Recommendation? looking to start a balisong project and need some way to make accurate prototypes

What is your current skill set?

 

Do you know how to use a belt grinder?

 

Probably best to make one by hand and once you have all the kinks work out have it drawn up on CAD.

Then you can shop around to have it made.

 

Learn g code.

There are sweet mills that can be had for under 20k.

If you prototype on a cnc then you will have worked out 99 percent of bugs that would keep you from your final product.

If you have zero experience with cnc and mills I wish you luck. Its not easy. The equipment needs to be treated with respect as you can lose limbs if not careful

Good luck

 

So....are you going to manufacture balisongs?
Maybe you need more than one $35,000 CNC mills, just so you have a spare.

 

Tormach mills are fantastic for the money.

 

That machine is way to small.

To mill stainless steel blades you will need a much bigger CNC machine and probably run 20k+ with tooling

 

Start by learning fusion 360 it's free for a year

Draw up your design, work out all the dimensions and clearances that way.

Then try to work with someone like balibalistic to help you make your first one.

 

I would double check with that as I was just notified by autodesk that thy are limiting the free version in October. Thy are cutting back what the free version will export.

As for cnc machining. I am a machinest by trade and have spent a lot of years programming and running cnc machines. General rule of thumb is plan on spending as much on tooling as you spent on the mill. I started as programming g code by hand which is super helpful when running a mill. When your mill wants to shoot off into left field you will know why and you can change it on the spot. But if you don’t have any experience with knife making, machining, cnc and cad drawing your in for a VERY steep learning curve. Not saying it can’t be done but if I invested 50k into a setup I would want to be making money ASAP. Honestly you would be better off having a machine shop make your prototype parts at first. Sure it will cost you a good bit of money but not as much as the first time you push go on a cnc mill and it slams into the vise or table.

 

I didn't' reccomend him to spend fifty thousand bucks on a mill.

I suggested that he go draw something.

Learning that, once he has good drawings, the next step is as you suggested, get some help, get someone else to make it.

 

sorry if it came across that way. I was just quoting you to say that fusion 360 was changing there free options. Sorry if it sounded like I was saying you wanted him to. It a cnc mill lol.