need 5 degrees of motion around a central plane (X,Y,Z and basically pan/tilt) and it severely limits your work envelope.  Though I do plan on adding a 4th axis and maybe a trunnion table to it, which will allow turning a part. 

I enjoy designing and building.  It's just something I have to do or go crazy. 

After my second back surgery, started to go a little nuts without the ability to do things.  I turned to small hobbies which allowed me to sit and build.  For a while I had a side business building custom electronic vaping devices and accessories.  It was mostly just 3D printed stuff and used a pro facility to print after doing the prototyping at home.  Then got my first lathe and started turning accessories.  Was also back at work (barely able) and that got old making stuff for other people and working 12 hr rotating shifts.  So after 2 years of doing that, decided to stop and go full on into the CNC world as just a hobby.  But it would take me a while and wasn't going to ruin it by trying to turn it into a business again.

Finally after the 3rd surgery, which allowed me to finally walk normal again, was able to really get started with all my CNC equipment, piece at a time.  Due to lifting restrictions, it had to be equipment which could be taken apart in small pieces, placed and rebuilt.  Moved from working shift to a day desk job (with 3 day weekends) and now have just been building and adding on, little by little as my back allows.  I'm extremely fortunate to have met up with a group of friends with similar interest.  While I have zero interest in the business side, the other two guys are young engineers and wanted a side business.  So mainly just been helping them develop products, doing CAD work / beta testing and both of them are now selling the add-ons we made.  Really close now to having a 100% complete mill without any premade mill parts coming from a commercial seller.  Except of course motion control hardware and software, but they aren't selling that portion since everyone has their own preference.  This stuff is mainly for the DIY crowd and not the turn key folks.  LOL...they have been trying to talk me into building the electronics boxes for the setup (since that is my background), but still not interested in selling anything.

Anyway, it's been a fun ride so far.  We still have a lot of work to do, but keeps me occupied with interesting things to build.

[Bruce Pearson]

Yeah I had all kinds of people wanting me to make things for them. But just said no. I had a really nice woodworking shop in my garage which I had sound proofed. But I had so much machinery that I was always bumping into things, or If I wanted my band saw it took 10 to15 minutes to get it out and set up. It wasn’t fun building things anymore. 

Sorry to hear about your back. I had back surgery about 20 years ago and it’s been pretty good so far. Sounds like yours was really bad. Take care and have a great weekend

[ThreeDJ16]

1 hour ago, Bruce Pearson said:

Yeah I had all kinds of people wanting me to make things for them. But just said no. I had a really nice woodworking shop in my garage which I had sound proofed. But I had so much machinery that I was always bumping into things, or If I wanted my band saw it took 10 to15 minutes to get it out and set up. It wasn’t fun building things anymore. 

Sorry to hear about your back. I had back surgery about 20 years ago and it’s been pretty good so far. Sounds like yours was really bad. Take care and have a great weekend

I understand about space issues.  My small CNC room is in the process of getting a major overhaul.  Running more power to it right now and switching out all my equipment to sit on top of tool chests so they will be easier to move around as needed.  Right now, two sit on a large table, but as soon as I get my new mill enclosure, it's going on a cart just like the Emco lathe above.  The small manual mill will easily go on a cart.  Once all of that is done, the table is gone and space will be available again.

My first back surgery I think was in 2005.  It was a cleanout and was younger so it wasn't bad, but only lasted a little under a decade.  Second one was a fusion which failed and causes a third to happen within 1 1/2 years (now fused L4/L5/S1).  Unfortunately fusions just ruin the discs above and that's already happening about 3 years later (L2/L3/L4). 

So trying to get everything setup for my retirement now while it's possible.  I'm afraid the next surgery will put a damper on my ability to create these upgrades / add ons and new setups.  Doing PT and everything else to push it out as far as possible, as there's way too many more projects I want to get finished first....LOL.  Trying not to be stupid about them and carefully planning them, little by little.