Can anyone do this?

[jstrode5]

I am a full time farmer in western KY. I have above average computer skills and great mechanical skills. My wife is a professional designer who works with autocad daily. I have a huge shop and plenty of free time during the late fall and most of the winter. I make a great living on the farm, but I am looking for something to keep my employees busy during down time. Is this something that anyone can pick up with enough practice?

[zeykr]

If you have computer skills along with mechanical skills you can do it. What I feel most who have failed with cnc have lacked is the computer skills to create their cad drawings and covert them to cam part files. My suggestion is to find a shopbot camp near you and attend. You can also ask here on the forum if there is anyone near you who's shop you can visitfor a day.

[jhicks]

Jason, I agree with Ken. I imagine before long we will be looking at exotic carvings on barn doors, wonderfully carved livestock name/stall tags, 4H award plaques, and creative rural farm signs.
Sounds like all you need is to visit a camp to finalize your next step. Good luck, you can definately do it!

[jstrode5]

I really appreciate the responses in this forum. Everyday I see people trying to put the screws to one another in one way or another. It is very refreshing to be able to ask questions in a way that is not deemed as intrusive by people in a certian business. I look foward to talking with many of you soon! Happy botting!

[kfitz]

Jason,

I'm in Lexington, and I'd be glad to help you get started when the time comes.

-Kevin

[elcruisr]

I'd also add, have a business plan. Know WHY you need a CNC machine and the products you want to make. Research your market and know that you will be offering a viable product/service before laying out the money. Can you do it, yes! Just cover the business end and research before the cash outlay.

[jstrode5]

I am still researching... If I purchased a standard machine, how much would it cost to upgrade to an alpha system after I got the hang of it? What is the main difference in the two besides the speed of cuts?

[richards]

Jason,
The main difference between the Alpha and the Standard machines is the electronics. The Alpha uses Oriental Motor Alpha stepper drivers and Oriental Motor Alpha stepper motors. The Standard machine uses Oriental Motor PK series stepper motors and Gecko stepper drivers.

If I were buying a new machine today, I would first look at the Standard machine and only consider the Alpha if I were certain that the Standard machine would NOT do the job.

There have been many reports on the forum about the increased speed and finer resolution on the Standard machine due to the G4 electronics. Reports of cutting speeds at 5-ips are common. That is the speed that I use on my Alpha most of the time (although I can and do cut faster - depending on the material).

When I'm using my Alpha as a psuedo bridge saw, I need all the speed that I can get (10-ips), but when I'm v-carving or cutting complex shapes, no matter what speed I dial in, the Alpha is running in the ramping area of each move, so my real speed is closer to 2-ips than to the dialed in speed.