Re: Switches Anyone?

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Friday, April 12, 2013 10:41:42 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
 Custom solutions are so fast and easy these days >> that its hardly worth =
trying to shoehorn an off the shelf solution. Black >> plastic wallpaper, p=
lastic edge trim, and some MDF and you can have a >> custom solution that l=
ooks like it was mass produced in a factory with >> actual quality control.=
 The same effort with a brushed aluminum project >> box, and you get a real=
ly cool industrial looking custom solution. I >> cheat. I do stuff like tha=
t on one of the CNC machines. I got into it as >> a hobby, but now I make s=
o much stuff on them I don't know how I ever got >> along without them. Its=
 pretty cool when you make a custom face plate for >> something and your co=
mpany name becomes a permanent part of the building. > >=20


Jeeeze Bob, how much does a machine like that go for? How big? > > I've got=
 custromers with CNC machines so big that you can walk around > inside them=
 but they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. My customer > says he has =
one thats so expensive the mfg doesn't even sell it. You can > only lease i=
t. Every time I go there and go into the shop, I just stand > there and sta=
re at the damn things while they're going though all their > steps. Amazing=
! I don't have anything that big. My first machine only weighs about a hund=
red pounds and sets in an aluminum cabinet on a work bench. I think the bas=
e machine cost about $1700, and I put another 13-1600 in it to get how it i=
s today. I really need to retire it, but it makes saleable parts. I have a =
couple other machines in that same class give or take. My biggest machine i=
s only about 2 tons with a 5HP spindle and a work envelope of 14"x24"x18" a=
px. To be honest I enjoy machining and metalworking so much if I could make=
 the transition easily I would quit contracting this evening. I already man=
ufacture a few custom parts, and developed a little bit of a quiet reputati=
on in a certain niche market. In fact there are people manufacturing produc=
ts all the way around the world using parts I made for them on my "toy" CNC=
 machines. Sweden, Mexico, UK, Australia, etc... I also really enjoy buildi=
ng and retrofitting machines. I probably waste to much time turning junk ma=
chines into good machines, but I like it. If you would believe it, I paid $=
500 for my biggest machine, and I have maybe $1500 more into it including t=
he computer. Most of the expense has been little stuff. It adds up. I bough=
t it to retrofit, and I have it running with Mach 3 under Windows XP. I'm d=
ebating switching it over to LinuxCNC. It cooks along pretty good at 250 in=
ches per minute. Not to bad when you figure the table and saddle are about =
1000 pounds. I could run it faster, but that was what the original manufact=
urer had it running at and I don't want to embarrass them. LOL. Now, my bro=
ther in-law is a manager for a company that has some big machines. They are=
 cranking out jet engine and aircraft parts with machines that wouldn't eve=
n fit in my shop. (my shop is 50'x60'x16') Anyway, I have a CNC router with=
 12"x14"x3" apx envelope that is perfect for making custom control panels. =
If its dedicated and not likely to change I engrave everything after I am d=
one doing all the cutouts. Sunday I will probably spend the day in the shop=
 cutting some molds. Tomorrow I have to go finish an alarm I have been putt=
ing off all week.

Sounds like a great brain exerciser.=20

With another 10 hours in a day, and another day in a week .... it sounds li=
ke it's something I'd like to do too.