How to Make a Paintball Part in Just Three Easy Steps!

[DocsMachine]

I might just take you up on that DC. For short parts on a 2-axis lathe, a hand drawing and a few numbers are sufficient for a "model"- really, you just have to tell the tool to move around in a single line. (Greatly simplified)

But when I get a 3-axis mill up and running, of course things will get a lot more complicated. Parts for that will almost require models, proper CAM toolpaths and other voodoo that at the moment, I can barely spell correctly, let alone utilize properly.

And, I'm kind of surprised no one has asked. But to answer the unasked question, yes, this and a near-future 3-axis mill will indeed be used to make Dukes.

Not right away, I need to get past the 'caveman poking things with a stick' stage, first, but doing them myself, in-shop will hopefully let me make them for a little less, retail, and in smaller quantities. (Since I know this isn't exactly going to be a hot seller. )

Doc.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I’m Just happy to hear that the Duke is still in the works. I want one super bad!

[Milkstache]

The machines in those videos are so clean. Look at all the paint that's still on them! CAD is a learn-by-doing process but I've heard Fusion 360 can be weird to use.

I took a singular CNC course in college. The worst crash we had was a 100% rapid Z-plunge right into the table. Completely wrecked the transmission gears and was going to cost something like $15-20k to fix (iirc). Others were more minor and mainly involved trying to do a drill cut at the same speed as a facing cut which lead to the drill bit shearing off in the piece.

[Cunha]

Always looking forward to the stuff you put into the world Doc. Very exciting.

[DocsMachine]

The machines in those videos are so clean. Look at all the paint that's still on them!

-Well, in nearly every case save for the Omni itself, I completely rebuilt and repainted each machine. That little Hardinge lathe looked like this when I got it, and the turret lathe looked like this.

I said I've had to make do in a frayed shoestring budget- I wasn't joking or exaggerating. The only way I've been able to put together what I have is by buying rusty, broken, junk machines that nobody else wanted, because they were all I could afford, and piling the time and sweat equity into them. This CNC is one of the very few machines I ever bought that was more or less ready to use on arrival- and even it needed a couple weeks of tinkering and tweaking.

CAD is a learn-by-doing process but I've heard Fusion 360 can be weird to use.

-CAD is one of those "Coke vs. Pepsi" or "Mac vs. PC" or "Ford vs. Chevy" things. Ask five people which CAD suite to get and you'll get twelve different answers. I know guys that practically spit AutoDesk's name over some aspect of F360, or some issue with AD's business, while others sing their praises. Solidworks seems well-regarded, but is also by far the most expensive suite out there, and almost entirely out of the hands of the shoestring guys like me. I know one guy that was seriously pissed after he'd just forked out something like $10K for a seat of SW, and not long after, Fusion was released, intially as free to startups.

As for 'weird', everyone uses software differently. If you learned on 'Joe's Discount CAD' or whatever, yeah, Fusion, Alibre or Solidworks might 'feel' a little weird. Conversely, if you're trained and experienced on a full Solidworks package, using the free version of Fusion is probably going to seem "off" somehow.

Fusion, when I started playing with it, was still free to startups and home-shops making less than $100K a year. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but even the paid package is only a few hundred. Compared with something like $6,000 or more for a year's subscription to SW.

Regardless of what might be considered "best", I gotta deal with whatever I can afford

I took a singular CNC course in college.

-At least you had that option. There is no place in Alaska, anywhere in the state that I'm aware of, that even teaches machine work, let alone CNC. There used to be an excellent machine course at the local community college- I took it five times over the years, and learned a lot each time.

The last few years, they offered a CNC course, but never had enough students to run it. The administration wanted at least eight students, the teacher told me they never had more than four or five sign up- and it was always the same four or five. Then, the whole shop was closed down and sold off after the teacher retired in '10, and the room was turned into an art studio.

The worst crash we had was a 100% rapid Z-plunge right into the table.

-Yep. Had one minor crash on this thing so far, smashed the insert but no other damage.

I can't wait 'til I get a mill running, so I can have some really expensive crashes.

Doc.

[Siress]

It's all fun and games until someone loses an axis.

Where 'fun and games' is hundreds of dollars in materials, bits, and holders that you can laugh at after a while.

[DocsMachine]

It's all fun and games until someone loses an axis.

... I'm gonna use that.

Where 'fun and games' is hundreds of dollars in materials, bits, and holders that you can laugh at after a while.

-I haven't had the testicular fortitude to watch any "CNC crashes" videos on the Toob, but every now and then someone will write of one on the machinist boards. A crash that kills the endmill, the holder, the spindle and the vise, ruins a $10K forging and it costs twice that to get the machine back up and running.

Makes me want to take up stamp collecting.

This biz was a lot easier in the old days, when all I had was an import 9x20 lathe and a cheap mill-drill.

Doc.

[Drcemento]

I never thought something like SolidWorks would be as essential to my small business as it ended up being either, but I could not have been more wrong, and it's something I now use daily. its all about being able to communicate not only with clients but also with vendors. if I need something made and can provide super clear professional drawings along with a 3D model if I need something made on a 5 axis CNC foam cutter for instance, then I get super quick pricing and much better service, and I'm also sure of what I'm going to get back from the vendor. it opened up so many doors for me. Just the ability to provide super professional drawings to the architects and designers put me at the top of their list over the competition.

