Actually, I hand sharpen my own tool bits for my Fly Cutter, and I can get a better finish just by using the right hook angle and radius combination!Originally Posted by BobWarfield
The blanks sell for a dollar or two! I use eithe HSS, Cobalt, or Carbide, depending on what material I'm cutting.
Widgit
www.widgitmaster.com
It's not what you take away, it's what you are left with that counts!
lookin good widgit' , also good pics ,i know it takes a while to take all those pictures ,and then post them,but they look good,would be nice to use a .015 end mill to cut that stock out, with a slot on one side then flip it up and do the same on the other side, you would then have a nice peice of stock left over then ,instead of a few buckets of chips
"witty comment"
Another busy day is the garage!
Today I started working on the X-Axis slide block. The slide block will have a bore in the center for the Ball Nut to nest in to, and have 4 small V-Groove bearings on each end.
To make this big slide block, I started with a 24 1/4 x 4 1/4 x 3 block of 6061 aluminum. The block had been all squared up a few days ago, and now it's time to add the details on the ends for the V-Groove bearings.
I started by removing the two vises, cleaned up the table area, and trammed the head. Then I put a vise up in the long direction, and trammed it in. Next I added some soft aluminum jaws, and milled them true.
Now with a stop on the vise, I can flip the block and do the same detail on each end. After the hook was milled on the ends, I re-positioned the turret, and started the detail in the center of one side of the block. This worked out well, as I now have 50% of the block finished in one morning!
Next I sprayed a little blue ink on one side, and used the height gage to scribe my layout lines to guide me through the rest of the part. Because there was a significantly larger amount of material to remove, I decided to push the block through the band saw to eliminate the bulk of material. The band saw cut a full 1/8" away from my lines!
The pile of chips is getting deeper & deeper!
Widgit
Well, after lunch I went back out to the shop and finished the other side of the X-Axis slide block! First I milled the boss in the center of the part, then I milled the height to its finish dimension.
Next I used my face mill to remove all the flat surfaces, and finished up with the 45° cutter.
Usually when milling a 45° angle, all you need to do is set the point to zero using a gage block, then sneak up on the blended intersections. After setting the DRO to zero, and the mill's knee to zero, all you need to do is drop the knee .200 and move the table .200 to walk the cutter up the angle! But my cheesy Enco end mill is NOT a true 45°, so it left deep lines where it mismatched with each step-over
That is depressing, as everything else on the part was perfect!
So now I have the two base rail supports, and the X-Axis slide block!
This machine is starting to look really cool! I only hope it's a rigid as I tried to make it!
Total shop time 8-hr
Widgit
What, you stopped for lunch!
- WidgitMaster Wide Router with Kress FME 800, HobbyCNC 305oz Stepper Kit
- WidgitMaster Midi Router with Dremel
That's funny!
not to bad if the small step is your only problem so far
"witty comment"
A little more progress today!
After removing the vise from the mill, I rotated the turret 30° and extended the ram. Them I mounted my 6x9 angle plate on the end of the table, and dialed it nice and true. Then I bolted a little side plate on to the angle plate, so that I would have a solid 90° corner to work from.
After all that, I clamped one of the "L" shaped parts in that corner, so that I could drill, tap & ream some holes as accurately as possible. These holes will mate with holes in the x-axis front & rear plates, and the "L" will also have the Double-V track fastened to it. Those holes will go in later.
Widgit
Next, I clamped the X-Axis slide block in the corner, so that I could drill, tap, ream, and c-bore several holes.
All the details on this part have to be done from the end, as the V-Groove bearings and felt wipers will be mounted from the inside! Also, there are six 1/4-20 UNC tapped holes and two .1876 dia. reamed holes to attach the Y-Axis side plates.
The Felt wipers are held by two #2-56 UNC screws, so I had to drill a hole that's slightly bigger than the body o the tap, so that I could get the little tap through a 1" thick section.
Also, two M6x1 threads to fasten the two stationary V-Groove bearings. Then a deep 1/2" dia counter-bore with a precision diameter hole at the bottom. This was for the V-Groove bearing with an adjustment cam attached. The counter-bore enabled me to get a 5/16 hex socket and nut on to the little cam shaft.
Now I have the Double-V groove tracks and bearings finished on the X-Axis slide block. I like the fact that the bearings are adjustable, so that any slop can be eliminated as the machine settles in with use!
Widgit
Oh yea, I had to modify a 7/16" open end wrench so that it was thin enough to access the nut under each V-Groove bearing!
Last edited by widgitmaster; 02-27-2008 at 04:40 PM. Reason: typo
I have been pleased with the progress of this V-Groove design, that I may take this router all the way with electronics! So that I can have one in my shop, as it seems odd that I don't even use these routers that I build and sell so frequently!
While working with my CAD drawings, I have been thinking about building a sturdy stand and cabinet underneath it! Then I can have a place for the electronics that's not going to be effected by the HOT flying metal chips from my big mill! For this reason, I never bring my laptops into the shop! Imagine a big old hot aluminum or steel chip melting it's way through the screen or keyboard
Widgit
Last edited by widgitmaster; 02-27-2008 at 05:00 PM.
