riverotter Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 I just started making some cedar cranks. It's a slow process. I'm wondering how the big company's cut out there blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Rapala on Due North Outdoors: Leaves alot to the imagination, but cool vid none the less 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 They use what we call a duplicator machine. A few members have built them, so if you do a search on duplicator you should find a few threads. Also if you Google the same, there are more. The commercial machines come in at around $20,000 to $35,000, that is if you can even find one for sale. A home build is slightly less, but a lot of thinking and learning involved. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverotter Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 jr that's pretty awesome video. I wonder if anyone has tried a mini 4axis cnc machine. might be slower but should be accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 They use what we call a duplicator machine. A few members have built them, so if you do a search on duplicator you should find a few threads. Also if you Google the same, there are more. The commercial machines come in at around $20,000 to $35,000, that is if you can even find one for sale. A home build is slightly less, but a lot of thinking and learning involved. Dave Slightly less??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 JR - slightly. Remove two zeros and you are in ball park. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverotter Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 anyone ever tried a mini 4 axis cnc mill. I know they would work great but not sure about the speed of them small machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty's Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 When I started building cnc machines people laughed. They made jokes of it and said it was a waste of time, that anything it put out was garbage sure it is as I tightened the horse blinders and stuck my middle finger in the air. I'm betting 12 years/9 machines later and umpteen thousand lures they're rethinking those comments 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Salty - I remember your videos and was very impressed. This is what CNC is all about, PRODUCTION and reinvestment to get more production and a living wage. It is very difficult to go from hobby builder to production level, at what point do you give up your day job for a start. You will have to keep your day job until production is big enough to support you. But there is an in between period when production demand is beyond what you can turn out, but not enough to replace your earnings. You will have to take on part time staff to meet the demands, but even at minimum wage, there is not enough profit to make it worth while for you and pay the staff. The alternative is to go to China companies, but the issues are worrisome to say the least; fear of being ripped off, lack of control as the factory is on the other side of the globe, quality control, to name the most obvious concerns. Mainly it is all about trust, faith, confidence and more trust. Americans want to buy products made in America. It used to be the same in the UK,'Buy British' was the slogan that brainwashed everyone ten times a day. BUT, no one wants to pay American prices. The only way this is going to work, is if the government closes the borders, bans all imports and forces US industry to produce its own products. Who you gonna vote for in the next election! 'Buy American' - a romantic idea, but like it or not, we are competing in a world market. There will always be some products that will keep the flag waving, because the rest of the world hasn't found the product yet or deem it not worth the effort for a small market for a specialized item. Even silicon valley is losing its grip on the technology circuit. The US motor industry has sold out, as have all the rest of the major industries. Eventually the 'sweatshop' attitude of countries like China, Korea, India and all the rest, will diminish as workers demand better wages and conditions. Prices will have to rise and eventually a balance will be reached, but this is not going to happen any day soon. It is time to stop the whinging and get on with it and accept the way things are. If going to a China company gets you a start in the business, to meet demand, then I say go for it. You get to keep your day job until production and sales allows you to go full time. Maybe I should start a production facility here in Indonesia. It is time to put this 'Buy American' thing to bed, it is just not relevant anymore. Welcome to the real world. Just bought a new soapbox, had to try it out. Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Dave, That sucks, but it is true. The only hope Americans have of regaining a decent standard of living is if the corporations and wealthy individuals who love to use the U,S, as a safe home base, but don't pay taxes on the wealth they are amassing overseas, are forced to pay U.S. taxes on their true incomes, like the rest of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Thanks Mark, appreciate your comment. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverotter Posted May 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 so I'm guessing by your comment salty that one would work quite well. I don't know a lot about cad and cam but I think I could figure it out. If you was guessing how many blanks do ya think a small machine could turn out in a hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'm up to version 'Mk3C' and about to upgrade to 'Mk3D', so many blanks lying around in boxes, I don't have the time to sand and paint them . Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 exactly mark. same issue in Canada. while small manufacturing co. struggle on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Ive seen a video on youtube where a guy puts a 2x2 block of cedar into the side n of a machine and 10 or so blank cranks pop out. It was crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggun Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 Sisson machine. Might have misspelled that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
