I am thinking about getting a mill to start producing my own parts. I am a mechanical engineer well will be one in 3 more years and I am tired of aluminum parts being so expensive. If I were to get a mill and produce any aluminum part that u want would people actually buy them. I would produce anything from a arms to shock towers to any specs. long travel for bashers or wider a arms for racing. can be made from 7075 aluminum or 6061. price would be pretty cheap. just need to make enough to pay off the mill. let me know what u think. I might even be able to do extended chassis.
:cool:

If the price is reasonable and the quality is there, I'm sure people would purchase the parts from ya. I know there's a few things here and there that I wish I could find in aluminum but can't.

Now as far as the mill... Are you talking like a Smithy and you'll be doing everything manually? Or are you like disgustingly rich and are just going to run out and pick up a CNC set up? :D

Tony

Would you be able to anodize parts to any color?

I will do everything manually cause I am far from rich. (college kid). as far as anodizing I doubt it. If anything I might powder coat or they have that spraypaint anodizing. :)

Just a few thought on just going out and buying a mill..
I have been a toolmaker for 28 years. I have a Small CNC machine at home and started a small RC Business.
If you make the offer... you need to be willing to put in the time. One set of quality matching A arms on a manual machine can take hours. Multiple set ups to make quality looking angle cuts and lots of fixturing to hold the parts in different positions. Or a rotary table and knowledge how to use it and make fixtures for it.
If you buy new,
A decent machine, Basic holding tools, Basic cutting tools, A Digital readout would be a great help. Initial stock of material. You are already around $3000. Used would be less expensive... but small used machines are hard to find and you don't know what you are getting.

To do a chassis you need a machine with at least a 13" X 7" machining window unless you want to multiple set ups on the chassis.

There is a reason custom machined parts are expensive.... Time and material are not cheap. If you think a pair a aluminum steering knuckles for $25 is expensive... Or an aluminum shock tower for $15... you probably don't have an understanding of what is really involved...
For me to make a one off pair of high quality custom steering knuckles for a vehicle would be between $75 and $100.
One custom shock tower... $35-50. Design time, Machining time, Set up time, material cost. Set up time is what cost the most. If your machine is not making chips.. it is not making money.
How will you design the parts? On a computer? On paper? either way.. the time to get the proper dimensions for a parts is more than you think. Hole location that is a 1/4 mm off will ruin a part. How will you measure the existing parts to duplicate them??
Do you have 20-40 hrs a week extra to dedicate to making parts in addition to your full time job???
I am not trying to discourage you... just suggesting you look into the real specifics of getting started. it is not as easy a just going out and buying a machine. What tools will you need? What cutters? what style of cutters for the materials you will use? How many RPM do you run a specific cutting tool for a specific material?

Just things to think about.... If you have any questions or want and specific details, feel free to ask.

Dan

hell yes i would be interested

Just a few thought on just going out and buying a mill..
I have been a toolmaker for 28 years. I have a Small CNC machine at home and started a small RC Business.
If you make the offer... you need to be willing to put in the time. One set of quality matching A arms on a manual machine can take hours. Multiple set ups to make quality looking angle cuts and lots of fixturing to hold the parts in different positions. Or a rotary table and knowledge how to use it and make fixtures for it.
If you buy new,
A decent machine, Basic holding tools, Basic cutting tools, A Digital readout would be a great help. Initial stock of material. You are already around $3000. Used would be less expensive... but small used machines are hard to find and you don't know what you are getting.

To do a chassis you need a machine with at least a 13" X 7" machining window unless you want to multiple set ups on the chassis.

There is a reason custom machined parts are expensive.... Time and material are not cheap. If you think a pair a aluminum steering knuckles for $25 is expensive... Or an aluminum shock tower for $15... you probably don't have an understanding of what is really involved...
For me to make a one off pair of high quality custom steering knuckles for a vehicle would be between $75 and $100.
One custom shock tower... $35-50. Design time, Machining time, Set up time, material cost. Set up time is what cost the most. If your machine is not making chips.. it is not making money.
How will you design the parts? On a computer? On paper? either way.. the time to get the proper dimensions for a parts is more than you think. Hole location that is a 1/4 mm off will ruin a part. How will you measure the existing parts to duplicate them??
Do you have 20-40 hrs a week extra to dedicate to making parts in addition to your full time job???
I am not trying to discourage you... just suggesting you look into the real specifics of getting started. it is not as easy a just going out and buying a machine. What tools will you need? What cutters? what style of cutters for the materials you will use? How many RPM do you run a specific cutting tool for a specific material?

Just things to think about.... If you have any questions or want and specific details, feel free to ask.

Dan



i agree with everything he has stated. I also make custom parts, mainly for dirt oval applications. I have about $100k worth of machines at my disposal to use and i'm still not making any real good money off of the parts i sell. so think it thru before you invest a bunch of money into something that you won't be able to use that much.

Good choice on your major, Im a M.E. too.
If you dont want to loose any money (let alone make any) you better make parts for something more profitable than RC cars.

The RC buisness is one that you really can't make much money in unless you have deep pockets and can really crank out the parts.