Show us your set-ups!

[Grant_beltcp]

As the title says, lets see your CNC mills/lathes CAD/CAM systems:thumbup:

Heres mine, an old 1986 Denford Triac. I bought it from a college as an ex training cnc mill.
Only had it a year and not used it much, but i have machined some custom header tank brackets 2014 aluminium i designed, and also some titanium blade grip arms for the kasama head for the 600 (couldnt get any normal ones in the UK :arggg:).
At the moment its all programmed in G-code, and i cant find any data tapes to save them too:mad:, ive been fiddling around trying to get it connected to my PC for ages, but its not working. I've invested in a CAD/CAM system called BobCad/Cam that i was hoping to use with it, but so far no luck.

http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=101112&stc=1&d=1244570442
Looks abit messy there - that was when i bought it before i cleaned it up.
When i manage to save programs on it somehow then i will start making a few bits ive got planned, but untill then its too much work typing out the program every time lol.

So lets see yours!

[Grant_beltcp]

This is the stand-off i designed and made for the header tanks....
http://www.helifreak.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=62449&d=1221070396

[rdespins]

My machine is an old K2 CNC machine. It's 2ftx2ftx4in cut.

I have a Bob Campbell breakout with gecko drives. I'm driving it with Mach 3.

I recently upgraded cruddy ball bearing rails to linear rails. The rigidity is greatly improved now.

I use BobCad V23 to draw and code.

I make heli frames and tons of stuff for myself and friends.

Ron

[iflymyhelishigh]

I myself don't have a mill, but my school does.

My school has a Techno G-Code DaVinci Education mill. Its a 3 axis lathe. We use it to mill out balsa wood cars. I am still wondering if I could use it for metal cutting... Pictures later.

[Glorfindel]

Hi guys!!

I'm a Catia V5 specialist (mecanichal engineer) and a teacher. I have access to Republic Lagun 4 axis cnc mill and Okuma cnc lathe.

For the last 5-6 years i was flying turbine jet and this years i gived a try to heli. So by now i didnt do any stuff for heli but i already have some projects in mind! ;-)

[kenny]

don't have any pics of my cnc setup, but i run a cnc company and i have haas cnc milling machine and haas cnc lathe, going to start to engrave helis parts inabit when customer jobs are finished for a few days

[lex7919]

cool thread Grant :thumbup:, the little tour last week has reignited the machinist in me, :noteworthy thankyou, now i just need a machine lol.

[PhotoShip One]

our 3 head 3 axis prototyping machine in action. 2.0mm tool cutting at 22 ipm.

3 Axis Triple Head CNC Router on Vimeo

Dust collection system not installed on this video in order to clearly see the cutting in detail. I would NEVER suggest cutting CF or glass composite without proper collection!

[lex7919]

Very cool :thumbup:, i dream of having toys like this to play with :noteworthy

[b0gh0s]

Here are some pics of my home shop, in total I have:

4 Axis CNC Mill
3 Axis CNC Router Bed (14x26)
2 Axis CNC Lathe

Manual Lathe with DRO
36" Metal Brake capable of up to 16gauge Stainless
Vertical/Horizonal Metal cutting Bandsaw
Drill Press
Bench Grinder
200amp AC/DC Arc Welder
1 Ton Arbor Press
Sanding/Finishing equipment
Vibratory Tumbler/Finisher
Compressor and Shop Vac.

[b0gh0s]

More Pics

[My 2 Cents]

Very nice:clappp

[planescottar113]

This is my machine I built. Its very solid, works great. I use bobcad 20.6 for cad/cam, mach3 for the controller.:smokin:

I used this machine to make my new z axis(is 1 of the pics) that is going to replace the one thats on there. :shock:

Just dont have the time I used to have for it, so its taking alot longer than it should.:arggg:

[planescottar113]

Oh yeah, the heli on the machine.... most important pic of all !!!!!:cheers

[krashlnd]

Hey Guys I am new to this forum.
Been cutting heli parts for some time. My main passion is planes.
Here is my set up.
Better view can be seen here at www.automatedwoodworks.com
If anyone wants any files to cut just shoot me a email or pm me
Steve

[cyclopter]

The machine That I designed..with the heli on it that I designed too..now to get creating with some
4 axis stuff!
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac140/VanHaydn/DSC01696.jpg

[djborden]

Been lurking for a while just starting to post. This is my setup at home:

http://norcal-cobras.com/shop/images/IMG_4492.jpg

Tormach PCNC 1100. www.tormach.com (http://www.tormach.com) I recently built a 8 inch Rotary table, so have full syncronized 4th axis CNC now and starting to experiment on it. I was thrilled to see you guys have an area for CAD and CNC. I just love this stuff!

