Custom Machined Parts, Where do I start?

[Wali]

As I've gained experience in my various design hobbies, I have found that I frequently need custom made parts that are Very difficult to make without expensive machines. Does anyone here have experience with this kind of thing? I have seen the online shops where you just send in your design and they make whatever you want. I can't figure out how much this would be(probably not worth it). Are there any alternatives to make parts? My university has a nice shop but I cant get access for another couple years . Any input would be appreciated.

[Heimo]

you can always support a local machine shop, try a small one they would be the most willing to try and help you

[D_Hall]

emachineshop.com

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Are there any alternatives to make parts?

You could master the art of high strength binary adhesives...

[Wali]

Based on prices I've seen so far and that emachineshop site, getting things machined won't be an option till I can use my school's shop. Is there any data on the strength and properties of the epoxy pistons and such? That looks like the next best thing for now.

[cfb_rolley]

If you have experience in autocad or another design program, you can design what you want and save it as a .igs file and email it off to a cnc company. I use autocad then import it into rhino 3d and save it as a .igs because I'm fluent with acad, but it doesn't save as .igs. The company I use is called rpworld.net and they have done alot of cnc bike parts for me, and the cost isn't too bad. I had a couple of clear polycarbonate crank spacers made for about $50 us, and they take paypal if you don't have a credit card.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Is there any data on the strength and properties of the epoxy pistons and such? That looks like the next best thing for now.

In pneumatics, I've been using epoxy pistons and construction up to 800 psi successfully for years now, like for example here. I do however get the occasional failure, but it's all down to using the material correctly.

Take for example my recent hybrid experimentation:

Fail at 8x

Win at 14x and counting

The two launchers are practically identical, except for chamber material. The one which failed had a thin alloy chamber, which could expand isgnificantly under pressure and allowed the epoxy to pop out. My second attempt on the other hand has a significantly thicker walled chamber made of stainless steel, which doesn't expand so much allowing the epoxy to grip better.

[i-will]

I wanted to save this for when I posted my finished project. This will probably piss off a lot of veteran spuders to head anyone say this. I've made a good number of custom pneumatic and mechanical parts and valves out of small hobby tubes rapped with a tight PAPER body coated with SUPER GLUE and a final thin layer of all purpose epoxy. I heard it called the hard paper method. It fininishes rock hard, air tight and weather proof. I also lubricate them the same ass all my other parts. It sounds pretty crazy but it works.

[Technician1002]

If the part is a relatively simple piston, it could be turned on a drill press. See my Mouse Musket thread in my sig for details.

[POLAND_SPUD]

Fail at 8x

Win at 14x and counting

just make sure it won't be final countdown
[youtube][/youtube]

@wali
you can always contact some machine shop located in eastern europe, for example in poland...
AFAIK machining is relatively cheap here... sure you'd have to pay for shipping but if it is really complex they you might save a lot

[ramses]

Where are you located? If you're in the US, and it's just simple-ish lathe work with loose-ish tolerances (I can do +-.001, but it takes too long), send me PDF's, DXF's, or scanned technical drawings and I'll look into doing it for shipping, plus a nominal fee (material and such).

I don't like single point threading, boring (much), cams, knurling, metric threads (though I do need to get a metric tap and die set), etc, but basic stuff is fine.


OH, and I pretty much refuse to make anything out of copper. That is a FLAMING PITA.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

just make sure it won't be final countdown

That pun was bad enough without the video link!



Actually I could have put it in GLaDOS quotes, she really does have something for every spudding situation


Frankly, this chamber was a mistake

This was a triumph

you can always contact some machine shop located in eastern europe, for example in Poland...
AFAIK machining is relatively cheap here... sure you'd have to pay for shipping but if it is really complex they you might save a lot

Do you have a warehouse full of lathes with malnourished orphans chained to them ;D

[POLAND_SPUD]

Do you have a warehouse full of lathes with malnourished orphans chained to them

......not yet

Kuba T1000 has ordered a machined vortex block. IIRC it was quite cheap so I'd say it's a viable option

[Gun Freak]

Yeah I'd like to know where that dude got that vortex block, it was bad ass.

[janet986w]

Fail at 8x

Win at 14x and counting

just make sure it won't be final countdown
[youtube][/youtube]

@wali
you can always contact some machine shop located in eastern europe, for example in poland...
AFAIK machining is relatively cheap here... sure you'd have to pay for shipping but if it is really complex they you might save a lot

Such a very amazing video!
Thanks you for the post.


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