Anyone with CNC, Waterjet Milling knowlege?

[Libertytree]

Attached is a pic of a prototype I'm working on, you can tell it's a proto by its lack of uniformity. I'm looking to have the white PVC tubes drilled and finished on a larger, faster scale. An injection molded model would be great but will have to wait.

My question is.... does anyone know the set-up and the hourly rate for a simple project like this? How many might be produced in that hour?

6362

[Atocha]

Attached is a pic of a prototype I'm working on, you can tell it's a proto by its lack of uniformity. I'm looking to have the white PVC tubes drilled and finished on a larger, faster scale. An injection molded model would be great but will have to wait.

My question is.... does anyone know the set-up and the hourly rate for a simple project like this? How many might be produced in that hour?

6362

Looks likes a hell of a bong!

Have you considered "Perforated PVC Pipe?"

[Libertytree]

There's a method to the madness, there needs to be x holes spaced at the right intervals and it's not something I can just go buy.

[Atocha]

There's a method to the madness, there needs to be x holes spaced at the right intervals and it's not something I can just go buy.

Understood.

A waterjet would be slower. I have watched them in action and they usually jet through flat pieces.

I like the idea of a mill. We have one at work. Just looking at the piece, i myself, a non-professional could do about 10 per hour. Our mill bed has dial indicators but a modern machine shop has digital indicators. Machine shops here run anywhere from $75-$100 per hour. Your mileage may vary. Have you considered making a jig?

[Libertytree]

Yep, 2 or 3 jigs and I just can't seem to get it work. I'm usually great at this stuff but this one's got me! There's also the thing that by having them done in short order there might be less finishing/sanding on the holes. The holes are also not a perfect 1/2in. At this point I'd pay $75 for 10, especially if they were fairly clean.

[Horn]

Maybe check with some fish tank equipment suppliers, I remember seeing similar tubes in larger fish tank filtration systems.

Or hydroponic systems.

[Glass]

There's a method to the madness, there needs to be x holes spaced at the right intervals and it's not something I can just go buy.

Are all the holes opposite other holes? It looks like 8 holes around which is really 4 holes/drill actions if there are opposing holes. Through one side then the other in one action. You could come up with a jig of some sort? Something that allows you to shuffle the pipe forward X amount past a drill press or something similar.

[palani]

Drop the pvc pipe into a steel pipe slightly larger in ID. Weld drill bushings at each position you need a hole. After the first hole is drilled drop a dowel to pin the pvc to the steel pipe to keep position from shifting.

[Heimdhal]

LT,

Water Jet and CNC are going to run you WAY too much for the project. I do know some guys I can hunt down though. Genreally, those things are done on flat plastics, its hard to cut around curves, small radius curves in particular.

You're best and quickest bet is to come up to the shop! We'll make a jig in the drill press and knock out a half dozen of em in no time. The easist way to do it is in rows. The jig will have a hole spaced X distance from the bit. After the firts hole is drilled straight through (making two holes), you dowel and peg it in place, drill the second. Slide it down, re-peg, drill, slide it down, re peg, etc. Same method I use on my kydex OWB holsters for the eyelet holes, remember, and they get a perfect space every time. I've also got the heat guns for molding the tubes, so bring your molding jig, too!

Come up during the week, like Monday or so, well get it done ;)

[gunDriller]

Yep, 2 or 3 jigs and I just can't seem to get it work. I'm usually great at this stuff but this one's got me! There's also the thing that by having them done in short order there might be less finishing/sanding on the holes. The holes are also not a perfect 1/2in. At this point I'd pay $75 for 10, especially if they were fairly clean.


You need an LT.

LT was a friend of mine who owned a shop. I hope he charged Qualcomm more than he charged me, because he charged me only $25 an hour.

He died of lung cancer but he was a great model of a friend/ prototype machinist.

You may have to pay a little more, e.g. $35.


Ballpark injection molded tooling would be $50K.

For any kind of production machining, there are work-holding fixtures. The more automated (generally), the more you invest in programmers time and tool-designers' time - but time per part is lower, so cost per part is (usually) lower.


3D printer may be a possibility for prototypes.

[Horn]

Here's those fish tank pipes I saw, looks like it called a fill or filter pipe, is stainless though.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/BORNEOWILD-Fill-Pipe_122317146.html

[Libertytree]

It took a few days but I finally found a dude with a kickass machine shop that'll help me out! $60 per hour, so not so bad. The biggest part of that will be setting the software/calculations up, the rest is gravy and in the future many of these can be made in short order.

[gunDriller]

re-read the whole thread.

Heimdahl has a machine shop ! that's great. :)


Is this for Aquaponics or is that asking too much of a question ?

I have had intellectual property stolen myself, I know it's know picnic and it really hurts.

I actually shook hands with someone this morning and we made a informal "handshake non-disclosure agreement". He is a local man who is actually homeless (sleeps in his truck). And he has 25-35 years of experience doing computer programming, Sysadmin'ing, etc.

I am contemplating starting out hiring him to do what needs to be done. So, sort of a combination maid, secretary, gardener, sorter of tools.

I was going to start out with a week of 'employee development' - get him a week's worth of passes to the Y.

[Libertytree]

re-read the whole thread.

Heimdahl has a machine shop ! that's great. :)


Is this for Aquaponics or is that asking too much of a question ?

I have had intellectual property stolen myself, I know it's know picnic and it really hurts.

I actually shook hands with someone this morning and we made a informal "handshake non-disclosure agreement". He is a local man who is actually homeless (sleeps in his truck). And he has 25-35 years of experience doing computer programming, Sysadmin'ing, etc.

I am contemplating starting out hiring him to do what needs to be done. So, sort of a combination maid, secretary, gardener, sorter of tools.

I was going to start out with a week of 'employee development' - get him a week's worth of passes to the Y.

I wish Heim had a machine shop, like the one I need. Not for aquaponics but it must be potable. Getting patents and the such is just more BS, it's the one who can make and sell 1st that gets the rights and the spoils.

I'd give that feller a chance, probably the most loyal and productive man you'll meet.

[Neuro]

I wish Heim had a machine shop, like the one I need. Not for aquaponics but it must be potable. Getting patents and the such is just more BS, it's the one who can make and sell 1st that gets the rights and the spoils.

Damn right I like your ideas on patents. I think it is bullshit that lack of intellectual property rights would be a hamper on innovation, humans are naturally innovative... Patent processes probably do more to stop it...

[Libertytree]

I had an idea several years ago and cleared 90% of the patent hurdles after spending a considerable amount of money. In the end I was told I HAD to produce said item and sell it to secure my rights to it and if anyone could do it first I was SOL, no matter what I had on "legal paper". It was a very big project on the national and global scale and in the end I decided to bury my idea before I would give it away to the mega paper companies. They tried to get me to divulge it and I went poof...the good news is, I haven't seen it, at least not yet.

I learned a good lesson from that and will never forget it.

[Heimdhal]

I wish I had a machine shop too! Saddly, it is a a humble leather shop, but theres machines in it! lol.