CNC machines

[Prince NEO]

Odds are this is in the wrong forum but my parents decided that if I can find out enough info about 3d printers or CNC machines for making helmets and prop weapons etc they will front me the money to buy one and I can just pay them back. Can anyone here offer me some tips or information to help me better understand milling from a prop and costume stand point.

 

[IEDBOUNTYHUNTER]

Thats a huge investment for just Helmets. Do you have any experience in running them or using the cad programs to make what you want.

 

[Prince NEO]

Thats a huge investment for just Helmets. Do you have any experience in running them or using the cad programs to make what you want.

hahaha oh no, no I don't if I tried to dive in right now I'd be SOL :behave
I wanted to use it to make helmets sectioned weapons and armor parts stuff like that I was hoping I'd be able to find something that can cut within a range of 24in x 24in x 24in - 12in x 12in x 12in

Obviously I know very little about this they won't tell me anything about the desktop CNC machines at the college unless I take the class which is only for people working towards their GED or dual enrollment and I'm a 2nd year college student :lol

I mentioned it as a joke to my old man and he said: if you can make the stuff and pay me back maybe I'll do it. So I figured why not look into it.

So a friend of mine had a nice talk with me about all of this and I've come to the understanding that this isn't something I should invest in at this moment.

 

[Prince NEO]

Okay scratch that I showed my dad what my friend suggested which was this:

blueChick Version 4.2 CNC Machine Kit

and he told me: make a presentation anyway and if I convince him I can make the money back he might still buy me it.

 

[Rebelscum]

I built one of their cnc machines from a book they published. Was in very regular contact with the guy who owns the business. Very nice and talented guy.

Your problem with cnc machines will be your Z axis will never be long enough on a machine like this unless you can live with a few inches and maybe layer your cuts.

For the money, I don't think you can get anywhere the same effective result with any other machine if you decide to go this way.

 

[Prince NEO]

I built one of their cnc machines from a book they published. Was in very regular contact with the guy who owns the business. Very nice and talented guy.

Your problem with cnc machines will be your Z axis will never be long enough on a machine like this unless you can live with a few inches and maybe layer your cuts.

For the money, I don't think you can get anywhere the same effective result with any other machine if you decide to go this way.

Thanks for the info the Z axis was my main concern but I have a friend that sends his stuff to be milled helmets, weapons, full suits and he shaves everything down for his guy I was hoping to find a machine of this quality for around this price with a greater Z axis but I was told odds of that were slim to none.

 

[Woodlake]

Once you start trying to increase the Z axis (or even the X and Y) beyond a certain point, you start to expose weaknesses in the frame design that introduce flex, at which point your accuracy goes out the window. This is why machines with large cutting areas are so expensive - large/beefier frames to limit flex, but more weight, then requiring larger motors...

Like Rebelscum, I built the "book" machine, which is what I use for doing my bits and pieces, and I agree that bang for buck, it can't be beaten. Accuracy wise its great, its just not as fast as a more expensive machine (which is fine for what I use it for). The cutting bed is around 450x900mm. As mentioned, for models that exceed your Z axis, you can "slice" them into pices that are the height of the material you want to cut from and simply glue them together after.

For things like helmets, you need to be aware of the limitations on what can actually be cut (because of undercuts). It is quite different to something you could output on a 3D printer.

If you are unfamiliar with CAD, it will be a steep learning curve as you need 3 pieces of software to run a CNC:

- CAD software for modelling (unless you have access to models already made)
- Software for creating the G-Code that controls how the piece is cut (eg Aspire, V-Carve, RhinoCam, Cut2D, Cut3D)
- Software to interface with the router and send the G-Code to the stepper motors (of which, Mach3 is probably the most widely used).

 

[Prince NEO]

Once you start trying to increase the Z axis (or even the X and Y) beyond a certain point, you start to expose weaknesses in the frame design that introduce flex, at which point your accuracy goes out the window. This is why machines with large cutting areas are so expensive - large/beefier frames to limit flex, but more weight, then requiring larger motors...

Like Rebelscum, I built the "book" machine, which is what I use for doing my bits and pieces, and I agree that bang for buck, it can't be beaten. Accuracy wise its great, its just not as fast as a more expensive machine (which is fine for what I use it for). The cutting bed is around 450x900mm. As mentioned, for models that exceed your Z axis, you can "slice" them into pices that are the height of the material you want to cut from and simply glue them together after.

