Cnc
 

I've heard a few people taking about their cnc machines. Can anyone custom make something for me?

could You be more specific?

If you have CAD drawings, many machine shops have software to integrate with their CNC lathes/mills. There are many variations on devices, 3, 5 axis etc. so the process will vary depending on where you go. CNC machining is great, but often more work is required than just milling. Manufacture of the Brevis parts requires several thousand dollars worth of custom machined jigs etc. to secure and register the parts during milling, drilling etc.

I'd call around to find out what local shops can do for you if no one volunteers here.

"I've heard a few people taking about their cnc machines. Can anyone custom make something for me?"

Hi Rich,
i have a little cnc-machine at home. But now im on holiday and following the posts in this forum. Will be back on 10. oct.
Send me an email with what you need maybe i can help you.

Daniel

I've got ahold of a few people. It's basically a plastic thorlabs tube. But bigger in diameter. Here's a pic. I'm thinking plastic is pretty durable. If it's thick enough. Only thing weighting it down would be the lens.

You rather seem to need a good lathe work here, CNC or not.

Rich, that would make a perfect match indeed with our vibrating assembly...
we now have a 55mm diametre unit coming up too.

With my industrial design background I would not recommend any plastic silinder with only 1mm wall thickness to hold something as heavy as 500g. One little side impact to the tubular plastic and it will crack, dent or bend like a can as it`s diametre to wall thickness ratio isn`t convincing at all plus one can cross thread plastic very easily.

Silinder with M58 0.75 standard "filter" threads should be at least 55mm inside and made of aluminium. You can screw Nikon mount from cheap macro tubes to that threading too.

BTW our vibrating assy for example doesn`t require any threaded retaining rings but would benefit fom those if it can be done.

May I ask, what are you planning, maybe we can cooperate?


Regs,
T

It's entirely for your vibrating assembly. I have chosen plastic for lightweight and cost. Plust the benefit of having a retaining ring(s) for upgrading newer diffusers. Also keeping a professional look to it. Keeping glue away, sanding and any type of major DIY. That's why the Thorlabs tube is so perfect, you just place whatever inside and screw mount everything. No need to head over to home depot, buy 30 different things just to mess up and buy 30more different things. 2 people so far said they do what I've shown them. I think they might be onto something. If you can accomodate T, I'd be more than glad to work with you seeing how you already have the vibrating piece in progress.

-Rh

I would definitely stay away from plastic tubing if you intend to thread the interior.

Since I'm interested in something similar, what if we went in on the project and brought it to a machining house, Rich? Maybe we could cut costs this way.

Kind of off topic but my friends, here`s a treat for you: Corner of my office desktop as of today I`m saving this to our collective memory.

If I`ll gain access to our CNC facility I`ll treat you with comfort.

Rich, you don`t need any major DIY stuff with Nikon macro tubes and our vibrating assy, just a usual drill, soldering iron and threadlock for your own comfort.

We`ll be making a 3min real time video tutorial on how to assemble our DIY design ;)... but don`t take my word on it as I want to remain a gentlemen.

Cheers,
T

Also I'm not looking to thread the entire tube. Just the first half inch to screw some step/up down ring and the back end have a male thread for the DVX step up/down ring. The retainers could have a nice rubber seal on the outside of it to make it fit nice and snug inside. I'm talking to a guy who is a cad tech for a major company and does commercial plastic. He's looking over the .pdf I gave him. It would be nice to have a whole tube and plastic threaded all the way, it would be durable light and cheap to make.

Jim, you know my email I think. Give me some details.

-Rh

Here is better description of the tube. Plastic, aluminum, graphite, steel, whatever the material may be, just needs to be bigger than 2inches and less then 3. Lets get this built.

-Rh

I prefer in practice ertacetal plastic for aluminium. First, it's black already and no surface scratch takes it away. Second, aluminium has one nasty property: if threads are virtually without play then contact surfaces start eat each other. If it gets something that accelerates corrosion then You don't have different parts anymore but melted all together. Worst i've seen was sea air. It's a bit salty and works well for it. Just few hours is deadly enough.

Use less stringent tolerances on the threads and anodize the parts.

Mike

Anodize... i don't use aluminium parts w/o anodize. Never. If You stringent tolerances in threads aluminium against aluminium then they scratch each other that much that You just loose black coating in some places. Those places act again like aluminum ever does. Thatswhy i recommend to use plastic to get least play possible.
Bad side by plastic is that it has much larger coifficent of expansion in heat. So too stringent theads may not work on Your film stage where You use much lighting.

Wouldn't your lights have to be touching the plastic in order for it to get that hot? You can sit a piece of plastic in a car and it'll get up too 110F and barely melt it, also depending on the type of plastic.