Homebrew PCBs

Hey Mike, don't forget, the investor is going to want a good chunk 
of the margins as well.

Fred's machine looks very interesting - didn't know about that one 
till you posted here - thanks for the link.  

The pricing of these small machines is a tough one.  Much of the 
high cost items are the motors, drives, screws, ways, etc.  The base 
pricing of these items creates a situation wherein a small machine 
isn't much cheaper to build than a large one.  

If Ballendo could make one for under $500.00 and as good as what 
Fred's machines look like in that link, my hat's off to him, or 
anyone else that will make them and sell them for that price range.

Chris


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mikezcnc" <eemikez@c...> 
wrote:
>
> All Chris said on this forum about ballendo is true. PCB driller 
that 
> ballendo is promising, is never going to happen which means to you 
one 
> thing: guys, do not wait for it, build your own! 
> 
> Many things changed in 1.5 year since the original announcement 
and 
> many people built their machines, so what was hot back than, I 
don't 
> think is as hot any more.
> 
> Your idea of a $600 machine needs to be revisted: you cannot do it 
> although Fred did something similar:
> 
> http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/index.asp?
PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=121
> 
> as far as I can tell, Fred's machine resembles ballendo's specs 
almost 
> exactly, scratch the servos.
> 
> I do not recall ballendo ever mentioning laser cut sheet metal 
except 
> for yesterday. Who knows, maybe there was a discussion on a CNC 
group 
> in the past and laser cutting sheet metal was mentioned? However, 
> coincidence of it, is stunning: one day Fred announced his machine 
and 
> few days later ballendo is doing  a marketing research with the 
same 
> specs.
> 
> Having said that, instead of describing a pattern of behavior, I 
am 
> asking a question, can a  machine, like Fred listed, be built for 
$600 
> with stepper motors and a controller? I am not sure if ballendo 
> offered to add a Dremel but probbaly not so let's assume that a 
Dremel 
> tool is on top of the $600, ie, the PCB drilelr  becomes a $700 
> machine.
> 
> The answer is:
> 1. Sheetmetal (material, laser cutting and bending): $300
> 2. Leadscrews $100
> 3. Motors (they will be direct coupled): $50 
> 4. adapters, screws, bolts, nuts: $20
> 5. Machine has to glide on something, Fred's is gliding on slides 
and 
> they are not cheap, so: 150
> 6. Machining, drilling: one hour=$60
> 7. Packaging: $30
> 8. Controller: $100
> 9. Power supply (maybe he didn't include one) $40. By the way, 
www.mfj 
> is out of them until Nov 30)
> 
> Total: $850 Of course, there is no profit in it (and no spindle 
either)
> and I do not expect a product without a profit. Now, let's talk 
about 
> Fred's machine for a sec: servos $100x3, controller $600=$1000
> Do you see that Fred's machine costs $1000, motors and controller 
are 
> another $1000 and software included is free? And he also gave you 
a 
> free spindle. 
> 
> Question is how long can Fred advertise that machine before 
increasing 
> the prise...
> 
> Feel free to correct my numbers.
> 
> Mike
> 
> as usual, there is a cheaper alternative: www.kleinbauer.com :)
>