The RCC Hobby Machinists Challenge

[dieselmudder]

duuuuuuuude, its sunday. wheres this weeks challenge?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by dieselmudder

duuuuuuuude, its sunday. wheres this weeks challenge?

A little antsy, are we?

The first challenge will run until next Monday, at which time those who are participating will pm me their entries in picture form. I will create a new thread with all of the entries and a poll for everyone to vote in. The entries will remain anonymous until after the voting is completed, DO NOT post pictures of your progress or completed entry here. The voting will run until Wednesday evening, where the winner will be announced and the new project given out.

This week will be a feeler for the time frame of the challenge. If it sits well with most, we will keep it at a week. If not, we will try something different next time around.

Challenge #1

Create a cube, no more than 1.25" square. What you do within that cube is up to you, but it must retain equal measurements at all 8 points. Be creative.

If you are using a cnc, you cannot use a cnc calculator to aid you. You must work it out yourself.

Gentlemen, start your machines.

[Cheatin]

Crap, all my cubes have 8 points, I'm out...

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by Cheatin

Crap, all my cubes have 8 points, I'm out...

8 pointed cubes are acceptable.

[rlockwood]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

8 pointed cubes are acceptable.

what constitutes a cnc calculator? just for speeds & feeds, or do you mean no CAM software?

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rlockwood

what constitutes a cnc calculator? just for speeds & feeds, or do you mean no CAM software?

Feeds and speeds are fine, just nothing that will do the math for you pertaining to the design itself.

Example: Say you want to make a Turners Cube, there are cnc programs that do all the math for you, all you have to do is punch in the size of the material and how many steps you want and it does the rest.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

Feeds and speeds are fine, just nothing that will do the math for you pertaining to the design itself.

Example: Say you want to make a Turners Cube, there are cnc programs that do all the math for you, all you have to do is punch in the size of the material and how many steps you want and it does the rest.

So do we have to turn the handles too? I don't have handles

I'm out for this one...swamped at work and home for the next few weeks, but I was curious as to how much can be done CNC wise. I can use our knee mill at work, but my mill at home is strictly CNC.

[Duuuuuuuude]

CNC is fine, automation is fine, just don't want the computer to do the figuring. You'll have to draw things out like us manual guys.

[bigstu]

Called my electrician and he can't make it out yet.
I'll be out this week. But will keep the idea on paper so maybe I can use it in the near future.
Can't wait to see what everyone come up with..
I'm itching to make some chips..

[tarmo120]

I can't do much this week. As I've got a huge amount of stainless to mill. Hope to participate next time.

[rob_b]

Sounds like fun and I'll participate when I can. At home I have a manual lathe and a CNC rotary table, also have access to a few manual Bridgeport's at break/lunch time. My personal mill is still in pieces while I whittle away at getting it CNC'ed too. I think what you are trying to tell the CNC guys is that they need to write their own g-code programs and not use CAM generated tool paths.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rob_b

I think what you are trying to tell the CNC guys is that they need to write their own g-code programs and not use CAM generated tool paths.

I guess.

[rlockwood]

Originally Posted by rob_b

Sounds like fun and I'll participate when I can. At home I have a manual lathe and a CNC rotary table, also have access to a few manual Bridgeport's at break/lunch time. My personal mill is still in pieces while I whittle away at getting it CNC'ed too. I think what you are trying to tell the CNC guys is that they need to write their own g-code programs and not use CAM generated tool paths.

Screw that then, I didnt spend years learning cnc so I can spend hours manually running a mill

[doublej]

Nice to feel and see your hands do the work now and again. And to know ya still got what it takes to not just be a button pusher.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rlockwood

Screw that then, I didnt spend years learning cnc so I can spend hours manually running a mill

It's an equalizer, and its also about what you are capable of, not the programming.

Originally Posted by doublej

Nice to feel and see your hands do the work now and again. And to know ya still got what it takes to not just be a button pusher.

That too.

[rob_b]

Originally Posted by rlockwood

Screw that then, I didnt spend years learning cnc so I can spend hours manually running a mill

Not to get in a pissing match but I don't think hand coding a program is even in the realm of manually running a machine. Even without CAM you still have easy access to automated machine movements that would be nearly impossible to be duplicated manually.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by doublej

And to know ya still got what it takes to not just be a button pusher.

I've never quite understood the thought that someone who knows CNC is nothing but a button pusher. I run both manual and CNC machines and quite often a combination of both. Most of what I do on a CNC comes from knowledge of running a manual machine.

Yes there are people who work in shops who's job is to load stock and remove parts. These people are in fact machine operators, but what's not seen is the hours it takes the machinist to set that machine up for the operator to run.

Calling CNC machinists "button pushers" makes it sound like someone just tosses a chunk of metal onto a table and "Presto" a part pops out.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by rob_b

Even without CAM you still have easy access to automated machine movements that would be nearly impossible to be duplicated manually.

This is very true. Maybe there needs to be a manual and CNC winner?

[rlockwood]

Originally Posted by Duuuuuuuude

It's an equalizer, and its also about what you are capable of, not the programming.



That too.

Nah, its more like watching the WNBA

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by rlockwood

Nah, its more like watching the WNBA

Jeez, just because you don't feel you can compete with us manual guys on a somewhat even playing field doesn't mean you have to throw out insults.