Looking for Pocket Nc owner on United Kingdom

[apud...@googlemail.com]

Hi

Is there anyone out there who has a pocket nc in the UK?

IF so, I would like to see it in action.

ALAN from London

[Nick L]

Hi Alan

I'm up in Scotland, just south of Glasgow. You'd be welcome to visit and see my machine in action.

Cheers

Nick 

[apud...@googlemail.com]

Hi Nick

Thanks for the reply.

I was worried that nobody has a pocket nc in the UK.

Do you use the machine for business or hobby basis?

I am a Plastics Toolmaker and would like to use the machine to cut copper EDM electrodes.

How easy was it and how much did it cost to import into Scotland? (if you don't mind me asking)

Cheers

Alan

[Nick L]

Hi Alan

I use my machine both professionally and as a hobby machine.

I develop the mechanical side of IoT devices in the bike industry, and use the Pocket NC to make Beta units somewhere mid way between 3-d prints, and releasing files to CNC machinists, or injection moulders. I also use it to cut aluminium moulds that I use for resin casts to replicate injection moulded parts, so similar to soft moulding.

I generally find it a really capable machine, and although the learning curve was steep, I've got a lot of experience on 3-d modelling, and using manual mills so the transition to a CNC mill was only a few steps.

I'm mainly using it for plastics, but I also use it for aluminium and brass. With the metals I've really dialled back the feeds and speeds, and aluminium can sometimes clog on the cutting head, although I tend to spray a bit of wd40 to discourage this. Brass cuts beautifully, although I've not tried copper. Smallest cutting head I use often is a 1mm dia head, although I also sometimes use a 0.5mm dia cutting head. For roughing work I use a 7mm dia cutter, and most of the time work with a 3mm dia cutter.

Cleaning up swarf from it is a pain, I'd recommend the enclosure to make the clean up easier. I'm also planning to make some fabric guards to keep swarf out of the lead screws, and off the linear rails.

Its worth having a tool holder for each of your main tools, as re-measuring the offset for a tool is tedious (but easy).

I use 4 tool holders and that covers me for most jobs, but if I have spare money I'd certainly buy more.

I've ended up custom making quiet a few fixtures and hold downs to hold work pieces and speed up cycle times when I'm doing multiples. The most useful for metal work is that I got a set of aluminium discs cut that match the profile of the bed, I then use loctite to glue what I'm machining onto these, machine away, and remove the finished objects with some heat.

As to importing it, I cheated. My work takes me to Silicon Valley, so I got it delivered to our offices out there, and flew home with it as hand luggage. My general experience of importing other things of similar value is that the courier handles the import, and will present you with a bill for the duty and VAT owed on the object, so its not really something you need to deal with. Its also worth saying that Pocket NC did an excellent job of packing, there was an air gap of about 2" between the inside box, and the outside box, the inner one being supported by foam corners, and then the machine inside the inner box was protected by expanding foam wrapping that completely locked it in position. The packing points to a general care and attention about each and every detail of the machine.

I've also found Michelle really helpful, and knowledgeable, and they clearly care a lot about what they do, so supports been first rate for this. Its also clear the amount of time and effort they've put into it, and every detail has been carefully and intelligently thought through, so it feels like a complete bargain when I consider the potential of the tool I now have, compared to the effort needed to make it real in the first place.

Cheers

Nick

[p.lundhvo...@googlemail.com]

Hi Alan-

I've got a PocketNC in St Albans: Hardware and support is excellent; Software (Fusion 360 has a steep learning curve). Please contact if you want more info, or a demo. Best. -Peter

[mull3n88]

Nick any chance of a demo? Im just outside glasgow

[Nick L]

Hi Sure, I'm happy to give you a demo, I'll message you privately and we can make a plan. Cheers Nick

[spitfir...@googlemail.com]

Hi Guys
I'm looking for a demo of the pocket NC I live in West London
Peter do you still have the pocket NC ? And Would you be willing to give me a demo or anyone else
Thanks
Mike