CNC Tools links from airplane builders

[jim.bo]

Hi,

Although we all know that there is plenty of guys on CNCZone who knows about CNC mills/routers http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cnc_r ... _machines/ I thought it would be a good idea to post some links of ACTUAL builders who use CNC based tools right now.

http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forum ... outer.html

http://www.hainesengineering.com/cnc/ CH601 builder

This is only the tip of the iceberg, but we need to start somewhere.

jim.bo

[John Nicol]

Here is another one:

Building a Cri-Cri using a CNC mill http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forum ... 15-nz.html

[ameinert]

While I am not sure I can be called an ACTUAL airplane builder, yet, I am serious about doing so (I have been attending OshKosh very year since 1993, became a member then and have worked on several design concepts on Pro/E for myself and a prototype for a new defunct aircraft manufacturer.) and have spent the last year and a half working on my CNC Router. I have referred to it as "The Beast" due to its size. I know I have weak spots on this design but I was trying to learn and experiment on this project and try to move forward instead of my usual analysis paralysis. I already know a few things I'd like to change. Also, I am not happy with some of the craftsmanship, specifically because I had trouble drilling around 1000 accurate, clean holes in hot rolled steel. I should have bought a better drill press and maybe a magnetic based drill.

Note that this will be a 4 axis machine capable of cutting a 44" diameter cylinder about 9 feet long or alternatively a sheet of material 9-1/2 feet long by 5-1/2 feet wide by about 6 inches thick. The enormous Z capacity is what drove the size and choice of materials (steel).

I expect to get most of the electronics connected in the next 5 days and then will spend some time getting it all confgiured properly, aligned, tested, etc.. The rotary axis has not really been started so it will technically be a 3 axis machine for a while. I will have the controls, motors, etc. but have some detail to sort out on the speed reduction, mounting, etc..

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cnc_r ... beast.html

In the end, I have learned a lot and had a huge amount of fun, so it has been worth it.

Andy

[John Nicol]

This is indeed a beast! Thanks very much for sharing Andy. This is a really huge and industrial machine!

I hear what you are saying about analysis paralysis. Sometimes we just need to start the project and figure it out as we go, or we spend 10 years thinking about it before we make the first hole. Probably 75% of the effort is just getting started! We might need to redo stuff, but as Edison famously said "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward".

[HLC]

This is an aircraft parts manufacturer. If you need help, please contact me
https://www.hlc-metalparts.com/our-s-ma ... g-services.
I will be very happy if I can help you.