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www.TK560.com Vacuum Forming, Movie Prop, Sci-fi and GIjOE Forum
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LaughingCheese Expert
Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 138
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:53 pm Post subject: Survey of Fabrication Methods |
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Ok, I still want to get to my projects, but I'm afraid they seem to be increasingly shoved into the future, as I have no money for them.
Anyway, I'm reconsidering the various methods.
I would like to be able to design, test, and build from scratch RC airplanes out of foam (probably EDF or EPP).
I would think a straight CNC mill would work best for this.
Some of my ideas, however, might necessetate custom parts.
For example, I think one of my ideas would need a custom ducted fan jet. For this application I think a 3D printer would work best, as the parts seem rather small to waste a mold on.
And maybe an injection molding machine would come in handy.
Or, *sigh,* maybe I'm just taking all this too seriously and should forget about it and move on.
When to quit? That's the question. |
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speedofsound Novice
Joined: 21 May 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Memphis, TN
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: Survey of Fabrication Methods |
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LaughingCheese wrote: |
When to quit? That's the question. |
When they put you in the ground.
I'm very fortunate to have built up a nice shop, and have some pretty powerful tools at my disposal. Probably like you, I'm a hobbyist and the learning curve is huge for all the STUFF needed to make our ideas. One of my ideas made it onto the market, and instead of pocketing the cash I chose to grow a small business. My shop now has 2 CNC machines (3-axis mills), a Microscrobe G2 digitizer, band saws, drill presses, grinders, sanders, air tools, etc. Still not enough, and learning how to use it all has been a major challenge. I'm self-taught, my education background is in marketing!
Funny about your turbine comment. I'm saving my pennies (about 2 million of them, LOL) for a 3D printer. Hoping to pick up a Dimension printer for the shop within a year. With a little luck, my DIY vac-former will pay for this. So far, every machine in my shop has "bought" the one next to it.
That's how I ended up here. I decided I "needed" a vacuum former in my shop, and then rolled up my sleeves. So far, it's been fun, and I've already learned a lot from reading here.
-Alan |
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LaughingCheese Expert
Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 138
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Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject: Re: Survey of Fabrication Methods |
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Quote: |
I'm very fortunate to have built up a nice shop, and have some pretty powerful tools at my disposal. Probably like you, I'm a hobbyist and the learning curve is huge for all the STUFF needed to make our ideas. One of my ideas made it onto the market, and instead of pocketing the cash I chose to grow a small business. My shop now has 2 CNC machines (3-axis mills), a Microscrobe G2 digitizer, band saws, drill presses, grinders, sanders, air tools, etc. Still not enough, and learning how to use it all has been a major challenge. I'm self-taught, my education background is in marketing! |
I'm definitely a hobbyist, though I wouldn't say the learning curve is huge; depends what you mean though, I haven't actually worked with any of these machines yet! So it might be....
I understand at least the workflow I think I may use, if I ever got the opportunity to use it (by having the machines).
Quote: |
Funny about your turbine comment. I'm saving my pennies (about 2 million of them, LOL) for a 3D printer. Hoping to pick up a Dimension printer for the shop within a year. With a little luck, my DIY vac-former will pay for this. So far, every machine in my shop has "bought" the one next to it. |
Wow, that's awesome!
But I don't really want a whole business around it, I just want to do a few things with it, and it might be handy to be able to make your own stuff.
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That's how I ended up here. I decided I "needed" a vacuum former in my shop, and then rolled up my sleeves. So far, it's been fun, and I've already learned a lot from reading here.
-Alan |
Actually, I'm thinking of a different workflow where I might not need a vacuum former.
A couple things I want to do is make custom RC airplanes, and I'm not talking just real jets, but sci fi stuff like the Goauld Death Glider. I don't think anyone has done that yet, but it would be pretty hard to cut by hand.
Another thing is "costuming;" in fact that's kind of what started my obsession, this guy made a wearable master chief costume, and I've been researching all this because of that. |
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