Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: Selling $150 PCBMill

From: "Dave Mucha" <dave_mucha@...>
Date: 2006-12-25

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "derekhawkins" <eldata@...> wrote:
>
> >Opinions?
>
> Not bad for $600.00. Not really a "handsome" machine but a good starter
> setup IMO. The only obvious shortcomings I see would be the X-Y travel
> and the Delrin nuts don't seem to have any form of wear compensation.
> How long is zero backlash going to last?

This is a question and a problem. Considder the nut might last about
365 hours of use. so, one has to spend some $50 ?? per year for a
wear item. Kind of like changing the oil.

Compare that to a set of 3 Kerk screws for closer to $350.00
somewhere there is a tradeoff.

If you want a low end machine, don't bother with any single part that
costs over $100.00 it is useless to put on a high quality screw when
you don't have ball slides on the rails. and it would be silly to put
ball slides on the rails if you are not using a very heavy frame, and
if you don't have a heavy frame, they a zero run-out spindle is not
really going to add much to the machine.

Everything feeds on the next thing.

There is no real clasification of machines, but there should be the
logic that you cannot compare a $600 small axis aluminm frame machine
to a fully operational machine that has a 12x12 work area. Common
Sense needs to come into play.

If you ask John K about his introductions to using threaded rod, the
'big boys' said that it could not be done. period, go away.

He has proved them wrong so many times that it is now almost the first
choice on all entry level machines. Certainly all simple home-brew
machines.

But, once one actually uses a machine, soooo many of those objections
seem to fall by the wayside.

Dave