I have been trying to finish my custom CNC build. Since I don’t have access to an aluminum mill, making plates and mounts for my machine has been rather hard.
What do you guys recommend for this problem? Buy a 3d printer? Perhaps there is some quick fabrication that can done with things bought from the local home improvement store?
Without knowing what you are trying to build, thats like asking how long your schlong is… and no, I don’t want to know that.
You are in Houston, surely there are metal fabricators in Tx? I am sure if I went to the yellow pages I could find dozens in a couple of minutes.
Look for a Hackerspace, Makerspace, or TechShop. There is a TechShop in Austin.
+Peter van der Walt in which case, I have little sympathy. I live in the third world, on the edge of a jungle, and I managed to get a set of Ox plates - but then I did some research. I am sure someone living in the richest country in the world, surrounded by CNC and other metal fabricators, can manage it without my help. Good luck to him.
Oh look - 15 seconds work: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Openbuilds-OX-CNC-Aluminum-Gantry-Plates-/261475896332?hash=item3ce12d8c0c&vxp=mtr
Thank you for the offer +Peter van der Walt . That is very kind of you. I have a spindle that does not fit the typical plates provided by Chris over at OpenBuilds. Another member was kind enough to show me a plate design that would work for my spindle. It consist of a few holes on a rectangular plate.
@Gene_Jordan_GeekTink I went to a local maker space and they had neither the laser cutter / waterjet cutter required to make the cut on metal. I could try to make it using their metal mill but they require hundreds of dollar of course work just to allow me to drill a few holes.
I am not a hardware guy so my question is apparently too newbie for some of us that it seems to deserve some prejudice insults. Meh.
If all I want is a plate with holes 20 mm that would fit m5 screws, what would you guys suggest for some quick fabrication at home?
Oh wow, @Dat_Chu your a Houstonian as well. Man… You got no issues brother. I got a CNC here in Houston, and printers falling out of my closet. What do you need? Let’s get you cutting!
Prejudice insults? Only if lazy is a race.
@Dat_Chu “I could try to make it using their metal mill but they require hundreds of dollar of course work just to allow me to drill a few holes.”
Perhaps you can find somebody who has the required training and experience and hire them to do it for you? I can’t imagine that it would be that expensive. Perhaps you have a skill that they need which you could trade them for it?
Have you thought of doing them in wood first? At the very least you could use it to engrave your aluminum so that your holes are exact. But depending on your location, +Peter van der Walt 's offer seems like your best bet…
@Dat_Chu I did exactly as @Mat_Helm suggested and made parts out of MDF that were strong enough to get me up and running while I was making my HF mini-mill into a CNC driven device. One running I was able to machine the aluminum parts to make it work even better. Now I use that machine to make smaller parts for my gantry router build.
You could also take +Peter van der Walt up on his offer, and another option is that there is a metalworking club there is Houston, and they might be able to assist. I was a member there and there are so many talented people with various machines, I am sure they will assist. Home Metal Shop Club of Houston is the name, they meet monthly but if you go to the web site, we had the bios of members who would assist others. Google the club and visit the web site, unfortunately my job took me away from that club to another city so small they borrow books for the library from the bigger cities, lol.
@Mat_Helm Or some sort of phenolic - you can cut that with hand tools and it is very strong.
@Bruce_Lunde , that is an awesome tip. I will check out that club. I am hoping to get the spindle zip tie in place to mill some wood which then allow me to mill some HDPE which will allow me to mill some aluminum. Thank you all for helping a beginner out.
Just a note: Aluminium is softer than some hard woods. Aluminium can be worked with woodworking tools. I personally cut 1/2" aluminium plate on a table saw, along with some WD-40 to lube the carbide tipped blade.
And all my 20 and 40-series extrusion is cut using a standard drop saw with a 60-tooth blade.