The Internet Machine Shop??

[micklane]

The editor of FARM SHOW wants a story on emachine.com, which bills itself as the Internet Machine Shop. It's a relatively new (I think) service where you use their software (free) to design parts, etc., and they give you a bid to produce it for you.

Has anyone here had any experience with it?

I won't use any of your comments in the article without first checking copy with you, so tell me what you think.

Thanks.


Mick Lane

[micklane]

oops...

Sorry, guys. I got in a hurry (had to answer the phone) on that posting ...the correct website is www.emachineshop.com.

[deere_x475guy]

Hi Mick, just checked out that link. I might try it this evening. If I do I will give you any feedback I can. So far I have given up any of the true cad programs I have tried and went back to Corel Draw. It works but has its limitations.

Later...
Bob

[micklane]

Thanks, Bob.

I've heard that Corel is as good as anything the amateur can buy. Since I'm only a lowly writer, I need guys like you to tell me whether these new services are worth anything.

[Franz]

Mick, I looked at the website, and mostly I just got confused. I have a hard time understanding why anybody would need such a service, given the number of small shops looking for work.
From my perspective, I like to keep work local whenever possible, that way I can see the quality on the first peice, and drive over to the shop if there's a question.
I suppose there is a market for this service, but I don't see a farmer needing it.

[deere_x475guy]

Hi Mick, I did download and installed the the software. It went without a hitch to my laptop running XP. So far the software seems fairly easy to use. I have a thumbwheel that I need to turn on my lathe today and maybe I will draw it up first on this. You can save your files and export to dwf and some others plus print out your drawing which surprise me. I figured this software would save to proprietary format and only allow you to work with the company. Seems it is not this way and thats a plus because this might turn out to be a free semi easy to use 3d cad program. Aaron uses cad all day and he would probably be a better sorce to check this out. In the mean time if I do get something accomplished with it I will follow up.


Bob

[micklane]

Good points

That's a good point, Franz, about keeping the local fabricators busy. And like you, I'm not sure most farmers would need it. But we have some readers who are pretty sophisticated in the shop. Given what Bob says about being able to print off your design, though, maybe you could just use the emachineshop CAD program to plan your project and then take the drawings to someone local you trust to do it right.

That seems like a good reason to have the software. The emachineshop guys must be fairly confident in their abilities to both make the parts and beat the local prices, or they wouldn't be hanging their software out there for free, though, right?

I'll keep looking into it, but looks like this will make a pretty decent FARM SHOW story.

Thanks to both of you for your help.


Mick Lane

[banzaitoyota]

I use Microstation J and PDS, I am downloading the software now. I'll let you know what I think

[banzaitoyota]

I played around with it a little last night. VERY disappointing. the main problem is it is designed/set up for punching thin parts only. The do not have lathe/turning capability. For my needs thay are not the answer. Hopefully in the future they can be of use. John

[deere_x475guy]

I haven't had a lot of time to try it yet. Did you set the line heighth? I just found a comment about if your not working with sheet metal to make sure you set the line heigth. Not sure where or how to do that yet.

Bob

Originally posted by banzaitoyota
I played around with it a little last night. VERY disappointing. the main problem is it is designed/set up for punching thin parts only. The do not have lathe/turning capability. For my needs thay are not the answer. Hopefully in the future they can be of use. John

[deere_x475guy]

Aaron, I need you to come up sometime and give me some tips on how to get started using this software.


How is the Kart coming..?

Originally posted by aweaver
Just found this thread. The forum's getting too big to read them all.

As far as the software goes, I'll look at it and give you some feedback on the software aspect. I've never heard of the company, though. It seems like parts are going to be relatively expensive, onsey-twosey style. It's not like the average farm needs 500 pcs. made by friday of a given part.

Aaron

[deere_x475guy]

Dang...can't this weekend. Lets see about getting together next weekend. Talk to you later.

BTW banzaitoyota was right...I can't find a way to make the thickness of the material to what I need....just looks like punched stuff but that doesn't make any sense....I need to keep checking for how to do it.

Bob

[deere_x475guy]

Mick, I got time last night to learn a little more about this program. It is capable of drawing parts about as thick as you would need. I am maching a stiffer tool post mount for my lathe and was able to draw the entire piece. So far seems like a free program that is fairly easy to use. It does save the file in a proprietary format but you can export to dxf format. It is quite fast on my machine anyway when you want to render a 3d view.

Bob