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Re: Eclair Cameras: converting old 50 foot mag load cameras to S-16-response-cnc



Hello,

This is offered as a general life-experience and is not meant to discourage
anyone.

I was a machinist at a local shop and my brother has his own screw
machine/CNC shop.  The most difficult task of making parts on a CNC machine
is making the fixture which will hold that $5 piece of metal.  Each project
starts with a different size of metal piece and the fixture must hold the
piece so that all or most of the machining operations can be done.
Sometimes a second or third set of operations must be performed which
requires a second and third fixture.  In addition to downloading g-code,
the fixtures would have to be shipped around.  When a company decides to
end the life of a product, it destroys both the plans and fixtures.

CAD and CAM is approaching the point of being able to synthesize parts just
like the old Star Trek episodes which synthesized various foods; however,
the material stock must fit a simple collet or a simple vise and not
require any second operations like most camera parts require.

C.J.

hello,

i was thinking how nice it would be if someone started a repository with
cnc 'g-code' that relate to particular cameras.  now that people can
purchase mini mills and mini lathes with full cnc controls, it is
reasonable to assume if someone has one of these machines, and a camera of
a specific model, like the eclair acl, and wanted to perform a
modification of sorts that has already been performed/completed by someone
else, all they should simply have to do is locate the applicable script,
load up a piece of metal or plastic into the mill or lathe, and download
the g-code, plug it into their cnc software, and press print.  and voila!
the part would be made to exact spec.

i am just now getting into milling and lathe use, and will hopefully be
receiving my machines in the next couple of weeks.  as such, some of the
first things i would like to make would be a c-mount to m-42 mount
extension tube for use with my s8 camera and telescope.  because i have
neither used a mill or lathe, and will need to spend time learning, what
better way to learn then with someone you need, like the above mentioned
part.  it would be EXTREMELY cool if i could go to a webside and download
code that would allow me to make such a part, with detailed instructions,
tool sizes, material type, g-code, steps in the process, testing and
measuring for accuracy, etc.  this way i would not have to figure out all
the math behind making the part .. i would simply need to modify the
g-code to my own specifications(like the lenght of the tube, for example),
and insert the piece of metel, and press go/print.  now that would be
ideal.  so rest assured, all of the parts i eventually end up making for
my own camera modifications, i will no doubt make publically available the
instructions and g-code so anyone else can either take and use it
themselves, or provide it to their local cnc machine shop and have them do
it.  either way, it would be a walk in the park compared to the
alternative.  and it would also be EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE!!  would anyone
agree with me on this point?  heck, just like all the mount converters ...
a basic library of g-code for such items that now cost $200-600. from
someone, where you yourself could purchase a $5.00 chunk of aluminum, and
pay $50.00 to your local machine house to simply print what is already
spelled out for them.

eric

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