Awesome Milling

It makes perfect sense that you can mill round objects by turning them on a spindle. But this video from the Titans of CNC shows us how it’s possible to use computer-controlled machines to mill sharply-defined polygonal objects on a spinning machine by synchronizing the spindle and the milling tool.

An ordinary disco ball is made from hollow cardboard or plastic covered with a bunch of tiny mirrored tiles. But this unique disco ball from the Titans of CNC Machining is made entirely from a single block of aluminum. After milling the sphere, they used a unique burnishing tool to create its shiny facets.

As impressive as large-scale milling machines can be, compact machines that can create intricate parts are equally fascinating to us. In this clip, Bantam Tools shows off their Desktop PCB Milling Machine as it carves a miniature topographic map of Washington’s Mount Rainier out of a cube of aluminum.

This compact machine offers a great and inexpensive entry point to computer-controlled fabrication. It can be set up in less than 30 minutes and can mill various materials like foam, wood, plastics, and metals. Its working area measures 300mm x 180mm and can work on objects up to 45mm thick.

Watch as a solid block of copper is magically transformed into a set of linking rings with the help of talented metalsmith Viktor Leontiev and his trusty milling machine. The finished piece looks great set onto its hand-turned wooden base.

TITANS of CNC: Academy presents footage of a truly epic creation – a hefty chess board machined from a massive hunk of metal. It’s got a grooved playing surface, and logo art on its sides. We’d love to see how they milled all of those beautiful titanium chess pieces too.

Machine shop DataPro shares hypnotic footage of a Datron CNC milling machine, as it takes a disc of aluminum and transforms it into a precise and smoothly formed gear. It was shot as a time-lapse, but won’t it be awesome when machines can do this in real time?

Bantam Tools‘ CNC milling machine makes it easier than ever to create prototypes right on your desktop. It works quickly and automatically adjusts based on material location and tool length. It can mill a variety of materials including aluminum, brass, steel, copper, wood, and more, with a working volume of 7″ x 9″ x 3.5″.

Butcher block maker Brother in Wood shows off his computer controlled mill carving out an intricate pattern of famed Samurai Hattori Hanzō. He then used the machine to cut an inverse pattern in a contrasting wood, glued it in place, then milled off the top layer for an inlay effect. The finished cutting board is a work of art.

Engineer BrunS takes a momentary break from making epic metal rocketships to build something different – a miniature version of Bender Bending Rodgriguez from Futurama. But it’s clear BrunS’ wife is tired of him spending his days in the machine shop, and keeps interrupting his project. Also, you can buy Bender here.

After wowing us with his Fallout-inspired Red Rocket, metal artist Engineer BrunS is back with an even more challenging build, a big bronze rocketship. Watching the precision-milled components fit together so perfectly is wonderfully satisfying. If you’ve got 1500 bucks to spare, you can even own this masterpiece

In this clip from Japanese metalsmith Swap Lamp, he shows us how to use an offset disc to mill repeating geometric patterns into a piece of metal. It takes a bit of manual work to re-position the workpiece, but the resulting design is something like a Spirograph would make if it could engrave metal instead of drawing on paper.

Maker of cool things W&M walks us through the painstaking process of milling a set of teensy brass chess pieces, and crafting an elegant wooden board on which to play the game. The pieces are so small, the game needs to be played with tweezers.

The Titans of CNC: Academy rightfully brag about their electronic machining equipment and skills by transforming a hefty 218 pound billet of aerospace grade titanium into a stunning sculpture of a lion’s head. In the end, they milled away over 100 pounds of material to reveal the metal king of the jungle.

Watch the Dark Lord come to life via modern machining tech, as an Okuma MU-5000V 5-axis mill completes milling a perfect metal bust of Star Wars’ baddie, courtesy of Morris Midwest. We’d love to see the sculpt from the beginning, but we’ll settle for metal Vader on our desk.

German CNC machine maker Hermle shares footage of its C 42 U 5-axis milling machine cranking out an intricate model of the Eiffel Tower, carved from a single block of solid aluminum. Why can’t we have a machine like this in The Awesomer office?

There’s something just so satisfying about watching this Thermwood 5-axis milling machine gradually transform a nondescript block of low-density foam into an intricately-carved sculpture. We wonder how long it took to complete the entire model.

A bargain-priced, compact 3D printer made primarily from sturdy metal components. It not only can print PLA, PVA, ABS and Nylon, but offers modules for carving and laser engraving. Our main concern is the lack of an enclosure for containing noise, odors, and debris.

While the object being milled serves no purpose other than to show off the precision of its fabrication, we’re still mesmerized as a solid hunk of metal was carved into a tiny desktop sculpture using a Matsuura MX-330 5-axis mill driven by Autodesk’s PowerMill software.

A mesmerizing look at the dexterity and speed of a GROB-WERKE CNC milling machine, as it sculpts a solid block of metal into a precision part. The way it moves the object to meet the cutting blade is like a robotic ballet. More here.

Watch in awe as this CNC cutting machine transforms hunks of solid titanium and aluminum into an intricate electric guitar. The 124 piece guitar looks identical to the real deal, though at 15 pounds, it’s about twice the weight of a Fender Stratocaster.