[teilhardo]

Hi everyone,
I recently assembled a Taig CNC mill (pictures can be seen at:
http://www.teilhardo.com)
and started on a fairly large project (a microturbine). Well, here I am, 6 months later and my money supply is shrinking dangersously low. I am a high school student, and am unemployed (as you can imagine). After spending money on the mill, steppers, controllers, enclusure, Rhino and CAM (currently DeskAM) software, I have the right equipment but no money to spend on better CAM software that will become a necessity as I continue my endeavor with microturbines. Does anyone know of any ways that I can make a little cash without having to start up a large shop? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tei

[inthedark]

Make some custom car and truck parts for your buddies that are in to the custom scene.

You should be able to beat the retail prices by a fair margin, and still make a bit of cash.

good luck,

[Klox]

You can also go to the cycle shops. The "mounties" & "roadies" sometimes wants custom parts as well....

Klox

[teilhardo]

I don't know much about custom car/motorcycle parts. What are we talking about, gaskets, shafts, gears??? Will I need to spend any more money on complex CAM or can I use my owned 2.5d CAM?
Thanks,
Tei

[High Seas]

Tei - do a quick search on eBay - just check "CNC" - you'll find heaps of ideas from full up steering wheels to gas caps and small bitty pieces. Good luck! Whatcha gonna do with the first million?
:cheers:Jim

[Swede]

If you're into R/C (Turbines? Sounds like it) consider custom R/C hardware. It's tough to make parts for motorcycles etc unless you are into them, but if you do R/C that may be a possibility.

Some examples

- Custom helicopter parts of aluminum. There is a big market for these to replace plastic parts which break in crashes.

- Landing gear struts, pneumatic assemblies

- custom engine mounts, especially for the BIG engines like the Zenoahs

- Heavy-duty linkage parts for the jumbo-scale R/C

- 2-stroke carby sleeves - someone is always wanting to adapt a carb with an incorrect base diameter to their pet engine. I've done this myself in a lathe by chucking the carb body directly.

- Gas turbine parts - diffusers, etc

-alloy gears for servos? Don't be afraid of gears, they are a snap with a mill and a R/T or dividing head.

What is your turbine project about? I am deep into turbines and built the first Wren Turboprop in the Western Hemisphere, as far as I can tell! I'm not good enough of a pilot to fly them, I just like to run them and smell the kero.

I think it's great that you are starting young. I started in my thirties and missed a decade of a wonderful hobby.

Swede
http://www.5bears.com

[DDM]

Your kinda in the same boat that I'm in right now. I'd like to also do my own custom stuff but I don't want to dump a bunch of money into a system that I can't make money at. The key is to find a niche market. People will pay plenty for custom parts in a particular hobby. Find a hobby that you're interested in and find somthing that you could improve upon. One problem that I'm running into myself is the liability with some products in case someone gets hurt with one of my products. Not saying that if I made parts for motorsports that I wouldn't take special care when designing them. Hope any of this helps good luck.

Carl

[inthedark]

Originally posted by teilhardo
I don't know much about custom car/motorcycle parts. What are we talking about, gaskets, shafts, gears??? Will I need to spend any more money on complex CAM or can I use my owned 2.5d CAM?
Thanks,
Tei

Custom pulleys to match wheels, valve covers, air cleaners, dash boards, rocker panels, steering wheels, anythig that is made of plastic and ugly can be made of metal and polished. A/C vents are cool but hard to make. The word will get out and you will be busy, like it or not. Sometimes it takes a while to get the word out. But don't give up.

Make stuff for your own car or truck for ideas and design practice. Hit all the shows, and swap meets When they ask, "where did you find that?". You hand 'em a card and say, "I made it".

If that isn't your bag, pick something you're interested in and go for it the same way.

Liability?
Make yourself an LLC, and/or put disclaimers on all items for legal protection. You may not realize it but they are on everything read 'em and think about what they say generally.

The customer buys and modifies everything of their own free will, it's their decision, their installation, and thier butt if anything goes wrong.

You might be amazed at the results.

Good Luck

[ballendo]

You've gotten some good ideas already. But I'd suggest something much simpler, easily within the reach of your software. Think less about "machining", and more about "engraving"...

