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Milling Machine

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Ad Rock

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Montréal, PQ, Canada.
I am wondering if any of you have heard of shops in your area that you can rent a mill by the hour or something like that. I know we dont live in the same place but I want to find out if something like this even exists. I really want to make my own WB's but I would like to do the best job possible, and a Dremel tool and a drill press wouldn't enable me to do that. Anyway if any of you have heard of places like this existing that would be awsome. ( I kinda dont think they do since Mills are rather expensive and I dont think they would let you have access to it without supervision, since you could bust it)
 
Yes, they exist, and yes, you're correct about your last sentence. Until you can prove yourself as a 100% capable machinist, no one is going to let you have free reign of a milling machine. It's just too dangerous and too expensive.

The way to do this is to develop a working relationship with a small machine shop. Have them do some work for you, get to know the owners and machinists, and see if they will let you watch them while they work.

Unfortunately, this is a very slow process, and not 100% guaranteed to work. I used to have access to milling machines, and the going rate was $40/hr. for a manual machine. That's how I built many of the parts for my CNC conversion when I bought my own milling machine.

Just FYI, this working relationship took about 7 years and over $50,000 of business with said machine shop to develop. It'll likely be quicker and cheaper to just buy your own CNC machine, or take classes from a Technical School to become a machinist.
 
Neo thanks for your excellent response. Unfortunately that was what I was expecting to hear. What is the cheapest you have seen a milling machine go for (used or new) as I was looking in our paper here and I saw one for $2000 which is too expensive and another one for $50 000 which is just ridiculous. I think these are all professional tools though do you know of smaller lighter duty mills that are available that would be more designed towards private use?
 
You can find a decent starter machine like Jon Fettig got. I believe his was a homier or a speedway brand milling machine. They can be bought for less than $500, and allow you to learn much about machining (relatively) inexpensively.

Also, remember that in machining, you'll spend a lot of money on tooling, too (endmills, vise, collets...) You'll want to set a money cap, then see if it's feasible to get what you want.

I wish you the best of luck, and if there's anything I can do to help you out, just let me know.
 
I got about 1500 into my machine now:D its gonna be runnin all cnc 9000rpm really soon:D

This machine(homier mini mill(speedway series)) needs TONS of tweaking before you will be able to do a lot with it. Its maximum end mill size is 1/2" and face mill is 1" but if you brace up the column really well you can stick larger stuff in there, but be careful if and when doing so. Expect to spend at least $50 on a vice, $50 on a collet set, $100 on end mills, and at least $50 on misc stuff


Jon
 
Its funny that when I first thought about making my own WB's I wanted to do it because I thought I would be able to do it for less money than the premade ones. If I just used a dremel and our drill press I proboly could make them for cheaper (and learn a lot while doing it). Now it seems like it will cost me a LOT more to make my own and do it properly. Oh well this is the way it goes with hobbies. You start out thinking it wont cost that much then before you know it all your spare cash is going towards it :D
 
well dude, you can do it with a drill and dremel no problem, but you asked about a milling machine so we told you what we knew:)

I have made a few with a drill and dremel before. works pretty good if you ask me.

Jon
 
The one thing I can not grasp, is the notion that Cheap tools unquestionably means cheap craftsmanship.....

I can assure you now.... It is not the tools that determine the quality and performance of a work-piece. It is the craftsman and his ability to understand his trade.

If it was the tools that determined the performance, and Quality of said work-piece, then I am in deeeeep trouble.... :D
 
#Rotor said:
The one thing I can not grasp, is the notion that Cheap tools unquestionably means cheap craftsmanship.....

I can assure you now.... It is not the tools that determine the quality and performance of a work-piece. It is the craftsman and his ability to understand his trade.

If it was the tools that determined the performance, and Quality of said work-piece, then I am in deeeeep trouble.... :D

So you’re saying that you could make a WB with a dremel and a drill that would be as good as one you could produce on a mill? I just don’t see how that would be possible since with a mill you can control tolerances to the smallest degree. When you are using a dremel tool you are left with a lot more variables that go into the production of that WB which would ultimately compromise the design. I know I could make probably a pretty nice WB with a dremel and a drill press (looks like that is going to be the option anyway) but I honestly think that with a mill that I knew how to use I would be producing something much better.
 
I know what Ad Rock is saying and I do agree, mostly, as having a mill has allowed me to make more complex block solutions quicker. I'd still side with #Rotor though because the major thing is having a solid design, and being able to follow it through into a physical item....... those with the skill simply use whatever tooling they have around them to do it with, (in true "MacGyver" style if need be).

A good example is this by QE2

Hydrae%201.jpg


made with a huge amount of time, patience, and skill using a cheep post drill.
 
BladeRunner said:
I know what Ad Rock is saying and I do agree, mostly, as having a mill has allowed me to make more complex block solutions quicker. I'd still side with #Rotor though because the major thing is having a solid design, and being able to follow it through into a physical item....... those with the skill simply use whatever tooling they have around them to do it with, (in true "MacGyver" style if need be).

A good example is this by QE2

Hydrae%201.jpg


made with a huge amount of time, patience, and skill using a cheep post drill.

Man I cant beleive he made that with just a drill. I guess it is possible to make some nice WB's with primitative tools. I just dont think I would have the skillz to make something like that.
 
Ad Rock said:


So you’re saying that you could make a WB with a dremel and a drill that would be as good as one you could produce on a mill? I just don’t see how that would be possible since with a mill you can control tolerances to the smallest degree. When you are using a dremel tool you are left with a lot more variables that go into the production of that WB which would ultimately compromise the design. I know I could make probably a pretty nice WB with a dremel and a drill press (looks like that is going to be the option anyway) but I honestly think that with a mill that I knew how to use I would be producing something much better.

What I'm saying is, expensive equipment does not make for superior product. A drill-press&Dremel block, will be able to take on allcomers. It has done so before....
I made one on an el cheapo ($100,000) First. (while I worked at the "Cooky factory") :D
DCP05694.JPG

did not do a thing, as far as performance go. However....It was nice to look at it, while it was making the block... :D
 
It is superb, even more so in the detail and how it was made, but did take a lot of time to make, certainly more than I'd want to dedicate to making just one block. It does highlight one important thing that so often gets missed, and that is waterblock making doesn't always have to be about getting the best performance.....

I should have posted a link before, but it's been in the Waterblock Gallery sticky for a ages now, so you need a collective slap for not checking it out :p

for the lazy here is a LINK, post by QE2 about halfway down.

also clever to use a hole saw to make the channel design.

DSCN0260.JPG


holesaw.jpg
 
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[BladeRunner] You are SO right !
Simple tools and lot of hard work gives great results !

QE2 gave me a very good idea to my next block a combo of his channel design and my first block !
 
Many first time W/B builders make a few on drill a press. I lucked out because I had access to a Bridgeport at work. But I have thought about a few designs that could be done on one or even just a Dremel. Its all in how motivated you are (and a touch of know how dosen't hurt)
 
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