CnC Machine

Gantry System

skins said:
if you're going to do this for your main source of income i would recomend investing in as good a machine as you can afford. for the money Techno Isel makes some of the best machines on the market.

I agree! i've been using a Techno for about 10 trouble free years (trouble free for the Techno gear). I went through several spindles until recently set it up with dual spindles, the precision one I use for inlay work and engraving and a laminate trimmer I use for tapering and anything work where I need more torque than precision.
That's what I really like about the gantry systems over "cue machines" . It took me much longer to learn what I was doing with my machine, but I have it set up with a 4th axis to hold and rotate the cue for pocketing, trimming inlays, even shaft tapering. I can wrap inlays around the cue and do engravings wraped around the cue. even take photos and make line drawings into engravings similar to scrimshaw. All this is done on the 4th axis which I have in the front of my machine. behind that I have a vacuum table that I use for the inlay parts. I also have my machine set up to inlay sights in pool table rails and work with a couple of small custom table makers inlaying sights and making name plates and small parts for them on the CNC. The gantry system gives you more versatility. I knew a cuemaker who got out of the business because he got too busy making parts for some manfacturing companies. He bought a Techno gantry to build cues but planned to offer his services with it to his old employer (a canoe manufacturing company I think) to make some plywood braces that they had made "out of shop". He'd recently retired from the canoe company and had been doing some cuemaking as a hobby before retirement. He planned to make cues in his retirement (that's a laugh!) and set up the cnc to make these braces for his old company and let his son run that as a second shift job. Well the tail ended up wagging the dog and they got so busy making those parts and some others that people had commisioneed him to make, that he no longer had time for cuemaking and was running his CNC machine 3 shifts, just about 24 hours a day making plywood parts, cabinets, and some other projects he found lucrative.
I made up a bunch of Cocobolo Outlet electrical covers for a designer once and plan to do my entire home with custom woodwork I can do on the gantry system while I'm busy doing other operations on cues. My cnc sit's idle except for maybe 25-40 hours in a month. I don't mind being able to take in side work, other than cuemaking, once in a while. helps pay the bills!

just more hot air!


Sherm
 
Turn Key CNC with Pro Cue Builder Support

skins said:
if you're going to do this for your main source of income i would recomend investing in as good a machine as you can afford. for the money Techno Isel makes some of the best machines on the market.

Techno Isel is a Rolls Royce for sure, but it requires a lot of fabrication and adaptation to get ready for cue making doesn't it? I could be wrong, perhaps the factory will fit it for cue making, but that would be extra I think. I'm just guessing about that though.

I considered a Techno Isel CNC when I got my CNC three years ago. I decided on the Align Rite Gantry CNC because it was a Turn Key CAD/CAM system complete with a factory rep who is a 20 year pro cue maker and since he is a local Texas guy, we speak the same lingo.

I condisered a Blud CNC (we speak the same lingo too) and I still may get a CNC taper machine from him someday but for now I'm set with my lathes and my Align Rite.

Getting another CNC this spring for my shop in the country. Going to Dallas in two weeks to check out the new model on the Algn Rite web site, (factory asked me to at least consider it) but my heart is set on the same Gantry style that we got three years ago. Has all the bells and whistles you could want. Going on four years and no trouble with it at all.

Tom
 
Cuesavvy said:
Techno Isel is a Rolls Royce for sure, but it requires a lot of fabrication and adaptation to get ready for cue making doesn't it? I could be wrong, perhaps the factory will fit it for cue making, but that would be extra I think. I'm just guessing about that though.

I considered a Techno Isel CNC when I got my CNC three years ago. I decided on the Align Rite Gantry CNC because it was a Turn Key CAD/CAM system complete with a factory rep who is a 20 year pro cue maker and since he is a local Texas guy, we speak the same lingo.

I condisered a Blud CNC (we speak the same lingo too) and I still may get a CNC taper machine from him someday but for now I'm set with my lathes and my Align Rite.

Getting another CNC this spring for my shop in the country. Going to Dallas in two weeks to check out the new model on the Algn Rite web site, (factory asked me to at least consider it) but my heart is set on the same Gantry style that we got three years ago. Has all the bells and whistles you could want. Going on four years and no trouble with it at all.

Tom

I meant no disrespect for any of the turn-key systems. if that would have been available when I bought my system, at a price I could afford, I may have went with one. Blud was building machines but they were geared at larger shops I felt. They would do 4 identically pocketed cues at once but cost twice what my Techno System cost and I didn't feel the need to make 4 identically pocketed cues at a time. nothing against the machines, was just over kill for me at the time! Adapting the machine wasn't a problem at all! if you're going to make cues you need to have a little savvy when it comes to jigs and fixtures, whether it be for CNC or manually operated equipment. My BIGEST learning curve was the CADCAM end of it. When I bought my CNC I didn't know how to turn on a computer, much less make it run a complicated machine! I spent an entire year self teaching myself to use a computer and eventually to 4th axis CNC engravings that wrap around the the cue. When I started, Bobcad was useless unless you were already well versed with some sort of cad cam software. Trying to learn it from the manuals and tutorials was really a joke, because they had mistakes in the tutorials and Bill Gates couldn't follow their directions and learn anything! Their telephone tech support was absolutely useless IF you could get a hold of a human and they NEVER returned calls! I ended up purchasing a different software program that was much more user friendly and had much better tech support. Plus I knew another cuemaker already using it and he promised to try to answer any questions he could. I'm still learning new tricks though all the time. Someday I'll learn Master Cam and have the real nuts, but I haven't time to stop and learn it now.
My main point is that now that I'm capable of programming and setting things up in different configurations, I have a lot more versatility. I've played around with some exotic wood gun grips and plan to delve into it again at some time, as well as jewelry boxes, pool table rail sights, executive desk sets with exotic inlays, some rotating cue racks, exotic wood electrical outlet and light switch covers. Quite frankly if I were really interested in making money, I could probably double my income by changing my product! Some of the things that i could set my machine up to build very efficiently, ie; magic tricks, custom executive desk sets, custom and antique restoration auto dashes, consoles, Custom SUV & Van aftermarket pieces... etc I really prefer to make cues but with so many upstarts and as Joe Blackburn once told me when I asked him why he didn't build cues, joe said "Damn, everyone who took woodshop in highschool is building cues now. I might as well just fix those, much more money in it!" Joe's a wise man!

just more hot air!


