[whakahere]

So here I am, a new hobbyists looking for support. I live in Germany so since my first language is English I have found it hard to connect with other makers around me. I just bought a stepcraft 420 with a Kress 800. I bought the cnc mill so I could cut carbon faster than by hand. I build home made quadcopters and cutting each frame by hand took over three days. This picture shows just some frames I hand cut but some i didn't like. It would of course been easier to use other materials like g10 but cutting time by hand grrr ..... so now I have a cnc machine.



The thing is I do like making quads but ..... I like making things. Seeing spare wood, plexiglass in the waste bin at the hardware store makes me brim with ideas but ,..... I don't know what I can or can't do and ... what is needed to do different things.

So I am looking for a maker to help me on my journey. I am looking for people to link me to ideas that I might try to do things, good projects to lead me in my learning.

Right now I have a stepcraft in parts. I found out that my spindle on the x-axis was too long so I had to send it back. I think a replacement will not arrive until Wednesday. I also received my Kress 800 and 2 collets from cnc-plus.de (3mm and 3.17mm) The problem is I think they are too big for the Kress (even though they state that they are for it). Getting pretty annoyed as I tried buying Germany quality and both items turn out not right.

So on Wednesday I hope to have my CNC at least dry running. I am using Estlcam and have tested that it works on my machine. For someone still learning cnc machining what first step advice can you give?

I can make dxf files and understand the principles behind Estlcam. I do not understand which tool bits are right for which job, what speed to cut and how deep I cut at each pass.

[waltraud]

My name is Heinz and I came here from Germany a long time ago.
I started learning machining in Glueckstadt an der Elbe and i learned CNC here many years ago.
Ich bin hier selbststaendiger CNC Lehrer fuer ueber 20 Jahre.
Look on youtube, put in my name: Heinz Putz and you will see on of my CNC DVDs to start learning.
I also have many examples on my website, Fanuc CNC programming training. Learn CNC for Fanuc, Yasnac, Mitsubishi CNC controls, CNC Machining Videos and DVD's, CNC programming training, CNC education,and CNC consulting. for you to learn from.
Where are you in Germany, meine Frau ist von Koeln, Ich bin Ostpreussen geboren und wir wohnten da in Wilster in Schleswig-Hostein.
Viel Glueck, please write back.
Heinz.

[CNCMAN172]

whakahere

Nice quads and hexacopters, good job. Just a word of advice when working with carbon fiber. Whenever you work with this stuff please be very careful with the dust it can be bad for your health if you breath the stuff. When you get a CNC machine setup it will be very important to put the machine in an enclosure so the dust does not float in the air so you are breathing that stuff. A simple plastic enclosure so you can watch with a dust collection system will keep you from harm.

Good Luck

[bostosh]

Wakahere
Again,
I really wish for most newbies to concentrate on design,
not so much learning the CNC programming biz,
CNC is not an easy trade, too much to learn.
plus machining as a trade into it's self.
I have done this since 68' and made parts for others.
( expertise in tooling and programming for your parts can be hired )

Execution of design is the goal? get it in the air? tinker and learn?

Tell us a direction you wish to take..

Time to prototype, and market will get bogged down learning CNC and executing your designs.

Example, design idea to execution and rent a machine
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