Suitable Material for milling small tank wheels

alan2525 · 14-01-2007

I'm using a desktop cnc engraver and am looking for a suitable material for machining small tank hatches and wheels from.

I'm using HIPS for the hull and armour plates of the vehicle, but need something approx 6mm thick from which I can engrave and cutout wheels hatches etc from.

I really want something thats easy to machine and gives a smooth finish, that can be painted.

Any Ideas?

**Bunkerbarge** · 14-01-2007

Are you thinking of any material or do you want a metal?

You could use plasticard sheet of whatever thickness you want or if you wanted a bit more rigidity you coulkd use the plastic laminate that two tone labels are made from.

If a metal was your preference then you would probably be better with aluminium sheet which can also be bought in whatever thickness you require.

**wonwinglo** · 14-01-2007

Pattern makers tooling material would be ideal,it replaced Jelutong and is a man made synthetic compound of superb quality,available in block and plank.
If you have a local pattern shop then scrounge the useful offcuts,usually taking along an example of your work works wonders,most of these people started as amateur model makers and show empathy to our cause.

alan2525 · 14-01-2007

I'm using plasticard for the shallower parts. The pattern making material sounds absolutely ideal. I thought about hardwood - beech or something machines well and jelotung, but obviously a synthetic material would be more suited.