emachineshop.com... anyone tried it?

[cowtown]

So I've been playing around with the software, just for entertainment more than anything, and I can't figure something out. I have NO machine shop or CAD experience, so it's probably obvious, but:

How do I set up an angled hole in the shape below?

I want the hole in front (the one you can see the blue background through) drilled at a 20-30 degree angle. (This is supposed to resemble a 930 injector block - no comments from the peanut gallery please ).

[magic930]

Regarding angular holes here is the response form emachine tech support:
>>Thanks for your message. The feature you are requesting is currently not supported by the software. Consider using Comments to machinist to specify angular holes.

emachineshop
Your Online Machine Shop
1c

[RickM]

I see this as one of their sore spots. Unfortunately the software has to be easy enough for a dumbo like me yet sophisticated enough for complex machining. Using comments to describe unsupported features is pretty lame.

[ChrisBennet]

I downloaded their software a while back and they apparently only support 2 1/2 dimensional machining. I question whether it would even be a good idea to support true 3D machining given their non-professional target audience.
-Chris
P.S. I'm an unemployed writer of CAD, CAM and Solid modeling products. Will work for food.

[David]

I work in a machine shop and I thought this was a great idea until I started playing with their software. It doesn't look like they have quite the capability that they say they do.

BTW, I still think it's a great idea they just need to improve there capabilities.

[cowtown]

I'm reincarnating this thread out of curiosity more than anything else. Has anyone designed any parts and taken delivery with this service?

I tried to design some 930 injector blocks, but at the time (about a year ago), the software did not allow me to put a threaded hole into the block (for the EFI injectors) at a non-90-degree angle. I don't know if anything has changed since then.

Enquiring minds want to know.

[magic930]

I wish this service was more reasonably priced it seems that for low quantities it is expensive. I have tried the software a few times to design a few parts and every time I run the cost portion I end up heading to Home Depot to buy sheet metal and get out the hacksaw, grinder and drill!

(There are a few places you can buy EFI injector blocks from now with rails. Probably cheaper than trying to use emachineshop and less risky)

[david.avery]

IMO, you pay for the novelty of having them machine from an imported file.

I had designed a nice bracket to mount a 911 Carrera brake to a VW hub, and I found that they wanted like $300 ea under quan 10!

I bought a chunk of billet and did it with a grinder, then gave up and bought someone's kit for $300

[JohnJL]

ITBs and plenum, baby.

[911pcars]

If.... the fuel inj. block design is complete except for the threaded injection hole, would it be worth it to order them w/o the hole, then perform this with an outside service?

Sherwood

[RickM]

I know of a local one-man machine shop with CNC capabilities. Last I saw him he was doing a small lot of Mil spec widgets. He mentioned the cost and I was surprised at how reasonable they were considering the multiple steps. If anyone would like me to approach him with a design (Cowtown?) let me know. I'll ask what info he needs to give a quote.

[RickM]

Sherwood: INbox full. Yahoo sent.

[kenikh]

I contacted them a few years ago to see if they could handle SolidWorks files. They said no which was a deal killer for me. If you want to do lofted curves, I don't believe they can help.

[atlporsche]

A guy here at work had some stuff done from them...the parts looked great, until they screwed one up...he says customer service was a hassle.

They're were pretty intricate simulations of extrusion with lots of little interlocking dovetails...probably a wire EDM part.

overall, he's very happy with the parts, just not with the service.

sjd

[Foxford]

There are lots of smallish machine shops with CNC capability and expertise machining special materials. (Machining aluminum requires some special knowledge as it tends to gall the cutters.) Most shops I have dealt with use MasterCAM software and can import standard CAD files like parasolids.(.x_t)
I use SolidWorks in the plastics industry and create prototypes of all kinds regularly. I guess I don't understand what's so hard about finding a reasonably priced shop near you to make a few parts. Web based rapid prototypers aren't that new. Try www.arrk.com or www.harvest-tech.com

[cowtown]

Originally posted by 911pcars
If.... the fuel inj. block design is complete except for the threaded injection hole, would it be worth it to order them w/o the hole, then perform this with an outside service?

Sherwood

It was complete, but I don't have it any more. It turned out to be cheaper to pick up a Carrera 3.2 intake for the EFI project. Not that I've gotten around to installing that either....

[SpeedracerIndy]

Pretty neat idea. I wish I had thought of it! I have been tinkering around with the software. It's very basic, but it can import cad files which is important. I have some ideas that I wanted to try with the 915 shifter housing so I drew one up and tested it out. only $19 per unit if I order 100 at a time. This is what I came up with after about 45 minutes of screwing around with it. i could have some fun with this if it was cheaper.

[asphaltgambler]

I have had experience with 'them' and it was NOT good at all.

I am working on resolving a problem with a suspension bushing on rubber-mounted Harleys with big HP engines. I had finally figured out how to redesign it and what materials to use. I plan to patent and bring this to market.

I contacted a few local machine shops and got an idea of the production cost per unit.

I then thought to give emachine a try. First you have to use their CAD program only. After learning how to use it I sent the drawing and material spec to them.

I received the computer quote with price point/ units break. The price was fair but the delivery time was rediculous........to the tune of 5-6 weeks. This 'bushing' is a VERY simple design. Of course they would cut that time for you but at a substantial $$ increase. Also the units per order would vary with no real explanation why. Example I place a order for 500 units @$50.00 per. There was something like a 3-4% 'manufacturing' error.

So on a 500 unit paid $$ order I may only recieve 480 units possibly less. I emailed this guy (we had several pleasent exchanges) and told him that this 'error' factor was unacceptable. That if I order and pay for 500 units that's what I expect to receive. Also manufacturing time was too long and I was working on much tighter deadlines.

He completely blew me off. I can assume he's probably making too much money. I wasted a lot of my personal time trying to adhere to his requests to make him understand what I needed. *********.

I'm still looking to get this done.

[Chuck Moreland]

Gambler, it is very common for machine shops to deliver +/- 10% deviation from the order quantity. The quote should call this out.

But you are paying by the peice, you only pay for what they deliver.

And 5-6 weeks is not unusual. Sadly it is common to get a quote of 3-4 weeks, but delivery actually takes twice that

The blow off? That's just bad business.

[911pcars]

I'm a patience guy, but my current machine shop had me twiddling my thumbs while they took 2 1/2 months to deliver 100 small pieces of aluminum.

I'm currently looking around for a better supplier. Thanks for the feedback on emachineshop.

Sherwood