For things like helmets, you need to be aware of the limitations on what can actually be cut (because of undercuts). It is quite different to something you could output on a 3D printer.

If you are unfamiliar with CAD, it will be a steep learning curve as you need 3 pieces of software to run a CNC:

- CAD software for modelling (unless you have access to models already made)
- Software for creating the G-Code that controls how the piece is cut (eg Aspire, V-Carve, RhinoCam, Cut2D, Cut3D)
- Software to interface with the router and send the G-Code to the stepper motors (of which, Mach3 is probably the most widely used).

Thanks this was really helpful I've been talking with a bunch of people and none of them had told me this yet.

The modeling software I was going to be using is Google Sketchup when I dont already have the models.

I didn't know about the Software for making the G-Code I still don't even know what that is :facepalm

From what I understand that model of CNC machine comes with Mach3 or something similar.

So ontop of my fear that I cannot make the money my father want's to invest into me back I'm also worried now that I wont even be able to make things I learn very very slowly if I don't have some kind of physical teaching in front of me. :wacko

I must say this is the most intimidating thing I've ever considered especially since my Dad really thinks I can make him his money back.

 

[Woodlake]

Lol - I did make it sound pretty intimidating didn't I!

I knew a bit about CAD, but nothing about G-Code or CNC machines in general when I built mine. There is a helpful forum on the BYOCNC site and I'm sure there are a few folks on here who would chime in if you needed help.

Sketchup is good software, you just need to be careful on how you setup your curves. Sketchup uses line segments to create them and if you are making a large circular cut and have too few segment, you will see this when you cut it.

You can get free software for creating the G-code (this is what tells the router which direction to move in and how fast).
I use Rhino for modelling and have a 3rd party plugin "RhinoCam" to create my g-code.

Mach3 is fairly inexpensive anyway and comes with lifetime upgrades - well worth the purchase if it doesn't come with it.

I think the issue I see for you is the fact you want to jump in at the deep end with something like a helmet. Ideally you should start off with something fairly geometric and 2d. This should get you familiar with what you need to know before tackling the more advanced stuff. That being said, my first project was a 1:3 lego minifigure!

I'm not sure its something I would be investing in to make a profit though...

 

[Prince NEO]

Lol - I did make it sound pretty intimidating didn't I!

I knew a bit about CAD, but nothing about G-Code or CNC machines in general when I built mine. There is a helpful forum on the BYOCNC site and I'm sure there are a few folks on here who would chime in if you needed help.

Sketchup is good software, you just need to be careful on how you setup your curves. Sketchup uses line segments to create them and if you are making a large circular cut and have too few segment, you will see this when you cut it.

You can get free software for creating the G-code (this is what tells the router which direction to move in and how fast).
I use Rhino for modelling and have a 3rd party plugin "RhinoCam" to create my g-code.

Mach3 is fairly inexpensive anyway and comes with lifetime upgrades - well worth the purchase if it doesn't come with it.

I think the issue I see for you is the fact you want to jump in at the deep end with something like a helmet. Ideally you should start off with something fairly geometric and 2d. This should get you familiar with what you need to know before tackling the more advanced stuff. That being said, my first project was a 1:3 lego minifigure!

I'm not sure its something I would be investing in to make a profit though...

Thanks that makes way more sense and is far less intimidating

I figured I'd start out making a few smaller items then move up to smaller weapons etc before going to helmets and such.

I don't want to invest into it to make a profit it's my Dad want's the front me the $2k to get it cause he figures that I can make and sell things to pay the $2k back with it. I just don't want to say: Let's do it! then be stuck with a $2k debt to my Dad.

 

[Ruprekt]

I think your best bet would be to learn Solidworks so you could create the models you want to mold and sell, then send them out to be printed. That's where your Dad's money would come in. At my work we just got a new Haas CNC mill and it's our first one. So guess who gets to learn it from the ground up? Yours truly. Bobcam, Solidworks, and the Haas are daunting to say the least.

 

[Prince NEO]

Thanks for all the info guys but I'm not going to be taking my Dad's offer. I just got back from walmart where I was buying COMBAT for my car cause he saw one Roach and flipped out told me to bug bomb the whole car I found out bug bombing isn't good for cars and told him about COMBAT and he told me to get it so my mother told me to pick it up and she'd pay me back (The money coming out of the money I saved up to get my Storm Trooper armor) and they are refusing to pay me back now and even threatened to throw me out if I try to return it. Obviously I don't want to take money from someone who can't give me back my money.