I am a person.

Hello everyone (or at least those who read the newcomer threads)

I just graduated high school, and will be taking two years of engineering classes at community collge. I just switched jobs to a trailer manufacturing company as a powder coater (temporarily) and CNC plasma cutter operator/technician/draftsman/shop rat/etc.

I joined here because I plan on saving up around ten grand to put into a homemade shop over two years before I move out, and I like talking about the things I make, and it helps to get some ideas.

I'll post my little 24" brake I made soon (with full plans, most likely), and I'll start a thread for my CNC plasma cutter (with homemade power supply) once it is finished. I may post a strange controller and huge power supply (over four feet tall, water cooled) once finished if people like electronics here. I also have plans, to varying degrees, for a 20-40 ton press brake and a sand blaster, which will be my next projects. Assuming I can find some barn space to rent out, because my parents are getting rather tired of my antics.

EDIT: My avatar is a picture of the large power supply and controller frames, before I added any other parts.

Hi Strostkovy - welcome to HomemadeTools.net :welcome:

You sound busy! Looking forward to checking out those pics of your work :)

Strostkovy asks if anyone reads newcomer threads! I know personally quite a few who do.
You made me recall when my involvement went 100%, that decision to invest and build. 4 decade later it continues...of course with 10 grand back then I could have bought a whole company. Be prepared if renting space, landlords are fickle; machinery rigging and electrics cost new $$$ every time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Toolmaker51

Strostkovy asks if anyone reads newcomer threads! I know personally quite a few who do.
You made me recall when my involvement went 100%, that decision to invest and build. 4 decade later it continues...of course with 10 grand back then I could have bought a whole company. Be prepared if renting space, landlords are fickle; machinery rigging and electrics cost new $$$ every time.

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I'm genuinely surprised, thanks.

As a general update, I have junked the big power supply in favor for a smaller, cheaper, more powerful, modular one. Additional modules should be able to be grouped and configured as welders and such, cutting cost and design time.

I got hired back at my old job, so I have access to the laser cutter I run, which I am going to use to build a smaller laser cutter, which I am designing now, with most of the parts sitting on my desk.

I welded together the cnc plasma table, but despite my best effort the rail rusted in the rain. I will grind them off and use it as a regular table.

A person I have been doing side jobs for is now building a large shop, and has carved out some space in it for me, on trade for CAD work. It won't be done for a while though.

I had to buy a new truck, but I'm still on track for having some tool money when I move out.

Also, my posts to more than beginner threads will hopefully be more thought out and less scatter brained than they are here. It is late, and I have been tearing apart my dash and doing a lot of CAD.

I read these newcomer posts almost every day. the unfortunate thing for HMT is many newcomers never return for follow ups.
Jon is very diligent in moving many newcomer's queries to other sub forums when they post questions on how ot build or when they post their creations here as well.
It seems like I've been making my own tools since way before Hector was a pup.
It's interesting that you are considering cutting off the rails of your build because of the rust, A lot of times most things can be cleaned up with a little stoning.
Glad you will be having some space allocated for your projects. In the past when I had good facilities I used to allocate some space for young men to work on their projects for free and never regretted doing so.
What cad work do you do? I 've been using Solidworks as my primary and Autocad as a 2nd since 1999
Good luck on your projects and by all means post some of your work in the tools in progress sub forum as a member of the older generation I am always delighted to see the next generation take up the torch so to speak.

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Originally Posted by Frank S

I read these newcomer posts almost every day. the unfortunate thing for HMT is many newcomers never return for follow ups.
Jon is very diligent in moving many newcomer's queries to other sub forums when they post questions on how ot build or when they post their creations here as well.
It seems like I've been making my own tools since way before Hector was a pup.
It's interesting that you are considering cutting off the rails of your build because of the rust, A lot of times most things can be cleaned up with a little stoning.
Glad you will be having some space allocated for your projects. In the past when I had good facilities I used to allocate some space for young men to work on their projects for free and never regretted doing so.
What cad work do you do? I 've been using Solidworks as my primary and Autocad as a 2nd since 1999
Good luck on your projects and by all means post some of your work in the tools in progress sub forum as a member of the older generation I am always delighted to see the next generation take up the torch so to speak.

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I will post a bit more once my old truck is sold and I have space to make projects. In the mean time I may make a simple thread for a tiny press brake I made.

The rails are merely square tubing. I could just get new steel and replace them, but since I will soon have shop spaces I am going to build a 4' x 8' table instead of 4' x 4'. The electronics and motors are still the same.

Eventually I intend on using solidworks, but can't justify the cost. With the classes I am taking though I may be able to get a student version much cheaper. I currently use sketchup and QCAD, but I can still make some pretty complex things, which you will see in my future laser cutter thread.