CNC router or 3d printer what would best suit your creation style

[Pharo12g]

I just recently set up my CNC router for cutting foam, plastic and other material and have been having a blast. This has started making me thing about plastic extrudes. What does everyone here think about incorporating CNC technology into prop making. Im sure there are some that may think that the projects loose their artistic element by machining.

What do you all think, and what process do you think is more valuable material reduction or material build up? Or stick with the ol hand tools?

 

[Rebelscum]

I think whatever tool gets the job done fastest is the best. I never use a hand tool, when a power tool does it as well, but faster.

A 3D printer and a cnc are really very different tools. Even a cheap 3D printer can do things even the most expensive cnc could never do.

I'd probably have already bought a 3D printer, but the ones that have a high enough resolution are still quite expensive and I believe the prices will be in free fall mode for at least a couple more years. Added to that, services like shapeways make it really easy to get things printed, and not too expensively.

 

[Philly]

You CNC is 90% of a 3d printer anyway. Just add custom controller and extruder and there you have it, a very well built printer.

 

[Rassilon]

In my line of work we have both a 3D rapid prototype printer that has a resolution down to 100 microns but I only need to go as low as 150 microns, and a CNC router along with CNC mills and lathes.

I have used the prototype printer on some prop building to get a better feel of what I was intending to machine out of aluminium, I did find that the parts just don’t have to same feel or have any mass to the part and feel cheap to handle.

But you can’t compare the two machines as been the same as they are very different; it comes down to the right tool or machine for the right job, as you would not use a CNC mill to do the work of a CNC lathe.

 

[zenix]

It really depends what you're making. It's like asking, "What's better, a hammer or a screwdriver?"

 

[nomuse]

At the moment I'd love a ShopBot or laser. But I have no space for anything -- even a table-top 3d printer would be too much stink and mess for the place I've got.

I'd totally settle for a CNC service that would make ordering a small part in aluminium as easy as ordering a print from Shapeways.