Looking for a CAD/SolidWorks expert/tutor

unL33T said:

Really? When I was in college if you already had a model (like this) it took about 30 minutes to go from model to product. Just export the model to whatever format your CNC mill runs, copy to a disk (yes, it still used floppies), import into the computer that runs the machine, stick an appropriate block of material in and the proper cutting tool, turn on the mill, hit go on the software. I can only imagine it'd be even easier now since that was almost 10 years ago.

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What about jig setup & zeroing axes? That's worth someone's time.

RockerGuy said:

What about jig setup & zeroing axes? That's worth someone's time.

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Zeroing axes only took a few minutes.

I never said it was free. I'm just surprised that doing it all by hand would be cheaper than letting a machine do it for you.

Very nice work JohnnyP ...

Re manual versus CNC mill - If you have a part that is to be made with any sort of reasonable repeatability or accuracy, or is an odd shape or has odd angles or profiles in it, you will pull your hair out trying to do that with a manual machine. On a CNC - as long as the part is possible to manufacture!! just because you can draw it on the screen doesn't mean you can make it - it's easy to do.

I grew up around machine shops (dad's) but no longer have access to one, and there are times when I wish I did.

Brian P said:

On a CNC - as long as the part is possible to manufacture!! just because you can draw it on the screen doesn't mean you can make it - it's easy to do.

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Case in point, the current object in question is made much harder to manufacture by what looks like a slight taper. That will require another 2 axes to mill. If the sides could be straight, any mill could crank this out.

GreyGhost said:

Case in point, the current object in question is made much harder to manufacture by what looks like a slight taper. That will require another 2 axes to mill. If the sides could be straight, any mill could crank this out.

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You do not need 5 axis to do contours or angles, I have 3D capability and I only have 3 axis machines. It takes longer to machine compared to if you had a 5 axis but it still machinable on the 3 axis with multiple passes

I even have a 3D engraving package that will take any photo, lettering, or design, and turn it into a carving. And create 3D machining tool paths to make it look like someone carved it out by hand

When you have software that can do this with 3 axis, an angled wall is not a problem, it just takes time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaOcRhMMjLQ