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  1. #81
    Member coherent's Avatar
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    Jeff... very nice job. I've got the simple cuts down, but haven't tackled the more intricate stuff like this. It would really be helpful to see a brief explanation of software/steps used to create this. Was the final gcode 4 seperate files or a single with tools changes programed in? Any chance of sharing the gcode files? Again, great work!
    -Marc



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    Excellent. Reading thru this thread and visiting your website has given me more inspiration than needed to get going on my router. As I mentioned before, it will be almost 9' x 5' x 18". I am using the same Porter Cable router that you used for the spindle, which leads me to this question:

    What RPM were you using for the finish cut and did the router have any heat problems running non-stop for 7 hours?

    Again, great job on the router, the work piece and on keeping us all up to date via your postings.



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    The Crest was already created relief from ArtCam. It was 3D scanned from a real part. You can tell this because it has way to much detail that can be created with the tools in ArtCam. The crest was blank in the middle and I felt it needed something. I found the griffen relief on a ArtCam clip art disk. It was easy to past the griffen onto the Crest center. Once I had the completed model, I created my tool paths. My first one was the roughing pass using a 3/8" end mill. I told it to Z slice the whole part and stay away from the finished surface by .040.

    The next tool path was something I called the 'Cutout'. I wanted the background surface all flat, and if I used a ball cutter over the entire part it would not be nice and flat on the background. I told the tool to trace around the outside of the object and remove all the material to the boarders edge. This cut was at final depth for the background. I used a 1/4" end mill. After this I used a 1/8" end mill for rest milling to clean up all the areas that the 1/4" tool could not get to.

    The next tool path was the first 3D surface path. I used a 1/8" ball mill and told it to only do the object but could go outside the object by only 1/8". This cut stayed .010 above the final surface and was at .007 step over. This is the tool path that I should have used as the final. It took under 2 hours to complete these steps.

    I wanted even more detail so I created the final 3D tool path using a 1/16" ball mill. This went over the same area as the 1/8" ball mill but this time it had a step over of .003 and was down to the finished surface. This path took about 7 hours. I should have only told the 1/16" bit to do the center griffen and it would have been fine.

    I had to output the Gcode in seperate files because the post I used was for generic inch Gcode and did not support tool changes. I added them manualy along with the fixture offset of G54 and the tool offset of G43 H?

    I had to use CNCPro because Mach 2 still has some problems in the area of fixture offsets and tool lenght offsets.

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    E-stop,

    I used the second speed of 18,000 for the roughing pass because it was going at 100 IPM, and a depth of .200. After that I did all the other cuts on the slowest speed of 10,000. The router was not hot at all. The bits got very warm, but I could still handle them for the tool changes.

    I must say that fixed tooling is a must when you are doing this kind of work. After the first roughing pass, the top of the material was gone. This means that I lost the top of stock were Z zero was set. Since I already know my tool lenghts it does not matter

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Well, you have it all here on CNCZone. My entire creation and building of my CNC router documented right here

    All that's left for me to do to complete this project, is to install the Home and limit switches and wait for Mach 2 to be finish and working.

    I will be working with my cousin do get a movie on my web site soon. I will let you know when it's there.

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Jeff,
    After reading yours and many other postings on this forum, I am going to build a CNC router, It may take me a little while to gather all the "bits" together, but I am itching to try. If I could call on your or anyone elses help, I would be grateful. Thanks to everyone for the input.
    This is by far, the most informative and interesting site I have been on (I sit for ages reading various posts).
    Mark...

    If in doubt ask!


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    Talking

    I must say that I am impressed!!

    Klox

    Last edited by Klox; 05-26-2003 at 12:15 PM.
    *** KloX ***
    I'm lazy, I'm only "sparking" when the EDM is running....


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    O.K. I got my Home switches in and last night I built my first I/O relay to turn on and off the router motor. With help from Dean from Axxus Tech. (I have his interface card) I was able to build a nice little relay box. I just place a M03 at the start and a M05 at the end of the Gcode.

    Oh it is so nice to not need to wait for a long Gcode program to finish so you can turn off the router. I just go to bed and in the morning it is done and the router is off!!!

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Yeah, if you are brave! Just when you leave all hell breaks loose!!

    I too have a relay driving the spindle. It's great! Now I just need software speed control....

    Eric

    I wish it wouldn't crash.


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    I had a filming session yesterday. My cousin came over with all his digital ‘stuff’ and I went through the process of setting up the router for cutting a part. I should get a few movies out of this. It was fun to watch the ball tool run over the hills and dips of the part. I will let everyone know when they are up on my web site.

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Jeff,

    I hope to get that motor relay working this weekend. I just got a Crydom solid state relay that switches up to a 240Vac 40Amp output based on a 5vdc input.

    I know where to hook the positive 5vdc, but still need to figure out the ground for the 5v.

    I can already feel that relief of being able to use M3/M5.

    Bill.



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    Question

    Originally posted by HomeCNC
    O.K. I got my Home switches in and last night I built my first I/O relay to turn on and off the router motor. With help from Dean from Axxus Tech. (I have his interface card) I was able to build a nice little relay box. I just place a M03 at the start and a M05 at the end of the Gcode.

