Stepcraft - This thing is cool!

[R_Lefebvre]

Ok, then I guess I'll hold off. That's a bummer. I'll wait till I can justify a Tormach or something. I could convert my mill to CNC, but I'm not sure I want to lose the ability to free-machine. And I definitely don't have enough time to take on a new hobby. I really need plug-and-play ability.

I guess I'll go back to the original plan. Just stick to doing prototypes on my mill, and farm out any production. Bummer, was really looking forward to a CNC.

[R_Lefebvre]

So you can't solve the problem just with shallow depth of cut, and slow feed rates? I realize that actually causes more of problem with aluminum as you'll just clog up the cutter. You have to keep it working hard to keep it clear.

[TMoore]

These things are toys. If you want to do meaningful work you need a meaningful machine tool. Dremel spindles, router spindles, and light duty brushless spindles are just that.... light duty. If all you want to do is cut balsa and ply, these machines will play but for anything else they are toys.

[dr dremel]

What exactly is meaningful work? Seems to work just fine for our hobby purposes?

StepCraft 420 - CFK-Fräsen im Wasserbad (3 min 20 sec)

[TMoore]

Meaningful work can best be described as cutting a variety of materials other than plastics and thin CF. Cut the same part in the video full depth in 3mm 6061-T6 with an appropriate sized end mill without a ragged edge and we'll have a different discussion. There's no way that you can tell me that a Dremel tool is a duty rated spindle.

[mkovalcson]

I assumed this would be for light duty prototyping only and would not be something you would ever use for any sort of production purposes.

I would hope that you could slow it down when it is working on more demanding materials.

A Dremel is cheap enough to be a disposable item for something like this.

[R_Lefebvre]

I wouldn't even bother with the dremel. Just go for their spindle.

[R_Lefebvre]

Well, this doesn't look terrible:

StepCraft 420 - Alu-Fräsen 2mm (1 min 58 sec)

[TMoore]

In the machine tool business we call that rubbing the material off. If y'all want a toy buy this; if you want something better, IMHO you would be much more satisfied with even a retrofit of a Sieg X Series running Mach 3.

[P.I.Engineer]

Rob, i don't know your cnc/gcode experience, but, it took me a month last summer to learn how to do all that stuff in a "easy" scenario of a addon inside of solidworks. I tried to figure out mastercam for about 2 hours and gave up. This was all on my own, no real place to ask questions.

I highly suggest getting a system that has good software that does a lot of decision making for you, feed/cut speed, homing, zeroing.

if the stepcraft software is all encompassing, then i'd say take a chance. I'm going to keep my eye on it. I have lots of ideas but i hate using my router. I'm running my router with a dewault router. I agree, these old brushed motor setups are not ideal.

and a trick someone taught me:

use double sided tape to stick your material to your cutting surface. I use double sided duct tape. It makes cutting frames real easy, no clamping/screwing/moving clamps or any of that kind of stuff.

this stuff is so sticky, and i can finally cut it easily with the non stick scissors i found.

http://www.amazon.com/Duck-240200-Do...ided+duct+tape

[Pitch-Itch]

Originally Posted by TMoore

In the machine tool business we call that rubbing the material off. If y'all want a toy buy this; if you want something better, IMHO you would be much more satisfied with even a retrofit of a Sieg X Series running Mach 3.

Even a grizzley cnc would be better than stepcraft if you wanted it for serious work, but I think most would be just fine with the step craft.

As you know already Tmoore, a dremel is not even close to being a precision chuck, so coding up a nice piece with close tolerances is basically futile with the step craft.

Too much movement in the work/tool for the stepcraft to be anything other than hobby grade, putting the cutting ability/accuracy aside.




With all that said, I still want one.

[Pitch-Itch]

Originally Posted by R_Lefebvre

Well, this doesn't look terrible:

StepCraft 420 - Alu-Fräsen 2mm - YouTube

Depends on what you call terrible.

I call those speeds and feeds terrible, as anyone with machining experience would. Taking that long to cut some work out of material that soft, and that thin is WAY beyond unacceptable.......if you plan on doing any serious work.

Even the cheapest CNC machines (3-6k) could cut that work with a respectable surface finish in one pass, in about 30 seconds. I don't know what the stepcraft costs, but if it's anything close to 3k I'd pass IF you were buying it for CNC purposes.

[TMoore]

My machine tool background runs from 1974 with expertise up to 9 axis. I'm a Journeyman Machinist with heavy emphasis on multi axis programming of Heidenhain and Fanuc controls. Suffice it to say I've been doing this a long time. I also own a small VMC and several pieces of manual equipment in my shop. I'm not telling you to impress just for background.

On the surface the Stepcraft looks sort of cool in an uninitiated sort of fashion but I can tell y'all from experience that after just a little use that you will find yourself so limited that the unit will end up on Ebay quickly. In my mind this is very much of a hobby or educational tool. If I were to advise you in selecting a machine that will stay with you for a much longer period of time and not cost a fortune to learn to run and operate here is one suggestion. Call Matt Nadeja @ Quality Machine Tools LLC in PA, http://www.machinetoolonline.com/. Check out his site and do the research on what's out there. There are a lot better choices than the Stepcraft that can actually do work. Educate yourself, find out what's out there.

TM

[mkovalcson]

The other side of this is that there are plenty of online places that you can upload your files to that will turn a piece for you.

The question is how patient you are when you are prototyping and what you want to pay. Generally their pricing is much better if you are in no rush and they can fit your job in when it is convenient for them.

[P.I.Engineer]

i use first cut at my job and for my clients.

super fast, great tolerance, no drawings, no human communication. I love it.

www.firstcut.com

[R_Lefebvre]

Originally Posted by TMoore

My machine tool background runs from 1974 with expertise up to 9 axis. I'm a Journeyman Machinist with heavy emphasis on multi axis programming of Heidenhain and Fanuc controls. Suffice it to say I've been doing this a long time. I also own a small VMC and several pieces of manual equipment in my shop. I'm not telling you to impress just for background.

On the surface the Stepcraft looks sort of cool in an uninitiated sort of fashion but I can tell y'all from experience that after just a little use that you will find yourself so limited that the unit will end up on Ebay quickly. In my mind this is very much of a hobby or educational tool. If I were to advise you in selecting a machine that will stay with you for a much longer period of time and not cost a fortune to learn to run and operate here is one suggestion. Call Matt Nadeja @ Quality Machine Tools LLC in PA, http://www.machinetoolonline.com/. Check out his site and do the research on what's out there. There are a lot better choices than the Stepcraft that can actually do work. Educate yourself, find out what's out there.

TM

I can appreciate your experience. When I said "low volume production" I mean... maybe 10-20 frames per year. Frankly, as long as it can do it reasonably competent, I'd be pretty happy with it. Last time I sent this out, it was $800 for 20 frame sets. I think it was $400 for a single frame set. It's ALL setup time.

Can you guys suggest a CNC in the $3-6k price range?

I've got one of these:

http://www.busybeetools.com/products...l-readout.html

I have considered converting it into CNC, it's a common thing to do. But I assume that means I lose the ability to do manual machining with it? Do they typically have a mode where you could just jog it?

I really don't have time to take on another hobby though. I need something that just works. Currently spending way too much time cutting things with basic tools. Often free-hand with a dremel.