[Dprglist] Metal Laser Cutting service - Online Metals

[Doug Paradis]

-All,
     I just got an email from Online Metals (onlinemetals.com), a vendor I
have used to source metal from in the past, that advertised a metal laser
cutting service from SendCutSend (sendcutsend.com). You can get an instant
quote for metal laser cutting. I used the robot base plate that I am
currently working on as a test file. It is approximately 8.5x6.75 inches,
with a lot of holes in it. I specified 6061 Aluminum 1/4 inch thick. The
cost was $74.56 for one and $119.34 for two. You get a 20% discount for
making 2. The discount slowly goes up to 30% for a hundred. So making 2 is
the sweet spot. Shipping is free.  Minimum order size is $29.

They allow up to 3 bends in the metal for an additional $29. Even if you
are not interested in the laser cutting service, you may be interested in
the bend calculator at https://sendcutsend.com/bending-calculator/.

This service is something I might explore in the future. It sounds
reasonably priced. I think it would be great for items like simple
geometries like pan and tilt mechanisms or special pieces like curved
bumpers or things like sensor brackets.  I suspect that the cost is based
on size of part, material,  and the length of cut.

My biggest concern would be the learning curve of the "gotcha"'s when
designing the part. For example, I would hate to spend $80 for a part that
didn't come out right because I did something wrong in the design. They
have tutorials, but... They should have a file pre-screener that sends you
a PNG of what you could expect from your file, like the banner company we
use to make LF courses. If I pursue, I plan to start simple and hopefully
cheaper, to gain the necessary knowledge.

Regards,
Doug P.
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