aluminium milling

[cheesyhoney]

What are the steps/materials/machines required to mill your own aluminium parts?

[Luke]

There's not a single answer to that question but more like 10,000+ different ones! Your best bet is to get on youtube and start watching videos, but here are a few to get you started>

Here are 4 well done videos by Orange Vise: http://www.orangevise.com/videos/1/4
Here are more well done videos: http://www.glacern.com/videos

[cheesyhoney]

is there any way i could get started with $1000 dollars?
or is this generally a thing that will cost several thousand?
(just hobbyist not running a production line lol)

[Luke]

10K-15K will get your foot in the door, unless you are lucky and stumble onto a fantastic deal of some kind. Buying a machine is the cheapest part of getting started.

[Ydna]

In your position I think a "serious" commitment would be purchasing a small benchtop mill or lathe (depending on the parts you're trying to make). The cheaper machines would fit into that budget. It's how I started, oh so many years ago.
Even though the machines are less than $1k, you'll end up buying a lot of other accessories and tools so there really isn't an end to the amount you could spend.

[cheesyhoney]

there are lots of machines out there
any recomendations on best bang/buck?

[cheesyhoney]

what does inception designs use and how did they get started?

[Luke]

My advice to everyone is to stay away from anything 'bench top'. To me it's the same advice I would give my best friend he was getting into paintball and wanted to go to Walmart to buy his first set of gear.

[cheesyhoney]

got any recommendations for a good starter mill?

[Luke]

This is the base machine Simon has, remember this is the base price, you still have to add all your options.
http://haascnc.com/we_spec1.asp?id=V..._VMC#gsc.tab=0

Here's his other one, remember this is JUST the base price
http://haascnc.com/mt_spec1.asp?id=S...ATHE#gsc.tab=0

Then you need software (I have about 7K into my software with all the upgrades IIFC), tooling, vises, end mills, drills, taps, measuring tools, compressor, phase converter, air dryer, tool boxes, tables, a building to put in all in (just off the top of my head) that's a start...