Planning Question to all modders

[Xye]

If I were to acquire a small milling machine would people be interested in using it for their own mods to create parts which would not otherwise be possible?

I know this is in a kind of grey area with regard to the TOS.

I just think there is so little available to UK Modders and the benefits could be enormous.

Obviously it will have to be run as a business (which is why i fear this post may be deleted) but I am considering offering a service and I am looking to see if anyone would be interested.

[Xye]

well thanks to the 3 people who have voted. As for cost.... I'm not thinking its going to be much.

Cost will depend on three things:

Material - if you can provide the material then this will cost nothing.

CAD - A small charge may be needed depending on how the design is provided. I am ok with CAD and so can work from rough drawings.

Machining - the only real cost here would be the tooling.

so an estimate of cost is around £10-15 (without materials and dependant on how much work I need to do on CAD)

[Razer2007]

dude is this just for UK, or international?

[Xye]

Well that would entirely depend upon international shipping costs.

At first i'm thinking i'll only be able to use wood, plastic, possibly aluminium so the package won't be too heavy.

If your willing to foot the bill its entirely possible

[Razer2007]

pretty cool. gotta get you email address and keep it. if it will be cheaper than the local services.

[Xye]

lol thanks. At the moment this is still just a pipe dream, I'm trying to persuade my dad to go halves with me on buying the machine. So I've got to persuade him that its useful and that he might get some of his money back lol.

[[ZiiP] NaloaC]

If you can CNC steel side panels, I would be interested. Of course, it's dependant upon the cost of shipping to Ireland as well

[Xye]

This machine is simply not strong enough to CNC steel hence why I specified softer materials like wood or plastic or aluminum.

[Nanosec]

I voted, but not sure it would be cost effective for me, living in the US, but I still think having the availability of like minded individuals providing a needed service would be good.

[Xye]

Thanks Nanosec. I realise it may not be effective for the US but maybe for the UK and Europe?

[bulldogjeff]

There's plenty of places about, it's just finding them, A dedicated PC specialist would be pretty good though, it''s something I think I would use. In fact if I could, I would love to set up a PC modding shop.

[Tattysnuc]

I've put yes, but it could equally depend on the cost. For example, I'm working on a homebrew Coolit boreas project for which I needed 8 waterblocks. I found that OCZ have some that are end of line I've had to order some via the states. It cost me £100+ for the blocks plus another £20+ tax + shipping, but I just bit the bullet becasue this facility doesn;t exist. I'd love to have access to someone who can fabricate what I'd dream up, especially if designing a prototype which I could then use as a proof of concept.

I'd assume that Copper would be included in your permitted list of materials...?

Having seen how often these types of machines break down (see) you'll have to factor in the cost of your bits and the cost of maintaining the kit...

[Xye]

Originally Posted by bulldogjeff

There's plenty of places about, it's just finding them, A dedicated PC specialist would be pretty good though, it''s something I think I would use. In fact if I could, I would love to set up a PC modding shop.

Jeff i think thats something we would all love to do just modding PC's all day and being paid for it!

Originally Posted by Tattysnuc

I've put yes, but it could equally depend on the cost. For example, I'm working on a homebrew Coolit boreas project for which I needed 8 waterblocks. I found that OCZ have some that are end of line I've had to order some via the states. It cost me £100+ for the blocks plus another £20+ tax + shipping, but I just bit the bullet becasue this facility doesn;t exist. I'd love to have access to someone who can fabricate what I'd dream up, especially if designing a prototype which I could then use as a proof of concept.

I'd assume that Copper would be included in your permitted list of materials...?

Having seen how often these types of machines break down (see) you'll have to factor in the cost of your bits and the cost of maintaining the kit...

Yeah I see what you mean about maintainance costs and so on. Hopefully I can get my economics right and provide a good service too. Copper should be possible though this is all still theoretical at the moment....

Right. I'm off to relieve my dad of his wallet... well try to anyway.

[Marvin-HHGTTG]

Sounds great to me, I'm always thinking of things that'd just require a CNC machine...

Will it be CNC or 'just' a milling machine?

[Xye]

While a Manual mill is alright for some things, like creating a square block or whatever, a CNC mill would be far more useful.

I hope to lay my hands on a full CNC machine early in the new year though scouring the net for one has thus far rendered few results.

[Marvin-HHGTTG]

Crikey, a full CNC milling machine? If you persuade your dad to go halves then you have some persuading power (assuming he has no immediate use for one)...

[Xye]

I am fortunate that he does and might have a use for it. Though at the moment I think he is hoping it is just an infatuation on my part that will pass if he can hold me off long enough....

I am not looking to spend the likes of £20000 on an industrial machine.

[Marvin-HHGTTG]

Well, no I figured not...

What kind are you going for/looking at? Bearing in mind that the bed would have to be a reasonable size to be useful for PC modding...

[Xye]

At the moment anything within my price range that has a reasonable sized bed looking at around 500x500x100 workspace min atm.