David

[magnum]

Here is my setup... 4th axis


http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h15/kd4vcu/CNC%20Machine/DSC_0053.jpg

Also, have to have a lathe... My shop area is filling up fast with machines. Tapping arm on the way next week as well.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h15/kd4vcu/CNC%20Machine/DSC_0093.jpg

[djborden]

Nice Magnum. Ive really enjoyed my Tormach! The new power drawbar has opened new worlds for me. While I havent done and CNC work for RC stuff yet, Im sure I will once I get a bit deeper into the Heli's. Seems like Im getting hooked fast :D

You going to CNC that lathe?

David

[Birdkiller]

Here a few pics of my baby's....not at home of course but I try to squeeze heli parts in when I can...:D

Miyano ABX X 1
Miyano BNE X3
Citizen Swiss Screw X1
Kitamura Vertical mill, double tomb stone X1

Oh we also have a few HAAS tool room 3 and 4 axis mills and some regular ol cnc lathes all great for Goverment work!

I use PartMaker and the OL NOODLE to program them. :thumbup:

[djborden]

Now those are CNC machines... Nice equiptment man! Care to share any pics of the parts you have made on them?

I look at the CNC head parts of my newly aquired align 450 and wonder how they can make those for the cost that they do. Just seem like very complex parts to fixture, and you would need crazy high spindle speeds and precision to make them fast enough to be profitable.

David

[Birdkiller]

Now those are CNC machines... Nice equiptment man! Care to share any pics of the parts you have made on them?

I look at the CNC head parts of my newly aquired align 450 and wonder how they can make those for the cost that they do. Just seem like very complex parts to fixture, and you would need crazy high spindle speeds and precision to make them fast enough to be profitable.

David


Sure here are just a few out of many that we make, they are all for ourselves we make medical equipment and make alot of our own machined parts....much cheaper.

Its not that these machines make crazy complicated parts, they're actually quite simple, but I can take a part that would normally take 3-5 setups to complete and machine it all in one very fast cycle with these typs of mutli tasking machine.

These things are pure hardcore production machines, for example the ABX has 3 turrets and two spindles, a parts catcher/conveyor and a 12 foot long bar feeder. I program each head/turret seperately but the machine runs all three programs at teh same time, they have to be synced perfectly so nothing runs into each other then i can actually be machine the front of the part with two turrets at the same time in the main spindle, while the back of part is being machined in spindle two.

These types of machine can dramatically reduce cycle times, they run 12 foot long bars of material at a time and everything is automatic once setup. Thats how they can manufacture "CNC" heli components so cheaply, because that machine is setting there making parts running 'lights out" while everyone is gone for the day. The cost of material in a Trex cnc head is next to nothing, and they have the programs running so lean, the machines are spitting out parts every couple minutes....ching ching ching.ching :Bang :Bang

[wiley77]

Here is a pic of my Haas VF-3SS. I bought it new in 2008 to do some side work at the house. It has provided a lot of fun (and sleepless nights). I do mostly industrial type work, but try to get in some hobby parts along the way. My most recent off-the-wall project was making some replacement parts for Brett Favre's lawn mower. His ground's keeper got tired of looking for some parts that broke.

[CyberPlainsDrifter]

Hi Guys,
Im running a Precix 5x10 x 12"Z 5HP router table. I cut all kinds of stuff on it...

My control software is MachIII and I am doing most of my profiling in Enroute.. (lower end signmaking s/w) Its a fairly good set up. I also have Rhino, but am clueless as how to use it.

anybody here have any exp wth rhino?

Cheers all!

[CyberPlainsDrifter]

Nice looking shop Man.
You forgot to list your heli's though... Hahahahaaa!! :lol: