Exactly, these things are fun to drool over, but out of reach for 99% of us. I almost went pod and rail machine because they can be pretty cheap, but most of them needed 440V or way more amperage than I can get here at home. They also tend to be a lot longer in physical size compare to their length of cut, an 8¡¯ machine might be 12-13¡¯ long.
I lost so much shop space with my relatively compact 4x8 machine that I can¡¯t imagine anything bigger.
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On May 23, 2021, at 10:48 AM, Michael Garrison Stuber <
mtgstuber@...> wrote:
Fascinating video Brian.? I really liked the plunge cut chain-saw
head for mortises.? If I wanted to make a couple hundred thousands
of something and I had the necessary capital, this would be a lot
of fun.
On 5/23/2021 10:16 AM, Brian Lamb
wrote:
For an idea of what¡¯s out there in aggregate heads, watch this
video:??
The problem here is the machines stout enough to
handle them are usually pricey, like over $100k. They are either
Cat40 spindles or HSK63, so big in hp too. And don¡¯t forget,
each aggregate head could easily run $4000 to $10,00 in cost.
Ones where you see the head rotate, to saw say in the X and Y
directions, you have to have a C axis built into the spindle.
None of these things are usually found in a 4x8
machine sized for the home shop. Now, can you edge joint large
slabs with an end mill, sure, not a problem, and do tenons and
mortises, most likely if you have enough Z travel. Ripping
boards, not so much if they get very thick. I don¡¯t like to cut
with smaller than a 1/4¡± bit to go through 3/4¡±, for 8/4 I would
be looking at 1/2¡±, maybe 3/8¡± if you run slow and multiple
depths. That¡¯s a lot of wasted material and time to just cut
something.
Facing slabs or glue ups is easy, not as fast as a
planer or drum sander, and you still have to figure out how to
hold it.
On May 23, 2021, at 9:30 AM, Bill James via
<
xxrb2010@...>
wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback,
I do get than for most of you this is not a replacement,
but for my use case I am still no convinced. For examples,
I do not cut anything taller than 8/4. I have done cross
cut on 4x4 or 4x6, but this can be done on a miter saw. I
do not have a shaper, and do everything on my table saw
and jointer/planer. I plan to keep my jointer/planer and
miter saw.
I do get that thin rip (1/8") or face frame stock are too
thin for a CNC. As I do those kind of rip cuts, I can live
with a small traditional table saw along a wall for that.
Then I am left with bigger hardwood stocks out of the
jointer/planer for glue ups or others that I normally cut
to final size on my table saw. First, I guess I can get
final size on the planer.
However, can you rip and cross cut 8/4, 4/4 hardwood with
a cutter on a CNC as well as do joinery like dado, rabbet
on those same 8/4, 4/4? Let's assume lumbers have been
jointed and planed and are big enough to work either with
a modest vacuum such as hurricane type or a small rotary
vane vacuum pump for pods table? Like 4 inches wide at
least and a couple of feet long, I guess?
What about aggregates? Brian mentioned them and I am
wondering what are those aggregates used for beside
joinery on the side (drilling) and bevel cut? Are they
adding anything for hardwood cutting?
I have not yet a shaper, but I am wondering which kind of
shaper tasks a modern CNC with vacuum as mentioned above
can do without crazy jigs? I see stock longer than 8 ft
not feasible on a CNC, but I do not know enough about CNC
and shaper to know anything here.
Thanks
Bill
--
Michael Garrison Stuber