    Oh it is so nice to not need to wait for a long Gcode program to finish so you can turn off the router. I just go to bed and in the morning it is done and the router is off!!!

    Jeff do you have any pictures of your home & limit switch set-up? How did you set-up the switches on the same end of the axis?

    Andy

    Andy Buchholz
    www.easternshoresigns.com


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    Default Home & Limit connection

    Fired up Cadkey for this sketch.
    Below is a drawing showing one axis connection to the LPT interface card. I use the Axxus card. I used Pin 10 , 12 and 13 for X, Y and Z Home and Limit. Pin 11 is different about the Axxus board so I did not use it. You can have a different pin for Home and a different pin for Limit but I did not want to use so many pins for this. I needed pins for I/O use as well.

    The best (safest) way to connect the switches is to use the closed method. This way if there is a break in the circuit or a power failure your software will trigger a limit stop. Connect all three axis as below.

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Building a CNC router-switch-gif  
    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Jeff,

    I know you said your fixed tool holders are working out great. Do you find any problems with them after a few weeks of use?

    I just finished a job that made me wish I had a set like yours. I hope you can answer some questions:

    1. How tight is the fit in the bore that accepts the tools.

    2. Do you preset your tool lengths, or just measure and store lengths in a tool file?

    3. Do you grind a flat on the side of the tool for the set screw?

    4. Do you notice any vibration or out of balance conditions?

    I appreciate advice you can provide.

    Thanks,
    Bill



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    I have been using them with great results! Even being made out of soft steel 1018 they seem to work fine. I have been approched by someone who offered to produce them for me to sell, and I have already had a money offer to purchase them. I just have not decieded if I wanted to get into selling them.

    1. How tight is the fit in the bore that accepts the tools.
    I just used a standard drill for the size I wanted. After de-burring, the end mill slides into the hole and traps air inside. After about 5 seconds I can pull out the bit and get a POP! of air suction.

    2. Do you preset your tool lengths, or just measure and store lengths in a tool file?
    Right now I just clamp a bit in the holder and then use the CNC router to measure its length. Later I am thinking of placing a 'PIN' on the edge of the table and by moving the router over it can set the tools to a pre-set length.

    3. Do you grind a flat on the side of the tool for the set screw?
    I do grind a small mark in the side of the carbide bit.

    4. Do you notice any vibration or out of balance conditions?
    I have not seen or felt any vibration when using my holders. I have ran the router at all speeds and for long periods of time (7 hours with one tool). I'm going to say that I'm satisfied with my testing and am going to place my engineering stamp of approval on them.



    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Hi all. This has been a very interesting thread. Good job Jeff. I too am in the throes of building (or at least aquiring parts for) a router. I seem to have found the right place!
    Anyway, this topic is a couple of months old but I'll add my 2 cents in case someone finds it useful:
    When trying to determine the angle of a collet, to reproduce the angle, set up your lathes headstock and tailstock with centers. Make sure your centers are somewhat accurate! Place the collet between centers. (If there is no "land" for the center to rest properly inside the collet you may have to make a close fitting mandrel with a center hole on one end which you can place into the collet with the center hole out). Next, place a dial indicator on the compound of your lathe and loosen the fasteners so the base will swivel. (Best to leave these a little tight so there is some friction during rotation) Dial tip goes onto the angle on the collet at center height and parallel to the bed and you start moving the compound slide back and for using its handwheel.
    Change the angle of the compound with each pass so the needle on the indicator reads zero. By moving the compound back and forth along the length of the collet, the EXACT angle can be set on the compound. Then, just use the compound to turn a replica. Internal bores can be produced by placing the needle on the opposite side of the collet.
    I hope this helps... -Doug



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    Doug,

    That is a good idea!
    While you have the indicator on there you could roll the carraige and with a little trig figure the angle. If it is close to some even degree or whatever I would chalk it up to my inaccuracy and go with that.

    Chris



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    Chris,

    Yep. But keep in mind that most manufacturers of collets, holders and taper lock tools in general don't use whole or evenly fractioned angles when deciding on the taper to use.... most of them use taper per running foot or taper per running inch. And even then they don't always use the same values from one size to the next. Morse tapers, from #0 through #8, are all over the place when measuring taper per inch. Brown and Sharp tapers are always .5" per foot except for their #10. (I guess they just had to be different)

    Thats probably more than you wanted to know... Anyway, glad to hear someone found that post useful.

    -Doug



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    I must have gotten the angle correct because when I go to loosen the collets they stick in the router and the nut needs to be turned against the snap ring to pop them free.

    Thanks

    Jeff Davis (HomeCNC)
    http://www.homecnc.info


    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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    Really nice job on the router and the project.
    There is a never ending learning curve to what speed, tool, step-over etc. when cutting hardwoods. I have been carving with a cnc router full time for about three years now and still get surprises on a weekly basis. This was a really admirable first cut.

    I have lurked here for quite a while before posting and have thouroughly enjoyed your project.

    Good work,
    Phill Pittman
    digicarve@verizon.net
    www.masterwerkes.com

    Phill Pittman
    www.masterwerkes.com
    phill@masterwerkes.com


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