Gunsmithing Questions on getting into CNC

[kabarNC]

CNC machining has always fascinated me, but i know next to nothing about it.

What kind of courses and classes should i focus on? My background is farmer and also about 10yrs of housing construction experience.

How much schooling is available online that i can trust? I am currently working those two jobs, and time is tight. I'd like to get as far as possible before giving up the construction career.

Goals are to manufacture small parts for a few small businesses near me, and i also have a few ideas for the rifle industry that surprisingly are largely untouched. I also have the space to start already.

I'd like any input, good or bad. The more i know the better off i am. If I'm gonna get into something like this, now is the time. I'm 31 yrs old, so there's still good time to get something good started. Thanks for your time!

 

[super_poot]

Just give up and don't listen to me.

 

[JMcBurn]

CNC machining has always fascinated me, but i know next to nothing about it.

What kind of courses and classes should i focus on? My background is farmer and also about 10yrs of housing construction experience.

How much schooling is available online that i can trust? I am currently working those two jobs, and time is tight. I'd like to get as far as possible before giving up the construction career.

Goals are to manufacture small parts for a few small businesses near me, and i also have a few ideas for the rifle industry that surprisingly are largely untouched. I also have the space to start already.

I'd like any input, good or bad. The more i know the better off i am. If I'm gonna get into something like this, now is the time. I'm 31 yrs old, so there's still good time to get something good started. Thanks for your time!

Buy a tormach mill and start messing with autodesk fusion. On youtube look at NYC CNC he does a lot of tutorial stuff.

 

[serevince]

Retired from the military @ 41 in 2015, had a couple ideas rattling around in my head for years that I thought could be commercially viable. Ended up finding a outstanding machinist/CNC program @ the local community college. 2 years, couple grand in tools, mostly precision measuring instruments required for machining.

I was ancient compared to most of the class, used my time in the shop wisely, and the instructors trusted me. I made a ton of cool stuff beyond classroom requirements.

I kinda know what I'm doing and take precautions when running a program for the first time, and my sphincter still is tight enough to produce diamonds the first time I run a new program. When things are moving 1200 inches per minute and spinning 10,000rpm things can get ugly quickly.

If you prevent one crash by taking a few classes it would be worth it. That said I know more than a handful of savants that are self taught CNC machinists. I'd say most are treading in weaponized autism territory with a healthy dose of OCD, but really their minds just work different than mine. lol

You could simply find a CNC machinist or shop that is willing to work with you. It'll cost you, but it's going to cost you one way or another.

I will say there's a lot to getting a product to market. I've had my rimfire chassis ready for over a year, and have sat on it. Making it was fun, but I don't really know what's after that! lol

Kids wanted fidget spinners, I went full dad.


Winch fairlead for the Jeep

Didn't want a jungle gym rack so I designed one. Yes it's fully supported on the inside, Slept 2 big guys in the tent. No damage to the fiberglass top.


My Savage FVSR chassis

 

[kabarNC]

Buy a tormach mill and start messing with autodesk fusion. On youtube look at NYC CNC he does a lot of tutorial stuff.

Thanks for the link, good stuff and good info.

 

[kabarNC]

Retired from the military @ 41 in 2015, had a couple ideas rattling around in my head for years that I thought could be commercially viable. Ended up finding a outstanding machinist/CNC program @ the local community college. 2 years, couple grand in tools, mostly precision measuring instruments required for machining.

I was ancient compared to most of the class, used my time in the shop wisely, and the instructors trusted me. I made a ton of cool stuff beyond classroom requirements.

I kinda know what I'm doing and take precautions when running a program for the first time, and my sphincter still is tight enough to produce diamonds the first time I run a new program. When things are moving 1200 inches per minute and spinning 10,000rpm things can get ugly quickly.

If you prevent one crash by taking a few classes it would be worth it. That said I know more than a handful of savants that are self taught CNC machinists. I'd say most are treading in weaponized autism territory with a healthy dose of OCD, but really their minds just work different than mine. lol

You could simply find a CNC machinist or shop that is willing to work with you. It'll cost you, but it's going to cost you one way or another.

I will say there's a lot to getting a product to market. I've had my rimfire chassis ready for over a year, and have sat on it. Making it was fun, but I don't really know what's after that! lol

Kids wanted fidget spinners, I went full dad.


Winch fairlead for the Jeep

Didn't want a jungle gym rack so I designed one. Yes it's fully supported on the inside, Slept 2 big guys in the tent. No damage to the fiberglass top.


My Savage FVSR chassis

That's awesome! You touched on a point that I've thought a bit about also, what happens after a product is machined. Anodizing (I'm wanting to work with aluminum), packaging, website, etc., alot to get into. That's not counting what all happens before, sourcing raw material and parts, prototypes, tooling, i act like i know what I'm talking about lol. Thanks for the post!

 

[kortik]

That's awesome! You touched on a point that I've thought a bit about also, what happens after a product is machined. Anodizing (I'm wanting to work with aluminum), packaging, website, etc., alot to get into. That's not counting what all happens before, sourcing raw material and parts, prototypes, tooling, i act like i know what I'm talking about lol. Thanks for the post!

It's a bit more complicated. Before having fun with CNC, you have to learn about and UNDERSTAND the general principles of machining, like selecting correct datums, etc., which are applicable to common manufacturing methods. CNC machine by itself is not going to know how to get the things done right.

 

[Robert Gradous]

CNC machining has always fascinated me, but i know next to nothing about it.

What kind of courses and classes should i focus on? My background is farmer and also about 10yrs of housing construction experience.

How much schooling is available online that i can trust? I am currently working those two jobs, and time is tight. I'd like to get as far as possible before giving up the construction career.

Goals are to manufacture small parts for a few small businesses near me, and i also have a few ideas for the rifle industry that surprisingly are largely untouched. I also have the space to start already.

I'd like any input, good or bad. The more i know the better off i am. If I'm gonna get into something like this, now is the time. I'm 31 yrs old, so there's still good time to get something good started. Thanks for your time!

Go work for someone else. Clean shop clean machines, debur parts, ask to run second opps ect. Be honest about your intentions, humble and quite. Remember that your around people that don't like Windows or conversation. I too was a farmer once.

 

[RonA]

A friend of mine bought one of the Tormach machines and I've watched it run a little. Seems like more of a toy to me, but then my background isn't gun tinkering. It's clean, and it's kinda cute, and given enough time it will make parts.

 

[Gene Poole]

You may want to consider a 3d printer kit. It'll introduce you to the basics of CNC equipment and is a good starting point for CAD CAM gcode, etc.

 

[serevince]

Manual machines are also a great option and learning tool. Work holding, speeds and feeds, zeros, and axis are all critical in either case. You can also prototype, and then farm out production. Manual machines are dirt cheap comparatively. I have $8k into an older 3hp bridgeport clone and a 14x60 lathe. Both used with some tooling. I see comparable eqquipment go for half that or less the farther East you go.