CNC work? Kind of big.

sharksanddanger

sharksanddanger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Reidsville
Well I am toying around the idea of having a couple pieces made out of steel instead of using the cast pieces that I currently have(I am going to run spider9 housings and either reuse the outer ends from the portal tube but would prefer to get a couple made in steel). I'd say it would have to be machined out of a block about 12"x8"x8" or so. I'm not exactly sure but those are some rough measurements, it would also take some drawing time. I am also not sure as to what kind of axis mill it would require to do the work. This is what I'd like to have made, the end piece for my portal but in steel and where it flares to the tube 4" OD and 3.5" ID, if that makes any sense.
ai197.photobucket.com_albums_aa63_Frontier2k1_Frontier_DSC00953.jpg


I know there are a few people on here with CNCs, anyone have one and willing to tackle the job? If so an estimation on cost? I'm sure it won't be cheap.
 
Any reason you couldnt' have it waterjet/lasered out of a piece of ~3/4 or 1/2 and just weld that to the axletube? Would sure save a lot of money.
 
braxton357 said:
Any reason you couldnt' have it waterjet/lasered out of a piece of ~3/4 or 1/2 and just weld that to the axletube? Would sure save a lot of money.
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I guess I could, it would just have to have the pieces machined to hold the outer edges of the bearings on the portal box(the round areas shown in the picture, one with a seal and one without). That would have to be machined right, a waterjet only cuts the material?
 
The water jet or laser could cut the inner and outer flanges. Use steel to weld the flanges together and use the CNC mill to true it up and put the correct holes and bores that you need for the bearings. You could get the laser or water jet to do all of the holes, etc, but you'd have to be extremely accurate in aligning the flanges and the steel between them.

Generally, a 3 axis mill is all you would need. It wouldn't have to be CNC, but it would help as its extremely hard to find top notch old school machinests these days that could do the job a CNC machine could.

Most anyone with Solidworks could draw it up.

If you have any connections to community college or university with the equipment, sometimes they will take on projects like that for very minimal costs if any. They would use it as a learning tool for their students. I know ECU has the capabilities as well as a couple of local community colleges here in the area. I'm sure there are some in your area that would be willing to tackle this project.
 
He might be able to get the machining costs down, but two pieces of 12x8x8 steel alone is going to cost as much as the freakin portal boxes.
 
braxton357 said:
He might be able to get the machining costs down, but two pieces of 12x8x8 steel alone is going to cost as much as the freakin portal boxes.
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Yeah, Thats kind of what I figured. I need to get over to the shop and take some more accurate measurements then check on some steel.

Thanks for info Rob, If I decide to go this route I'll drop by one of the colleges and maybe they can draw them up for me.
 
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