binaryterror
I wanna be Dave
That buys the CNC, but not the knowledge to program it, NOR the important and costly tools.
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Prototyping Costs
- Thread starter Culetto
- Start date
I just read the instructions and looks like you need to do everything via g-code and thats just programming language. Looks hard to use.
I would suggest local community college that has a CNC class. I have one starting tonight and I hope we get to use the machines. But most likely not since its a intro class.
I would suggest local community college that has a CNC class. I have one starting tonight and I hope we get to use the machines. But most likely not since its a intro class.
I have a CNC in my spare bedroom that I all use if for is prototyping parts. The machine was about $2500, but you need something that will create your G-code (who really does their own g-code anymore 
), then you need the computer software to draft with. I am lucky to be able to piggyback off my real job.
You should budget $4k to get a good setup going with decent software (not good software, just decent).
), then you need the computer software to draft with. I am lucky to be able to piggyback off my real job.You should budget $4k to get a good setup going with decent software (not good software, just decent).
team3six
www.team3sixrc.com
This is why Engineers, Drafters, CAD programers, and Designers get paid good money.
I myself have been seriously concidering taking CAD because of my knowledge in drafting and land surveying.
Its nice to see that companies offer online and small home systems to make it a bit more convienant for small companies to produce products, but I certainly can understand and respect of all the hard work that goes into designing a good product if it is demanded.
Over the years people like C*H*U*D, and Mike from RC4WD have given me the ability to produce things I have needed. I just wish that it was possible for more of our vendors to produce a line of products for those of us that would like something made without it costing an arm and a leg.
My question to those of you who are machinists and CAD knowledgable, How hard is it to take and exsisting wheel from CAD and altering it a bit to make a new design if the dimentions for the most part are still the same.
I ask, because I have been trying to get a Rim made with very little luck. Att this point I guess I am at the point of not only taking the CAD class's to futher my real job experiance, but to use it in my RC applications if need be.
I myself have been seriously concidering taking CAD because of my knowledge in drafting and land surveying.
Its nice to see that companies offer online and small home systems to make it a bit more convienant for small companies to produce products, but I certainly can understand and respect of all the hard work that goes into designing a good product if it is demanded.
Over the years people like C*H*U*D, and Mike from RC4WD have given me the ability to produce things I have needed. I just wish that it was possible for more of our vendors to produce a line of products for those of us that would like something made without it costing an arm and a leg.
My question to those of you who are machinists and CAD knowledgable, How hard is it to take and exsisting wheel from CAD and altering it a bit to make a new design if the dimentions for the most part are still the same.
I ask, because I have been trying to get a Rim made with very little luck. Att this point I guess I am at the point of not only taking the CAD class's to futher my real job experiance, but to use it in my RC applications if need be.
Yeah machining isn't easy if it was everyone would do it and G-codes aren't even the beginning you have to know feed rates and speed rates for the type of material your cutting, and then there is cutter comps or D-numbers that have to be correct for the size of tool your running then you have offsets for tools with angles on them whether it is a 45 or 30 degree angle they all have to be measured and accounted for if wrong you can crash the machine and that could be costly, there are a lots of factors that play into maching a part.
binaryterror
I wanna be Dave
In any form of CAD its not hard to make changes.
Though your changes might take a $140 set of wheels to well over $300 because of some changes.
The best machinist is knowledgable in CAD. The best engineer is knowledgable in machining.
Not too hard, but at say $60 an hour just one or two hours of talking to you and then converting into CAD you just added $120 to your end product. It takes hardly anything to eat up an hour or two. So there goes your cost.
team3six
www.team3sixrc.com
But lets say its a wheel thats already made by one of our vendors, right?
and I wanted to change is the circle holes around the rims inside and replace them with a more trapizoid hole, and then add bolts around the inside of the rim around the hex attachment. the other issue is that I want to be sure that the rim is an axial offset if it isnt already.
That is $120.00 just for me to say that? Becauase then i assume that designing it is another 3-5 hours and then materials and tolls correct?
So even if it could be a good selling rim, it still will cost me that?
and I wanted to change is the circle holes around the rims inside and replace them with a more trapizoid hole, and then add bolts around the inside of the rim around the hex attachment. the other issue is that I want to be sure that the rim is an axial offset if it isnt already.
That is $120.00 just for me to say that? Becauase then i assume that designing it is another 3-5 hours and then materials and tolls correct?
So even if it could be a good selling rim, it still will cost me that?
Eritex Inc.
RCC Addict
Yup, sounds right to me
My rates are way lower then most shops and even I get the "are you kidding?" response to quotes. What no one ever sees is the amount of money it takes to run a CNC machine properly.
It could be some some minor alterations to someone who isn't actually cutting the part, but to the guy programing and running the wheel, it could double, triple, or even multiply the run time by a factor of 10 to achieve the look and detail guys looking to get custom wheels want. Average wheel takes lets say 10 minutes to cut front, back, and 2 rings. That 1 wheel sells retail for $17.50 ($70.00 per set).
