February 19th, 2011
Here is a part fabricated through Online Machinist two years ago. The drawing is a 2D CAD drawing. The material is aluminum. This part was a perfect fit for Online Machinist. We fabricated and shipped one of these for $35.
Inexpensive Shipping
As we are primarily a web service, all of our parts must be shipped by US Mail, UPS, or Fed-Ex. Shipping costs for each of these are driven by two categories, size and weight. The size of this part is small. As it is square, it is easy to pack many parts into a single square box.
The part is also made of Aluminum. Aluminum, although not as strong as carbon steel or stainless steel, is a very lightweight material. Prior to carbon fiber, Aluminum was the material of choice for airplanes. It is still commonly used for airplanes and aviation as the price is considerably less than carbon-fiber.
Complete and Simple Drawing
We build your idea and fabricate your part from your uploaded drawing. Most of our parts are small quantities (qty = 1,2,3). We have the capability to manufacture larger quantities (at a lower cost), but are rarely asked to do so. Whether your drawing is by hand (even on a napkin) or drawn on CAD, it is our guide.
We don’t need the most professional drawing. We only need a complete drawing. Before uploading check to see that all dimensions and details are shown on the drawing. Is every hole and corner dimensioned? Are multiple views shown/required? Is there any threading or tapping required? Are depths on holes shown? etc.
Part in Action
A photo of the part in action is shown to the right. As you can see, this is a custom part fitting a custom application. This is where OnlineMachinist excels. Thanks to Anthony for allowing us to use his part as an example.
Tags: example, machinist, parts
Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »
February 12th, 2011
In our previous article, a metal working lathe was introduced. The lathe is a great tool but can only machine parts that are axis-symmetric (like round shafts or pipes). Square parts, rectangular parts, or parts with corners are often machined from a milling machine. A milling machine uses a rotating tool as a cutter. The stock is actually moved around and into the rotating cutter. The steel stock can move up/down, left/right, and in/out. This is three axis of movement.
As with the lathe, a manual milling machine can be very accurate. Each of the three hand-wheels are geared to allow movement in thousandths of an inch. Take a look at a few milling machines to get an idea: http://www.custompartnet.com/wu/milling
Posted in Articles | No Comments »
June 19th, 2010
A metalworking lathe is one of the power houses of the trade. This stationary power tool can turn at speeds near 1800 rpm. First, a round stock of material is mounted in the lathe. The stock is larger in diameter and in length than the final part. The stock rotates at high speed while a cutting tool is controlled by the machinist. Movement of this cutting tool can be controlled to thousandths of an inch. The cutting tool is made from a material called “tool steel”. Tool steel has a higher hardness than the stock of material. Lubrication is added to reduce heat and maintain a smooth cut.
A lathe part must be axis-symmetric. For sections of the part which are not axis-symmetric, the part must be removed and machined with other tools of the trade. Special techniques allow the machinist to knurl a part to provide a grip or a handle. Additional techniques allow a part to be threaded such as a bolt.
Tags: lathe, machinist
Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »
May 31st, 2010
You have great ideas each and every day. Let bring them to life! At Online Machinist we can help bring your idea to life. Do you need a whatchamacallit to make your life easier? Are you a hobbyist who needs “something like this but modified like this”? Online Machinist is here for you.
Upload a drawing of your idea and answer a few simple questions (material, quantity, etc). You will receive a quote from our professional machinist. Accept the quote though our site and receive the part by mail.
Parts can be fabricated from several different materials (ie. Plastic, Wood, Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, etc.). Multiple quantities will reduce fabrication costs, so talk your friends into a group discount.
Recent fabrications have been used for motorcycle parts, movie props, and tools for industry. Hand drawings, CAD drawings, and image files have been used by previous users. If you are a CAD person, we love clean readable drawings. If you can basically describe your part and provide dimensions, feel free to use a pencil. If you have no draw skills at all, write the dimensions on a digital photo and upload that as a drawing. We are happy to work with you and any drawing submitted ready to build your idea.
The world is full of innovation. Bring your idea to life with Online Machinist.
Tags: custom parts, ideas, machinist
Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »
May 29th, 2010
Welcome to Online Machinist. Buyers can request quotes for custom part design. Online Machinist allows you to create custom parts online supporting a wide range of materials for metal parts, copper parts, pvc parts, stainless steel parts. With our online platform you do not need to waste time calling the traditional machine shops. Then waste more time waiting days for a quotation and fabrication.
Benefits
The total time spent on this process can be reduced up 80% by using our free platform.
At Online Machinist buyers can request quotes for custom part design from our pre-approved supplier who uses state-of-the-art machine tools to deliver high quality custom parts or universal parts.
Our recent fabrications cover a wide range from the DIY community. Each part is fabricated with state-of-the-art machine tools to deliver high quality custom parts or universal parts. To get started, request a quote by uploading an image or pdf file and receive a quote from our machine shop.
Tags: custom parts
Posted in Articles | No Comments »
Here is a part fabricated through Online Machinist two years ago. The drawing is a 2D CAD drawing. The material is aluminum. This part was a perfect fit for Online Machinist. We fabricated and shipped one of these for $35.