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Gunsmithing Just dreaming and looking at my screen

Is this a trap? ;-)

Better get off your ass and get to work if you want something like that. I'd love to have the opportunity to play with a cnc lathe or machining center. Prob just get in trouble tho' ;-)
 
I was at work. :) I would probably break it before I was able to make anything but it would be a dream to have. I would make actions, bottom metal, cans and all kinds of things with it. I did a quick search and I was not able to find a price I am thinking if you have to ask you cannot afford it.
 
Absolutely amazing isn't it, my company has 5 of these machines and I never get tired of watching them making parts.
 
Math, it's all about math.

CNC machining is a collection of different skill sets more so if you are a one man operation. You have to understand manual machining, materials, methods. You have to understand the programming environment typically Mastercam & Solidworks. I use OneCNC as it's more of a shop floor hands on modeling and CAM software. You have to understand the work envelope of the machine your working with. The tool clearances in the video are tight, if you don't have your act together, a tool crash can cost you a whole pile of money. Finally you have to understand the tooling, specifically the types of inserts & coatings used.

Tooling is a sore spot for me, these tool salesmen come around pushing their inserts and magic coating end mills and what not and give you an off the cuff recommended feed & speed and they often have no clue whatsoever, and even try to sell you inserts that aren't for your material. You need to sit down and read the data sheets on every tool that you plan to use, confirm the material application, do the math based on the formulas for the feed & speed, calculate tool life, MMR etc.

That demo video is as much about the machine as it is about the tooling choice & application for the material & the programmers skill. I enjoy machine razzle-dazzle and that's no quick & dirty demo thrown together in haste.
 
Did anyone else see that that thing can also broach a keyway, Talk about a seriously solid setup.
 
Start around 250k. Add another 20k or so to tool it and place it on the floor. A seat of L3 X5 will Run you around 30k. Better have at least a 6" floor with lots of rebar too. Voltage conditioners, another $1200 for a drum of coolant concentrate, etc...

then figure the bar feeder, chip conveyor, pressurized coolant spindle, unlocked codes, macros, etc.

It's like buying a car. Features added to suit application.

As stated (well stated) tool vendors are like carnies , used car salesman, and television evangelists.

caveat emptor!
 
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Totally captivating...but why do they need a human operator anyway? :)
 
/\ What he said...

There's machinists.
There's machine operators.
There's programmers that started as machinists (and often times still are)

Software is as complicated as the machines. Graphics, tool paths, post processor editing, etc.

Getting the right computer tower put together is an expensive venture. Graphics cards are vital. Not the gamer versions either. Should be CAD oriented. (why I don't know, but I know it matters)

Just getting the damn stuff configured to communicate properly can be a venture all of its own. Make sure you use fully shielded CAT5 cable in a shop. Lots of RF noise in a machine shop due high voltage outputs. NEVER coil the stuff either. It can form a magnetic field and start dropping frames, etc.

Lessons learned the hard way. . .

Gotta watch florescent bulbs too. Keep em high.

LOVE THIS CHIT!


To answer the question posed. You need a person to monitor. Tools wear. The tool wear management functions are getting better all the time, but stuff still happens that a machine can't identify. BIG RED (the E stop button) is always on high alert!

Never fails that the coolant level will drop due to high ambient air temp, low humidity, way oil gets low, the skimmer (used to remove tramp oil from coolant) quits working, etc. Someone has to be there to monitor this stuff so that chips keep getting made. It's a lot of work and rarely event free.

Your always chasing something.
 
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