Printable View
Hi all, since retiring have enjoyed making miniature steam engines with a lathe and small mill.
Want to try my hand at CNC machining some small parts in brass, bronze and aluminum.
Done some WWW research but the options are huge and mind boggling.
Most entry level machines seem to just do engraving
Any suggestions for an entry level CNC, I think I need a 4 axis, would prefer to buy in Australia but not adverse to the Chinese route.
OK with computers and CAD so that should not be a problem.
Hi Mike- Describe the size of your parts a bit better and what you want to do. Sounds like a mill not a router... Peter
Thanks Peteeng. Maybe you are right got the terminology wrong. I think a CNC mill is what I need. Want to be able to mill a part in 3D.
F or instance imagine a brass spoked flywheel about 90mm in diameter or a slide valve chamber.
Hi Mike - Perhaps a conversion like these is the go for you see below. Small cnc mills can be quite expensive. I've been designing one and its not that easy...
https://heavymetalcnc.com/
Peter
Thanks mate. I have one of the mills they supply kits for, I will contact them and see how helpful they can be.
Looks like they only supply the hardware, so unsure of how to source software and drivers
Hi Mike - have a look at stepperonline, I've used them quite a bit and they are good quality and reliable delivery... make sure you get low inductance motors say <4mH. There are cheap motors out there but they have high inductance (there are economy grade, standard and precision S and P can have same specs but generally P is more $$$ but not by much and depends on the specials at the time of purchase) . Many threads here about poor performing motors with high inductance. <2mH even better and as high a voltage as possible... I use UCCNC for controller, available in OZ....Peter
I get parts from china delivered here, northern NSW quicker then I can get a letter from Sydney, go figure...