Sherm
 
cuesmith said:
I meant no disrespect for any of the turn-key systems.

Sherm no problem, I never even gave a thought that you meant anything disrespectful. I thought it great you were sharing that information. I really liked your posts. Always nice to know how others got started, I used to have how I got started on my web page but I took it down recently.

I chuckled when I read about Bobcad. I wish I had that problem with them about unable to contact. I think they are a bit of a pest sometimes about wanting me to upgrade. They seem to call me almost every week. Last few times I told them they had wrong number. I wish I had started with a better software, but it's too late now. I just got me wife used to using it, I think she would revolt if I changed now. lol

If I had the time I'd love to make other items too. If I were going to do that I would definately go with a Techno.

Anyway Sherm was great to read your posts.

Tom
 
Cuesavvy said:
Price??

I'm not sure. But I bet the one you see in the link above is cheaper than what I paid for the Gantry I have. I sent a message to Matt this morning asking if he will build me another Gantry.

looks good.... but how weight about this machine?

below 100lbs? thanks

weight is my main question.... because my home is 6F....
 
Cuesavvy said:
cuesmith said:
I meant no disrespect for any of the turn-key systems.

Sherm no problem, I never even gave a thought that you meant anything disrespectful. I thought it great you were sharing that information. I really liked your posts. Always nice to know how others got started, I used to have how I got started on my web page but I took it down recently.

I chuckled when I read about Bobcad. I wish I had that problem with them about unable to contact. I think they are a bit of a pest sometimes about wanting me to upgrade. They seem to call me almost every week. Last few times I told them they had wrong number. I wish I had started with a better software, but it's too late now. I just got me wife used to using it, I think she would revolt if I changed now. lol

If I had the time I'd love to make other items too. If I were going to do that I would definately go with a Techno.

Anyway Sherm was great to read your posts.

Tom

That was and probably still is the big problem with Bobcad, all they have are salesmen constantly nagging for sales and up-grades but no people for after sale support. I imagine they have changed some as they are still in business but now I wouldn't give them the time of day just like they wouldn't when I first had their stuff.
Dick
 
techno isel

Cuesavvy said:
Techno Isel is a Rolls Royce for sure, but it requires a lot of fabrication and adaptation to get ready for cue making doesn't it? I could be wrong, perhaps the factory will fit it for cue making, but that would be extra I think. I'm just guessing about that though.

I considered a Techno Isel CNC when I got my CNC three years ago. I decided on the Align Rite Gantry CNC because it was a Turn Key CAD/CAM system complete with a factory rep who is a 20 year pro cue maker and since he is a local Texas guy, we speak the same lingo.

I condisered a Blud CNC (we speak the same lingo too) and I still may get a CNC taper machine from him someday but for now I'm set with my lathes and my Align Rite.

Getting another CNC this spring for my shop in the country. Going to Dallas in two weeks to check out the new model on the Algn Rite web site, (factory asked me to at least consider it) but my heart is set on the same Gantry style that we got three years ago. Has all the bells and whistles you could want. Going on four years and no trouble with it at all.

Tom


the Techno that Keith uses is an upper line machine and i believe the fixtures for cuemaking are readily avaliable. he chose this machine because of it's cutting resolution quality to price point was great. with the type of design work we do we need tight tolerances. to keep things "tight" the resolution of the post for the cam software, resolution of the machine and quality of the spindle are everything. techno plays the part in 2 of these factors. i do agree they're are a bit pricy, not as bad as joe golds $75,000 plus system, but well worth it.
 
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I was fortunate enough to but Jerry Powers old Align-rite, he threw in all of his cue programs. For anyone doing their own designing you know how great of a help that can be. For anyone using bobcad I would highly recommend making it to one of the 3 day training seminars. I took the course and was designing inlays the next week. The only problem I ever had with my machine was that I had to adjust the backlash on the y axis. I was told if you want to buy from bobcad always have them call back on friday, they get bonuses for going over certain dollar amounts and you can get it much cheaper. Has anyone found a better programming software?
 
Adonisy said:
looks good.... but how weight about this machine?

below 100lbs? thanks

weight is my main question.... because my home is 6F....

Adonisy,

I'm not certain about the weight. If I had to guess I'd say around 250 lbs maybe.

Good luck.

Tom
 
> I've heard good things about GibbsCam,but the newest version of the program is so complicated and demands so much in the way of system resources it can only run on a dual processor system such as a Dual Opteron with 4 gigs of RAM,so when you buy the program the system comes with it,and the program costs something like 12k. Tommy D.
 
Tom, I will have one of my gantry mills at the HOPKINS show, march 16th/20th. I will also have a few of my new CNC saw fixtures.
hope you can make it by to have a look see. Mills start at about $8,500.00, this depends on what spindle you require.
Give me a call.
830-232-5991 home/office
cell 830-796-1610

blud
 
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