At any rate, I get it. Theres no question its allot of money when you consider the tooling and machinery you could be buying. I've got it and if you need anything Doc, I meant it when I said it, I'm happy to work with you to develop some of your napkin sketches, or just get some existing parts modeled so you can shop vendors easier.

[Siress]

I never thought something like SolidWorks would be as essential to my small business as it ended up being [...] its all about being able to communicate

Wise words. And even when you think you're really good at this, you find out there are entire languages (essentially) devoted to this sort of thing; ASTM Y14 and ISO GPS.

[DocsMachine]

It's worth keeping in mind that I'm only just now dipping my toes into the world of CNC.

Yes, I should have dipped said toes 20 years ago. Point in fact when I upgraded from my original mill-drill to the full Bridgeport clone in early '03, I was looking hard at converting the old MD over to CNC. Maybe just a 2-axis to start, or a 2.5 axis, whatever I could manage. I never did mainly due to cost (see "shoestring, frayed", and know that I'm not exaggerating- more than a few years I made less than $12K- gross- for the entire year, and honestly, I'm not doing a whole lot better now) but also due to time, the hurdles of learning new software (which a 20-years-less-flexible brain doesn't make any easier ) and again, having zero local support.

The Solidworks thing is like the machines themselves. Right now- and for the foreseeable future- I can neither afford nor particularly need "top of the line". The one remaining outside vendor I deal with, himself uses Fusion 360.

I'm never going to be making aircraft parts, or even complicated assemblies. I make trinkets for paintball guns, though I may contract out for other parts as the opportunity arises.

F360 is inexpensive and apparently pretty powerful, although Alibre is also well-recommended, and can be purchased outright and used offline, which I like. (I have a very poor rural internet connection, and none at all out in the shop.)

Again, this is kind of a moot point for the lathe. Programming that is still a bit of a brain-twister for me (hey, I have like 37 minutes experience so far, okay? ) but fairly straightforward all the same.

It's once I get a mill up and running, and start wanting to do more complex parts than 2D brackets and the like, that the CAD/CAM will start getting important.

Doc.

[XEMON]

Not for the feint of heart:

[Siress]

if it's going to be that kind of party... you know they're good when it's the security cam footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaulf8lipr0

[CrowsFeast]

Look up friction stir welding. It's basically a controlled and prolonged tool crash!

[Meleager7]

I found that upsetting!

[Meleager7]

Are there any new parts / designs you have in mind, or will you be using the new CNC machine to manufacture old favorites, albeit much faster?

[DocsMachine]

Are there any new parts / designs you have in mind, or will you be using the new CNC machine to manufacture old favorites, albeit much faster?

-A little of both. I have a small handful of new bits I've been wanting to make, and there's a little demand for several of my past product that I haven't always been able to keep in stock.

Just keep in mind I'm not exactly a cutting-edge designer, and Left Armpit, Alaska isn't exactly the hub of paintball events. There's a ton of guns out there that I've never actually seen in person- like an Emek- so it's hard to come up with anything fun to fit something like that.

AND... it'll certainly take me some time to get up to speed with this faster production. I'm still just one guy in a garage- I'm a long, long way from Dye or Bob Long or Inception.

That said, one thing that's worth noting is that I have no problems making very short runs of parts- 20 or 30. And I've been thinking of making a few small batches of old classic parts, like a drop-out changer valve body for a 007 and other early Nelsons.

Doc.

[Seajay]

Congratulations!

And now what will do with all that excess time on your hands? Quite amazing at how much faster those machines are compared to the manual machines.

[DocsMachine]

-Excess time?

Heck, I haven't been able to touch the CNC in a week, as I'm trying hard to catch up on other work- some of which I've been letting slide entirely too long.

Still just one guy- and while this thing can run by itself, it shouldn't be run unattended. It'd be nice if I could eventually get bar-feeders and parts catchers and the like, and fire the thing up and then go do something else for a couple hours, but I still have a ways to go before that happens.

Doc.

[steed]

I'm going to give you some of my experience here for CAD.

Solidworks is $4k for standard which is what most actually need with an annual fee of $1.5k, the tools in the premium are nice but for most projects, unnecessary. Not terrible but still a hard bit.
AutoCAD is ok, all their tools and packages are approachable but most of their programs are clunky and restrictive. I've never been a fan and don't really recommend it.

Now here's my advice, you know Solidworks? Get Solid Edge. Solid Edge can be had for as little as $900 a year/$100 a month and the best part, Solidworks is built on Solidedge, some core program. Solidworks just created a lot of their own tools to improve UI and project management. If you know Solidworks you can jump into SolidEdge for A LOT less and really, the software is pretty straight forward and gets the hell out of your way. You can upgrade to get more tools and you'd you have to talk with them about your needs but honestly, if you need professional grade software, Solid Edge is a great choice and they let you try it for a $1.

[BlindFaith429]

My last job used Solidworks exclusively. Some of the features were a little bit of a pain (always had trouble with configurations), but I loved working on it, and found it very intuitive.

My biggest gripe was some of the dimension commands, putting odd dimensions on was almost impossible.