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1

Been a software engineer for some time now (web space).

Enrolled back in school for a dual degree:
“A.I. & machine Learning, With Digital Maker/Fabricator”
Ive also incorporated a variety of robotics classes, electronics, etc.

So far I am only halfway through.

Question
My goal is, to set up my own workshop/maker space “if that’s what it’s called?”, in my garage.

I want to be able to build/fabricate, my own IOT products.
I have no CNC Eperience (plan to get training)
No Woodworking Experience (plan to get training)

My question is:
What supplies/machines/etc. Should I plan on purchasing to set up a decent shop? With budget of $25k to $50k total. Sqft available 700sqft

3d printers, CNC machines, etc. ?

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I assume that you already know about the Electronics side of things… ?

For making cases etc I’d start with a ready-to-go 3d printer setup, something like a Bambu machine that will ‘just work’.

  • That’s possibly all you need to start. :wink:
  • Maybe get two, a FDM (filament) machine, and a Resin printer
  • I see lots of people making a case body out of FDM, but all the details, faceplates and buttons using resin.

Adding a small (diode?) laser cutter / engraver should be next, this lets you make faceplates etc. A CO2 cutter, while expensive and complex to run and maintain, allows easy acrylic and ply/wood cutting. Useful for cases, display stands, and a whole bunch of signage.

A CNC is also good, but for ‘IOT’ device making I think a 3d printer is going to be the way to get 3d shapes…

PS: Think about ventilation; especially if you have any form of laser cutter, but also for 3d printers and soldering fumes.

1 Like
3

This will poke the hornet’s nest.

I have all the CNC types and three CAD software tools. I have found that these are great if you make more than 2 of a project. With the right skills and manual tools you can get to prototype very fast…

So here is a low-tech perspective of how I package my electronics projects.

You are right my CAD machines are quite lonely!

For one-of-a-kind projects, I typically build from:

  • Acrylic sheet
  • An AC box of some sort from Lowes.
  • A prefab enclosure.

I design with graph paper or CAD depending on how complex the project is and if I need a 3D perspective.

I tested: modeling and machining with CAD/CAM vs hand-drawn and machined.
The latter was faster most of the time. That said maybe I just suck at automation.
I found modeling and then getting the CAM machining to do what I intended, time-consuming.

I have honed three things to enable making enclosures etc from acrylic. Some are not that intuitive:

  • Drilling techniques
  • Cutting techniques on table saw and scroll saw
  • A DIY acrylic bender
  • Slotting on a hand mill.

A remote hottub temp sensor in an adapted waterproof power junction box:

PXL_20240829_164504296
PXL_20240829_1645042962268×4032 2.65 MB

A PID temp controller for my coffee bean roaster project.

PXL_20240829_164603298
PXL_20240829_1646032982268×4032 2.22 MB

A thickness measuring tool project designed to fit in a Polycase enclosure.

PXL_20240829_172042724
PXL_20240829_1720427244032×2268 2.54 MB

PXL_20240703_122819325
PXL_20240703_1228193254032×2268 1.61 MB

A non-electronics project. Replacing a latch in my RV.

PXL_20240816_193354230
PXL_20240816_1933542304032×2268 1.34 MB

4

This is perfect. Thank you very much!

5

I noticed you said “product” not “project” — is your goal here to do production work, where you are setting up to make high quantity multiples of a product?

Or is your goal to make a prototype shop as you work towards bidding out production for commercial work?

Do you expect to work with metal?

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If you’re interested in setting up a metal shop, I recommend looking for the Blondie Hacks on YouTube and find her video about setting up a home shop. I’m with the other comments on here that if you’re making metal parts for prototypes then get a small manual mill and lathe and learn them first, then add CNC as you need it.
A good 3D printer and laser engraver goes a long way, too.