Cnc

[Frank barry]

Good morning all some advice needed I am looking to buy a CNC to make small stainless steel parts the steel would be 3mm thick max and about 25mm round what spindle power would I need and could anyone suggest a machine thanks Frank

[Keith Outten]

Frank,

I would suggest a CNC Plasma machine for your application.
.

[Ted Reischl]

You said they are "round"? Are these lathe parts? Or coin shaped, hmmm, maybe coin shaped since you stated a thickness.

If flat parts, I would suggest you start searching for a small used cnc mill.

[Frank barry]

hi sorry i should have explained a little better many of them would be pendants but not all of them would be round if you like to cut out the map of Ireland as a pendant or some Celtic designs they would be 25 to 30 mm I had the taught a cnc should be able to cut them with a very small cutter cheers Frank

[Bruce Page]

A plasma cutter would be the way to go. A CNC router is great at cutting wood, plastics, and to a lesser degree non-ferrous metals like aluminum and brass. They are not milling machines. They are not stiff enough and the spindle RPM/torque range is not suited to machining steel. Sorry, but you will be disappointed.

[William Adams]

If all you need are outlines and through holes, agree that plasma is the way to go --- might want to look into a laser, but I believe that steel wants one out the range of a typical hobbyist or even small shop setup (I'd love to be wrong)

To cut steel in 2.5/3D (a relief on the surface) you'd want a "real" milling machine (or a converted mill). While people do use a CNC router to cut steel, it's rough on the machine and the tooling, and 'cause of the short tool life, can't be done profitably.

[Frank barry]

thank you to all of you for your reply's its great to have people with so much experience to ask
I will try to sub out that work I guess I have a laser and am trying to justify getting a CNC
thanks again
cheers Frank

[Leo Voisine]

Frank - you cal it CNC - but that is not a machine - it is a process.

The machine are routers, lathes, mills, and others. The machines are controlled via CNC ( Computer Numerical Control).

Even the Lasers and plasma machines "can" be controlled via CNC

[Frank barry]

Hi Leo
I do understand that I had hoped to get a CNC router with a powerful spindle in that way I hoped i could do wood and light stainless steel but I think looking at the reply's above that is not an option cheers Frank