CNC Milling

[irmcdermott]

Anyone do it? I'm toying the idea of getting into this. Looking for advice.

I'm trying to get used to the pcb-gcode ulp. Everytime I generate the gcode files and open them in a viewer, either nothing shows up, or they don't look anything like they should.

I also think that ulp is supposed have a preview feature, but I can't see any preview of my board, even thought I have the box selected. Anyone have any experience with this?

[madbean]

You can pop over here anytime to play with mine. Maybe you can teach me how to use it, too.

[irmcdermott]

Haha. I may have to do that. I don't understand a lot of it though.... and I don't know if it's because i'm running windows on my Mac using Parallels, or what, but all of the software on the windows side isn't really working great. A college friend is going to ship me an old PC he built. Maybe I'll revisit it after that. Or....

Maybe I'll stick to chemicals

[GhostofJohnToad]

I'd like to learn CNC as well, But I have a 3d printer to take care a lot of my needs.

[aziltz]

I stick strictly to NC.

[culturejam]

I'm waiting on the quick-easy-and-cheap CNC system. 

[madbean]

Well, if you want to DIY the whole thing it's not terribly expensive. The three major expenses are the motors, controllers and the rotary tool. There are some tutorials on re purposing printer motors, there are some prepacked driver modules on eBay and elsewhere and you can use a $50 Dremel. Lot of info on Instructables.

I own a Probotix Fireball v90, but I just have not invested the time into making it work for me. I have plenty of ideas about what to do with it (non-PCB related)!

[culturejam]

Most of the projects I looked at are pretty easy...if you already understand a lot of shit I don't and have experience working with things that I don't. 

[madbean]

Most of the projects I looked at are pretty easy...if you already understand a lot of shit I don't and have experience working with things that I don't. 

Heh, yeah....but wasn't that also true for building and designing effects when you first got into it? You done pretty good with that....who knows, you might be a gaddam CNC wizard!

[culturejam]

I think my wife just felt a disturbance in the Force. 

[irmcdermott]

i was looking at this as an option.

http://www.mydiycnc.com/

[gtr2]

I was looking at the zen toolworks stuff a few weeks ago.  http://zentoolworks.com/

[irmcdermott]

I was looking at the zen toolworks stuff a few weeks ago.  http://zentoolworks.com/

wow. that's a really awesome kit. the 7x7 would be great for PCBs, except for some Lovetone boards

[icecycle66]

... I have a 3d printer to take care a lot of my needs.

[jkokura]

I think my wife just felt a disturbance in the Force. 

Wow. Just, wow.

Jacob