Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Sabaspin]

I want to try and make some larger tips for turning tops. I have someone who can do all the autocad drawings for free and have another friend who has access to a cnc lathe and he says they charge by the hour.
I know nothing about cnc lathes and before I make further inquiries, I wonder if anybody can tell me what is a reasonable cost per hour? and once the prototype is made, what is a reasonable estimate of how many can be made per hour?
Thanks.

[yollector]

     at least $100.00 per Hour
             RFC

[cecil]

My son Mitch, is 45 and he is the best CNC lathe programmer I have ever seen in 45 years of machining. Making the program and setting the machine up are the real cost. There is just no money to be made. It takes me about 45 minutes to make a tip. For a nice 1/2 with a 8-32 thread in the back I would pay $10.00. You have to have a large order to make any money. Like 100 to 500. I wish it would happen, but I don't think so. P.S I hate making tips.

[Sabaspin]

Thanks for the info. My friend told me it would be around $50 an hour, and as long as I made the Autocad design, he would help me by programming the lathe and doing the prototype, after that he will charge me for just production time. Still don't know how many could be made in an hour after prototype, will find out soon. Depending on the time it would take to make them,  will determine if I make them with a threaded stem or justl like a simple C-Tip with a thinner longer stem to go deeper into the wood.
I don't want to make any money out of it, just make some simple tips to put on some home turned tops. Figure it might be cheaper than buying all the toys needed to make them myself.
I know there were some designs made a couple of months ago, so I it ends up being a go, I will submit my design and/or contact the authors of the other designs and make some for anybody interested.
Thanks again.
Juan

[ta0]

I am guessing a small CNC lathe without special tooling could make a few tips per minute (3 to 5).

With the help of your friend it seems you could get them made relatively cheap. I could be interested in getting some. Also, I would like to make some for smaller tops.

[Sabaspin]

What kind of steel rod bar would be good for turning tips?
There are so many kinds of steel, don't know were to start.
Thanks.

[yollector]

you want to use the hardest
stainless steel rod you can find
       Good luck
           RFC

[Jack]

you want to use the hardest
stainless steel rod you can find
       Good luck
           RFC

THATS WHAT SHE SAID!!! @-@

POST TA0 EDIT EDIT:       lol 

[ta0]

If you are going to turn them yourself, or if the machining cost is an issue, you may want to go for higher machinability.

Here is a table of machinability for steel: www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-machinability.htm

[cecil]

On a manual lathe it takes me at least 30 to 45 minutes for one tip. I have to turn it drill and tap it and polish it. If you take it to a machine shop you have to make the program, set the machine up, then make the first part. First part will cost you about $200.00 to $300,000 for one tip. After that it's about 5 minutes a part. You should look at the cost for a C.N.C lathe. Used will be around $25,000 and new maybe $650.000. Why make small tops or tips when you can buy them. I never make something I can buy. I still have a hard time getting the shape good on a large Trompo. This takes a lot of practice. If I sold a four inch Trompo made out of Poplar I would want $250. to $300. for one. That's why I don't sell tops.

[jim in paris]

hello there on the island !! ;-)


here are my tips
there are different qualities of steel

the 1st category is forged steel it's what is used for old metal pieces , very tender
then come stainless steel rather cheap and good for tips (count 12 USD for a rod 8MM diameter and 1 meter long)
the top quality is HSS like for the tools you use for your lathe(chisels , gouge etc)
this quality of steel is the one used by Maurizio (S8)
it's a bit overkill for small tops but it can deal with the hardest floors with not even a bruise

for the timing on the lathe :
 count 20 an hour for the low quality (3Mn each tip with cooling process)
not more than 10 for stainless steel (5mn each tip )
a couple up to 3 for the hardest steel....depending on the power of the lathe

my 2 cents (after some experience)


jim

[ta0]

Thanks for the detailed info, Jim.
Oops! It seems it takes a lot longer than I first guessed to make the tips. Of course, large tips will take much longer than small tips.
The specialized lathes I saw on my visit to the Cometa Factory were much faster, but they use a soft alloy and the tolerances are not the same as for high performance bearing tips.

[kyo]

With the right equipment, you could make top tips from any steel you want in < 1 minute pretty easily.

I'll have to try it on my cnc if I get some free time..

Kyle

[Jack]

[cecil]

kyo, for a 5/8 diamenter tip made out of 304 stainless with a 8-32 x 1/4 deep thread in the back how much would you charge for three tips? If you can make them in a minute apiece I'm interested in buying some. I have to drive 12 miles to the shop get my tools out and then make the tip. This is just to much time to waste. I know Spintasti sells bearing tips for $3.00. I don't see how they can make any money.