Milling without milling...

[knowledgegranted]

Hey all,

I have a few copper blocks that would need to be milled. How exactly can I mill them without using a milling machine? What would be the easiest solution?


thx all...

[Zephik]

Well, I can see two options here. You can either find someone who has a milling machine, like family or friends, as they'll probably do it for free or at a discount, or you can pay someone to have it done for you? Maybe someone here has one that would be willing to help out. C'mon guys! Where is that community spirit! There has to be SOMEONE out there with a milling machine?

I don't really know of any other way to have something milled without a milling machine though.

What are your plans exactly by the way? It might help to know what you're trying to do.

[billygoat333]

you could use a router and do it by hand, if it was simple enough.

[b4i7]

im assuming youre wanting to make waterblocks with this copper? for that there really is no replacement for CNC or a mill. as ive learned there are a lot of tight tolerances and dimensions you want to keep when watercooling for best performance. if you have any questions feel free to ask

[jdbnsn]

I agree with b4i7 that "milling without milling" really isn't a great solution to having it done if you don't have the equipment especially if performance is a goal. If it just needs to work, and you don't need optimal performance you can do it, I've seen it done by drilling a grid of holes in one side stopping about 7/8" before going all the way through and using a thin grinding cutter to cut grooves connecting the holes so they ended up with a grid of dissipation columns.

[knowledgegranted]

Well thx for the recommendations and help guys, really it helps me from making stupid mistakes.

This kinda sucks, there are so many road blocks I am having between money problems and looking for what I need it seriously getting annoying.

[Collinstheclown]

I've been up the same road as you. I wanted to make custom waterblocks for my 360, but due to money, and complexity I just got 2 chipset blocks from Danger Den and made a single top and mounting bracket for them.

You could try to build your own CNC machine.. they arn't all that complex. It's the driving board and motors that keeps me from doing it. I might buy a kit off ebay and build a frame but who knows, that may be a while down the road.

You can get a milling vise for a drill press, or modify it to work with a router somehow:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94276




-CollinstheClown

[knowledgegranted]

I had the same idea actually, but for these blocks I might send them to a machine shop. Meanwhile I will build the CNC machine.

A good friend of mine referred me to instructables.com great place huh? And actually again referred me to one of his own instructables. I actually think we should have a thing on here called "modstructables" to give a teaching on different things. I would help the TBCS commmunity if anyone was interested in doing that.

BTW, that link I was referring to was here (http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-Build-Desk-Top-3-Axis-CNC-Milling-Machine/).