Subject: Re: Newbie needs advice on mill choice for model airplanes, etc.

From: "PyroWare" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 1996 10:12:50 -0500

Hi Chip (great name for metal work!)

All my machines are manual but I am reasonably aware of CNC and its
capabilities.  Your emphasis seems to be on the computer side instead of
the machine side... I think you need to flip-flop here.  CNC computers
don't need a lot of horsepower... just enough to run the CAM software. 
Most CAD programs output what is known as G-code which is really a very
simple set of instructions telling the CAM machine what commands to send
to the stepper motors.  The Sherline machine is a very nice little setup
with gobs of accessories, and I bet great for small runs but for typical
rc aircraft, you are going to need an NC Bridgeport or similar.  You're
looking at 5 figures EASY for used equipment, over 6 figures for new and
deluxe.

Rather than NC, you may want to consider tracer equipment.  One-off a
master pattern, then trace out additional moldings or whatever as desired.

Resins are extremely abrasive and will wreck ex$pensive tooling and
machines without precautions.

It's daunting but don't give up!  :-)

Kurt Bjorn
PyroWare

> [email-masked](Charles Harrison ) wrote in article
<[email-masked]>...
> Hi all,
> 
> I just discovered this group through Home Shop Machinist and I was
> hoping someone could give me some guidance. I am interested in doing
> numerically controlled milling (if its called something else please let
> me know). I would like to make fuselages, wings, etc., for model
> airplanes that will be suitable positives for eventual resin casting. 
>

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From: [email-masked](Charles Harrison )
Date: 29 Jul 1996 04:55:41 GMT

Hi all,

I currently have a 120MHz Pentium machine, 16MB RAM, 14" monitor.

Can anyone please answer the followinbg questions for me:

1. What is the software of choice? Do I have to bite the bullet and buy
autoCAD or is something else (preferably less expensive) going to be
able to give me the results I want?

2. How much RAM will I need for this application (I hate waiting around
for screens to scroll, etc.)? Also should I totally populate my level
two cache?

3. Will I need a big monitor? If so, how big?

4. What milling equipment should I be considering? It seems that
Sherline finds use in this area. Do they make the accessories I'll need
for this, or will I have to go aftermarket? If so, who makes the best
package?

Thanks a lot, and I hope to be speaking with you all as I grow in this
hobby, long a dream of mine!

Chip

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From: [email-masked] (Mike DeMetz)
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 14:55:24 GMT

>for this, or will I have to go aftermarket? If so, who makes the best

Sherline has about any accessorie you could want. Check out their WEB
page or http/hre.com.