So if I want to make gussets out of polycarb do I need a CNC machine for that?
Itâs not impossible to do it by hand if youâre willing to really take your time doing all the cuts and holes precisely, but itâs way easier to use a CNC if itâs available.
no. thereâs tons of tools available for making poly pieces suitable for vex. my order of preference for the tools id use would probably go something like this: cnc mill or router, manual mill or router, laser cutter (assuming you have a safe setup for cutting plastic. the fumes are pretty dangerous), scroll saw, bandsaw, tin snips, hacksaw (?). Some of the last options would require you to have some way to drill holes. drill press is great for that but a handheld power drill works fine too
if youâre not going the milling/routing route iâd recommend printing a 1:1 scale of the part youâre making and then doing some basic layout and scribing on the plastic to make sure you get the dimensions right
adding on to what ethan said, just by printing and cutting out the gussets in paper and taping/gluing them to the polycarbonate, you can cut out the gussets with at the minimum, just a hacksaw, some tinsnips, and a drill for the holes. it wonât be as pretty as one made with a cnc or laser cutter or even a bandsaw, but it should be functional. the most important thing is that the holes line up, and that the general shape is the same, and you can do that decently with the most basic tools.
That is quite a very interesting design
