Bench top CNC for projects like this?

[ZzzzPing!]

I am a Mechanical designer that loves guns what can i say. lol I have been a designer for 2yrs now with a company that manufactures Industrial Turbo Blowers. We however send everything to China to get machined so i cant really go to the shop and learn how to operate a CNC mill. I am waiting for fall semester to get here at the community college so i can take a class. I want to start making my own accessories and just one off pieces that set me apart from everyone else, if i am successful then i will consider selling or starting a small business.

I have a couple of questions:

Can a CNC mill make threads?

What are some good CNC mills for about 4-5k tops?

What is the easiest program that i can use to transfer a 3d model from Autodesk Inventor to a G-code?

Any good suggestions are much appreciated.

Here is a model of a FN 5.7X28 slide i want to make out of Titanium.

[ZzzzPing!]

I have been doing some research and i have ran into this machine a lot, the Syil X4 plus. Is this a good machine? I plan on getting the cooling system and the 4th axis.

Someone please chime in.

Thanks.

[trailblazer]

Ive herd good things about those machines. the place you need to be asking these questions is over at cnczone.com thats were the pros/newbs hang out.

[j_blankenship]

1) A mill can make threads. Tapping obviously, and then there is threamilling if the machine has 3 axis simultaneous control.
2) I've recommeded the Syil X4 or larger machines to a couple of people recently based on friend's experiences. They are fairly good for the money, and from what friends have said they apparently have decent support. I would get as stiff and tight a machine as your budget will allow if you want to cut titanium, it's the devil of a material. I make a few aircraft parts and some MotoGP parts in titanium, using full size industrial machines and can have problems from time to time - I don't think I would relish the headaches on a home-size machine (atleast what normally qualifies for home-size).

I've got a Sherline that I would be interested in passing on, but only to someone in the Texas area. I had tried to sell it before and getting pictures and videos of the machine to someone drove me to distraction. It would not be appropriate for any titanium work though, that's for sure.

3) The Syil X4 uses Mach3 for the CNC control program, and there is a very cheap program from the same group called LazyCAM that will do a few basic things for you - it uses dxf files and such for toolpath (http://www.machsupport.com/downloads.php) . Seeing as you're using a solid CAD program, I would suggest you go a bit more sophisticated though, maybe Rhino or Alibre for your initial CAM solution. I use MasterCAM X4 and EdgeCAM and wouldn't even think about going to anything less fully featured. You'll probably get set up with a particular brand of software in the course you're gonna take, so you may just want to go with it (CAM programming is almost always a course within machining curriculum.

Rgds,
John B

[ZzzzPing!]

Nice info, and i live in Houston Tx by the way... Is it the gauling that is tough about Ti?

Can i use Rhino or Alibre on the Syil X4? Will those programs take the solid model and make it easier to work with?

I have a good project involving motorcycles that i have had in the backburner for years, its finally time to make it happen.  One thing that has me worried is spending all this money and then not knowing if i will make it back. I'm kind of scared to jump in.

1) A mill can make threads. Tapping obviously, and then there is threamilling if the machine has 3 axis simultaneous control.
2) I've recommeded the Syil X4 or larger machines to a couple of people recently based on friend's experiences. They are fairly good for the money, and from what friends have said they apparently have decent support. I would get as stiff and tight a machine as your budget will allow if you want to cut titanium, it's the devil of a material. I make a few aircraft parts and some MotoGP parts in titanium, using full size industrial machines and can have problems from time to time - I don't think I would relish the headaches on a home-size machine (atleast what normally qualifies for home-size).

I've got a Sherline that I would be interested in passing on, but only to someone in the Texas area. I had tried to sell it before and getting pictures and videos of the machine to someone drove me to distraction. It would not be appropriate for any titanium work though, that's for sure.

3) The Syil X4 uses Mach3 for the CNC control program, and there is a very cheap program from the same group called LazyCAM that will do a few basic things for you - it uses dxf files and such for toolpath (http://www.machsupport.com/downloads.php) . Seeing as you're using a solid CAD program, I would suggest you go a bit more sophisticated though, maybe Rhino or Alibre for your initial CAM solution. I use MasterCAM X4 and EdgeCAM and wouldn't even think about going to anything less fully featured. You'll probably get set up with a particular brand of software in the course you're gonna take, so you may just want to go with it (CAM programming is almost always a course within machining curriculum.

Rgds,
John B

[j_blankenship]

Yes Rhino and Alibre will work with the Syil machines. They both will work with almost any machine. What the CAM program does is create the EIA code (often called G&M code) that the machine control executes to produce the machining cycle. The toolpath that you create within the CAM program is sent through a process called "posting" to create that G&M code, so there will be a specific post file you will need for your machine's control (this should be no problem for Mach3 - I think I have seen the post for Rhino discussed in Mach3's forum). There are also a ton of people that can help sort out any issues...

As to making your money back, well that is up to you and your intentions. Myself I have about $20,000 into the machine in my garage (and a lathe on the way) and may never make back what I have in it - or if I do great. I just like having a machine I can leave a project on now and work on as my interest allows and not depend on it for production (I make my living machining nowadays). Machinery does hold some resale value too, so keep that in mind.

Rgds,
John B

[ZzzzPing!]

Thanks for all the information, i have been reading so much here and in CNCzone that my head hurts. I have made up my mind and i am going with a Syil X4 with a fourth axis. They gave me a very reasonable price that i cannot refuse. So hopefully soon i will be making some chips!! Now i need to save up for a cam software.

Yes Rhino and Alibre will work with the Syil machines. They both will work with almost any machine. What the CAM program does is create the EIA code (often called G&M code) that the machine control executes to produce the machining cycle. The toolpath that you create within the CAM program is sent through a process called "posting" to create that G&M code, so there will be a specific post file you will need for your machine's control (this should be no problem for Mach3 - I think I have seen the post for Rhino discussed in Mach3's forum). There are also a ton of people that can help sort out any issues...

As to making your money back, well that is up to you and your intentions. Myself I have about $20,000 into the machine in my garage (and a lathe on the way) and may never make back what I have in it - or if I do great. I just like having a machine I can leave a project on now and work on as my interest allows and not depend on it for production (I make my living machining nowadays). Machinery does hold some resale value too, so keep that in mind.

Rgds,
John B

[Ryo]

Did you end up getting one?  If so how do you like it?