I wonder what the cost&#x2F;turnaround time for a one-off prototype would be?<p>For these work piece sizes and materials, you can do it yourself for ~$3,000 USD one-time hardware cost:<p>* Sherline 3-Axis 5400 CNC-ready* [1] $1,300 USD<p>* Stepper Motors + Controller[2] $500<p>* PC + parallel port $500<p>* Measuring and holding tools $500<p>+ Materials<p>+ CAD&#x2F;CAM software<p>+ Several hours&#x2F;days of time for setup and machining<p>The cost of these materials is low, so I guess you could make a prototype like this for maybe $50 in material costs? As an added benefit you could machine some or all parts in aluminum, if preferred.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.sherline.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.sherline.com&#x2F;</a>
[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.omc-stepperonline.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.omc-stepperonline.com&#x2F;</a><p>* I would recommend retro-fitting limit switches onto this mill, which is relatively cheap to do