Now, make the run time for what you think is a simple change with just a little detail added and the run time could get to 30 minutes for what looks to be just a slightly different wheel. At $1.75 a minute for machine time and material, each one of those wheels run $52.50 ($210.00 per set).
Even at $210.00, you have not paid for the CAD time to alter the basic wheel or the CAM time to rebuild the G-code program. Between the CAD/CAM time, about 1 to 4 hours depending on the changes. At $75.00 an hour, add $75.00 to $300.00 and you have a $500.00 set of wheels.
I only describe it in this detail because I get questions about custom stuff all the time. I think I am one of the only manufacturers that does a large amount of custom work. With that being said, it does tend to bother me a little when someone sends me a link to a 1:1 wheel and wants me to reproduce it in a 2.2. After spending an hour in SW (which I usually do for free) an email them a picture and a quote of $1200.00,(and ya, I do get people who drop that much on 4 wheels) I get cussed out. What I try to explain is that the wheels they want will take 20 hours of CAD, CAM, setup, machine, deburring, polishing, and plating to get what they want.
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Eritex Inc.
RCC Addict
What do you consider a good seller? It takes about 500 wheels of any design before the "profit" really starts to show up for me as a manufacturer/retailer.
team3six
www.team3sixrc.com
Well, the thing that I notice in Rims is there are alot of Rock crawling rims. But very few good Scaler rims. it seems to me the majority of the scaler rims out there are made by someone who thinks they know what we want. I mean one of the major rims that is used in crawling quite often is made by MSD and RC4WD but other than that there are a few nice ones and the rest to me are just leaving me shaking my head.
Im not trying to be rude at all. I know there is alot of hard work involved. I paint and there is a long process to how I do shells depending on the detail. Everyone will tell ya who paints an airbrush artist is way underpaid.
So I do understand! I just think that some manufacturing vendors should spend more time asking what they would like to see made for a Scaler rim instead of just saying this looks good and push it.
BTW, you said you would shoot me pics of that one rim you made
Im not trying to be rude at all. I know there is alot of hard work involved. I paint and there is a long process to how I do shells depending on the detail. Everyone will tell ya who paints an airbrush artist is way underpaid.
So I do understand! I just think that some manufacturing vendors should spend more time asking what they would like to see made for a Scaler rim instead of just saying this looks good and push it.
BTW, you said you would shoot me pics of that one rim you made
Eritex Inc.
RCC Addict
I was busy this weekend and forgot to look, sorry. I have class tomorrow night and have to study tonight. I also have to build a bid for a customer so it may be Wednesday before I can PM it to you.
CAD CAM - reasonable price
If you are serious about learning this stuff - you have 6 days left to pick up Alibre CAD for $99. Add to that CamBam for $150 and you do everything practical that you can do with $4000 of stuff from the other vendors.
I'm just mentioning this if you are serious.
Pick up the $35 book from here; http://www.learn3dcad.com/
and its as good as going to school for it as well.
If you are serious about learning this stuff - you have 6 days left to pick up Alibre CAD for $99. Add to that CamBam for $150 and you do everything practical that you can do with $4000 of stuff from the other vendors.
I'm just mentioning this if you are serious.
Pick up the $35 book from here; http://www.learn3dcad.com/
and its as good as going to school for it as well.
sweli
RCC Addict
True. I did not look into waht software came with it either.
On my manual one, I mostly stay with Delrin pcs.
End milss and flycutter bits I got from resellers of used, on the *bay.
Smaller used tools are pretty cheap.
I use 2D CAD at work, but have not stepped into the 3D realm.
davidthestud09
Rock Stacker
You get what you pay for! If you spend 200 your getting tin foil, if you spend a 1000 you get chip foose links. It's a matter of the quality. Now I went to my local Community College and went to the CNC advanced course. Talked with the instructor there and he introduced me to a student that was graduating that simester and needed a final project. I gave him my AX10 chassis design and skid plate and lower links I've drawn up and he did his magic over a couple months. I got it done at a fraction of the cost and looked amazing! He got an A, and I got him into Crawling now as well.
Mayhem Eng.
I wanna be Dave
chip foose!!!!!! :roll: machined parts......
Normally I would agree. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. But I also believe there are some terribly over priced products as well. 3D CAD being one of them.
I also would rather pay for software I use rather than 'borrow' a copy from where I work for my own personal projects. As a software developer I consider that stealing, and I would venture to say 90% of the crawler parts for sale where designed on solid works where the license costs were not paid by the vendors.
So to each his own. If you want to spend $2000+ to make $16 skid plates, have at it.
billet works
I wanna be Dave
Alibre is my best friend "thumbsup"
davidthestud09
Rock Stacker
"Cip Foose" was a figure of speech there guys. I agree though there are some over priced things out there. But if you got the money to spend, it's a hobby and hobbies are supposed to be a way to waste money right? If you love crawling and scaling than I believe it's worth the money. Either way your spending less than a 1:1 crawler right?
