[ginamc]

Hi,

Any one in the Houston Area? I have a CNC machine. I cheated and bought mine. Wish I could build one.

Anyways I have made several wall hangings as a hobby and even sold a few routed signs. I been teaching myself by trial and error. I would like find other CNC hobbiest in the area to share ideas, and to see what they are making.

I want to make more signs, maybe even start my own company. I would like to get into making furniture. I need to learn a lot about finishing.

Any one in Houston with the same hobbies?

Gina

[joecnc2006]

I'm in San Antonio

[ginamc]

Do you have a CnC, or planning on making/buying one?

If you do what to you make?

[Cold Fusion]

I'm just outside Houston, in the Missouri City area. I do most of my work in small scale aluminum car parts, although I enjoy worked in hardwoods as well. Currently I'm retrofitting a Bridgeport mill, because my router got overwhelmed by the work load.

[ViperTX]

Cedar Park / Austin here.....power supply is done, servo will be done today with Renco encoders.....

[mgamber]

You need to get involved in the home metal shop club. Lots of resources for you here.

See: http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/

[ginamc]

I used to work at a shop over in stafford on Cash street. Close to were you are. I was called JFL communications, that was back in 92. I think they have been bought out. We made motion simulators for stalite dishes on ships.

I have not worked with alum. yet. I want to but I think I need a coolent for the machine, at least that's what I have been told.

I have a Techo router router. Did you make your own router?

Gina

[Cold Fusion]

Sure did. You can check out my thread in the router section to see the whole process of making it. Coolant will help a lot. The chips will tend to get frozen to the bit without it, and that will snap an endmill in under 2 seconds.

[ginamc]

wow, I checked out your machine on ebay. That is totally amazing that you built something like that. I need to check out your thread a little later, we are doing some landscaping in the front yard and I need to get back out there.

How come your selling your machine?
I am attaching some pics of my machine and first sign. I did not paint it. A coworker painted with an air brush. I am learning to air brush and hopfully will be able to paint my next sign.

[ginamc]

Cold Fusion,

Just checked out your thread. I didn't know what a Bridgeport mill was when you first mentioned it. It seems like a major under taking. You are a very industrious young man!!!

Now I remember why I just bought mine. I would have gone crazy trying to fiqure every thing out. Do you already have your own company or is this more like a hobby for you?

Gina

[ginamc]

mgamber,

Thanks for the link. A lot of good information there. I am going to try to make the next meeting. The artical on powered coating at home was very helpful. I wondered how they did that.

Gina


mgamber You need to get involved in the home metal shop club. Lots of resources for you here.

See: http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/

[Cold Fusion]

Gina, thanks for the kind words. Yup, the Bridgeport is a huge project. I just got my first axis under Servo power today! That was very exciting for me. Tuning servos is tricky, but I'm getting the hang of it. Hopefully the smaller 500w model I got for the X is up to the task.

What program did you design that sign in? It looks amazing!

[ginamc]

Good luck with your Sevro motors. Please keep me posted.

The sign I designed in AutoCad, then I generate the G-code in bobcad.

What software do you use?

Gina

[Cold Fusion]

I use Onecnc Advantage, and love it.

[ginamc]

I heard a lot of good things about CNCone. If I did not already have a cad package I think I would have gotten it.

By the way do you go to the home metal group that some one posted earlier in this thread? It looks pretty good. I am going to try to make it next month. I would like to start cutting metal soon.

Your pieces look thick, have you cut sheet metal like 1/16 to 1/8" thick? I was wondering if you needed a coolant for thinner material.

Gina