Nice machine and very cool bots!
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, PDJ <pdj@b...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> You can not buy or sell the machine I want for $500. RATS!
>
> I have been working with point to point wiring for years:(. During
this
> time I always wished for a better way. A CNC machine seemed like a
good
> idea because it would do the work fast, cheap, and could do many
other
> things as well as PCBs. A few years ago I started looking for an
> affordable CNC machine for PCBs and general use. I have seen just
about
> everything the web has to offer.
>
> I considered building my own but what I really wanted to spend my
time
> on was using a CNC. Once I had a few bucks saved up I placed an
order
> for one, a little 12X12X3 machine from a web page for about 3K.
But the
> machine was never delivered. After a few months I went to the bank
to
> get my money back.
>
> After this I started looking on Ebay for used CNC's. There are
many
> posts and some of the machines were new. It was quite a mix of
different
> designs. There were even machines made of MDF using all thread -
very
> cool. The range was inexpensive to very expensive.
>
> One day while on Ebay I saw a buy it now for a new machine. The
cost was
> several K, but today was the day I was changing the way I do
things.
> When the machine arrived I went right to work. After I abused it
for
> about a year I thought I would give it an overhaul. While putting
it
> back together I saw a few things I would do differently and many
things
> I would not change.
>
> One day I was reflecting back. I was thinking about the machine
that I
> was originally looking to purchase. I was looking for a precision
> desktop model for around 1K. This machine was not available but I
> thought if it's possible then go for it.
>
> I tried to put a design together for under 1K - target price was
around
> 800. However, I found the price for the raw components to be very
> expense, even in volume. The finished design uses Baltic Birch for
the
> frame to save a bit. I have worked many years building museum
exhibits
> out of this material and it is a very impressive hard plywood. It
is
> also used in many machines and jigs around the shop.
>
> Anyway, I need to have $1150 minimum for this machine however,
this
> price does not include the steppers, driver, power supply, and
spindle.
> Those items add another $400 or so to the total. I invite all to
take a
> look this CNC. This is both a shameless plug and an invite for
your
> feedback. You don't need to tie up this group form with your
feedback;
> you can reach me directly via email.
>
> Please visit www.pdjinc.com and let me know what you think!
>
> Thank you for your time,
> Phil
>