Once you do that, think of keychains, dogtags, truck receiver hitch decorative covers, signs, picture frames, license frames, just about anything already existing is worth a bit more to its owner with their name or favorite "saying" on it... Address numerals with flair that can't be gotten at Home depot, waterproof labels for gardeners...

Good luck,

Ballendo

P.S. You also could make little wood or plastic or metal "boxes" of diffferent shapes that women would love... A place for their stuff.

Originally posted by teilhardo
Hi everyone,
I recently assembled a Taig CNC mill (pictures can be seen at:
http://www.teilhardo.com)
and started on a fairly large project (a microturbine). Well, here I am, 6 months later and my money supply is shrinking dangersously low. I am a high school student, and am unemployed (as you can imagine). After spending money on the mill, steppers, controllers, enclusure, Rhino and CAM (currently DeskAM) software, I have the right equipment but no money to spend on better CAM software that will become a necessity as I continue my endeavor with microturbines. Does anyone know of any ways that I can make a little cash without having to start up a large shop? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Tei

[ynneb]

teilhardo, You say you need to earn money to buy some better cam software.

Why dont you hunt on the net for some extended trialware.
I am sure you could find it if you looked. I know other have found this sort of stuff. You could use it and then pay for it at a later date when the money is coming in.

[Noah]

Swede is right. Making RC heli stuff. I made a ton of money making carbon fiber RC heli fins and frames on just a small Sherline 5400 . Sadly, most people into RC helis are not into machining, but they love carbon fiber all the same. Sounds like you and me are in the same boat. I am now in college and want to complete an RC heli turbine project, but currently don't have the money. I am trying to make money using a larger mill now. Seems to be going well.

[teilhardo]

Thanks for the responses everyone.
Can I make the RC helicopter parts with 2.5d CAM software? is it just a matter of getting some plastic sheeting and making some accurate cuttouts for someone?
Are local RC good places to look or should I go to hobby shops?
What is the most practical CAM for engraving stuff?

Thanks,
Tei

[Noah]

When I made them I did not even have to use software I just wrote the G-code myself and ouputted it to the mill. I would go to some of the more popular RC heli forums and post that you would be willing to make custom carbon parts for cash. Try runryder.com or ezonemag.com Most people that want parts have some sort of CAD program anyway and they are usually willing to send you *.dxf files. Really in the RC world you won't get anywhere with anything but carbon fiber. Here is a set of fins I made for my heli. I sell these for $50 a set. Actual tooling, material, and time costs add up to about $20.

[Dan S]

teilhardo

What version of Rhino are you running?

I would recommend that you download MeshCAM( http://www.robgrz.com/meshcam.phtml ), its in beta trials right now, but even when it comes out its going to be cheap to buy, and it will let you do 3d cam.

What is the work envelope of your machine?

I know I have a few parts that I think you could make on your machine just using 2.5D cam. Like router mounting brackets, and bearing holders, etc

-Dan

P.S. Wait till you go to college then you will really feel broke. I just graduated and Uncle Sam is going to want me to start paying him back the 20k I borrowed. Thank god I started at my new job last weak.

[teilhardo]

Hi,
They all sound like good ideas. Now, it is just a matter of taking the inventor mentality "ideas..." and changing them from "..a dime a dozen" into a profit for praxis.
To reply to DanS:
I have Rhino 4.0 and I just downoaded Meshcam. the problem is that I don't know much about 3d machining, and from what I hear, making symmetric designs is pretty tough. But I'll try nonetheless
Work Envelope? Not really sure what that means but it is a Taig mill with a 1/10 hp spindle, top speed: 16ipm
I congratulate you on your first job, and yes I am already preparing to join the "starving students" crew

I response to Noah:
It looks like those parts I should have no problem making. Where do you get your carbon fiber? Online?

Thanks a lot everyone,
Tei

[Dan S]

Tei

You mean rhino 3.0 right? As far as I know 4.0 isn’t out yet.

Work envelope: I mean what’s the biggest object you can mill out. The x, y and z travel of your machine.

-Dan

[teilhardo]

Yes, I meant 3.0

I can machine 10"X5"X5"