I have been pleased with the progress of this V-Groove design, that I may take this router all the way with electronics! So that I can have one in my shop, as it seems odd that I don't even use these routers that I build and sell so frequently!
While working with my CAD drawings, I have been thinking about building a sturdy stand and cabinet underneath it! Then I can have a place for the electronics that's not going to be effected by the HOT flying metal chips from my big mill! For this reason, I never bring my laptops into the shop! Imagine a big old hot aluminum or steel chip melting it's way through the screen or keyboard
Widgit
That last pic is the money shot!
Looks awesome. Very beefy.
Cheers,
BW
A little more progress today!
So far I have made the front & rear plates, which will be fastened to the "L" tracks with three 1/4-20 SHCS, and two 3/16" dia x 1" long dowel pins.
Then I drilled & tapped all the #6-32 holes which fasten the Double-V tracks to the "L". and shortened the Double-V tracks from 24" to just under 23".
After a trial assembly, I found the slide was a little tight, so I took some measurements, and re-cut the "L" where the V-Tracks are mounted. After removing .008" from each "L", the assembled unit was tracking nicely.
During the design stage, I had to reverse engineer the V-Bearing & Track system, and decided to leave an additional .010" on the "L". I'm glad I did as it would have been .002" out of alignment, which would have required shimming the V-Tracks.
Another item I have added is two 1/2" dia aluminum rails in the middle of the unit, one on top, and one underneath the slide block. This is to ensure the force of the lead screw does not push against the front & rear plates without having something to retain the force! The two rails will be finished sometime today.
I have ordered bearings & thrust bearings with a .500" ID, for use on the ends of the lead screws.
Widgit
This morning I squared up the top T-Slot plate, it was 24 1/4 x 24 1/4 so I removed about 1/8" from all edges.
Because of the size of the plate, I can only do one edge at a time. Then I have to re-position the plate on the mill, dial in the previous cut edge so it's parallel to the mills axis, clamp and mill to finish size. Then I have to rotate it 90°, dial the plate parallel to the mills y-axis, clamp and cut one edge. Leaving one more edge to rotate, dial in, and mill parallel.
The whole process took about 3.8 hours. While the mill was running, I slipped over to the lathe and made a few other parts for this big router!
After my late lunch break, I'll go out and finish up a few T-slots. This is also a time consuming process, as I can only do a few slots per setup due to the mill's travel restrictions.
All total, I'd estimate 18-24 hours to make one plate with all it's holes, slots and c-bores.
Widgit
Widgit
nice design , looks great so far
i was looking at the slide , could you not build that as a 3 piece assembly rather than one solid piece ,you could use shoulder bolts to bolt it together , you may save a fair amount of machine time and save on material costs
A poet knows no boundary yet he is bound to the boundaries of ones own mind !! ........
Thanks dertsap!
That would have been too easy, and this is not a production machine! (Not on my budget anyway)
After lunch I finished up the whole plate! Milled slots, drilled holes and deburred it!
All I have to do now is wait for some screws & pins that have been ordered!
The adjustable foot pads that I ordered from McMaster Carr arrived Friday evening, now I need to get some 3/8-16 flat head screws, and countersink the base rails to fasten the 6" long 1" dia legs I made in the lathe today!
This Router is getting too heavy to move around, so I'll have to get a cart or wagon to transport it in my house!
Now that the base is finished, I have been thinking about the side plates for the Y/Z axis. The offset of the plates is determined by the diameter of the spindle motor. otherwise the spindle will be off the front of the t-slot plate when the x-axis is at it's maximum. So now I need to decide which spindle motor!
I have a 30000 RPM Makita Die Grinder with a 1/4" collet, and a 1.5" dia clamping surface. It is slender, but very noisy! Is there a better choice, like a Dewalt with 1/2" spindle?
Widgit
A couple suggestions.
First, a 1000lb lift table has been a very handy and inexpensive addition to my shop.
Second, somewhere on these boards was a nice review of the Bosch as a spindle choice. Very low runout.
Best,
BW
Unfortunately Bob, I don't have room in my little shop for one of those lift tables, but I'll find another way!
As for the Router project, I think I'm going to build the whole Y & Z axis assembly without building the Side Plates. This will give me time to shop around for a nice spindle motor.
Now that all the heavy milling is done on the X-Axis, I'll start working on the lead screw & ball nut placement, the pre load for the end bearings, and the placement of the limit switches.
I have purchased four sets of three different types of limit switches, they were not very expensive and will make the task easier!
Widgit
pretty nice lookin base ya got there , heavy = less vibration
"witty comment"
Thanks!
I think I'm going all out on this one, as I do need a good solid CNC machine to engrave the WidgitMaster logo on all the parts and stuff I build!
Eric
you sure do nice work....
Joe
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