making wooden props

[Paraprop]

I am looking for a wood CNC router solution which would allow:

1. digitize the shape of an existing wooden propeller.

2. view the digitized prop on a cam software. Eventually modify it and then,

3. cut a wooden prop based on this modified data.


the max sizes of such props would be :

X = 135 cm / 53"

Y = 15 cm / 6 "

z = 7.5 cm / 3 "


Eventually it would be nice if I could put several router heads one next to the other so as to cut 2 or 3 props at once.


What would be the best drawings published in this forum to base the construction on ?

recomended rails / guides, motors, controller, software packages, digitizing head to be put instead of the router,....

I am thankfull for any advise.

Budget 1000 - 2000 US$.


Thanks

Daniel.

[CNCadmin]

Wow those are big props 53", their is some digitizing probes you can use to get the profile into a program. I myself have not used such yet, but it should get you a good result, most machine here on the site are small in nature you needed at least a 53"+ x travel, most designs here could be stretched, did you look in the download section for the plans available there?

[ger21]

Maybe this? http://www.data-cut.com

[CNC Darren]

I havent seen one in use, but shop saber has a digitizing probe in there options listing.

[Zoff]

Offered price will just cover invitation to a dinner.

[Paraprop]

Hi,

Thanks for your first input guys

CnC admin & ger 21, I think with a slightly longer X length, the data-cut model should do the job as the spec shows X to be 49" most of my props are between 39" and 50 ". I will check out in this forum if I can find any similar drawings.
Then I need to find out if stepper motors will do the job for digitizing or if I need servo motors for this. And also the required power rating for the motors. Any clues about this issue ?

CNC Darren,

I cannot find the shop saber. do you have a link ? I would like to have a look at the probe.

I think I have to find a suitable probe and also the matching software which can provide a control routine for the router to move the probe step by step based on the last reading and adjusting automaticaly the X,Y & Z position of the probe as required for the next step and storing the previous coordinates where the probe did touch.

There is one from Heidenhain, the TS 220 or 230 but very expensive and I do not know with which interface and software I can have the digitizing done automaticaly.


The second step, is then that the software should be able to smoothen the digitized data into nice surfaces and show a 3D model of the prop.

The third step, is that I must be able to change propeller length, shape and most important, the pitch.

Once this is done, I need a recomendation of a good CAM software and CNC software

Any experienced guy can give me a hint on what probe and software packages would do the job without ruining me ?

Do you think the digitizing software and control part has to be different from the cutting software and control part or can the same be used for both ?

What do you think is a reasonable budget for such a setup ?


Looking forward to hear from you guys.

Daniel Reinle

Paraprop

Thailand.

[ger21]

Originally Posted by Paraprop Do you think the digitizing software and control part has to be different from the cutting software and control part or can the same be used for both ?

DeskCNC is a machine controller with built in probing. And the probe is under $300, I believe. http://www.cadcamcadcam.com

And both TurboCNC, and Mach2 will do probing as well. http://www.dakeng.com and http://www.artofcnc.ca

[buscht]

I think I have to find a suitable probe and also the matching software which can provide a control routine for the router to move the probe step by step based on the last reading and adjusting automaticaly the X,Y & Z position of the probe as required for the next step and storing the previous coordinates where the probe did touch.

I'm definitely not an expert here, but I do own a Roland 3D digitizer. This machine will move the probe and store the points as you suggest. The more control points you have, the longer it takes. It will output a STL file which cannot be modified. I have heard that for doing sweeping curves like you need, fewer control points are recommended. You could probably do this without a probe, by putting a pointer in the router collet, manually moving the machine to the proper point and just writing down the coordinates for later entry into CAD.

The second step, is then that the software should be able to smoothen the digitized data into nice surfaces and show a 3D model of the prop.
You need to do this in a CAD program, RHINO seems to be a good choice for this. You would have to create surfaces by connecting the points.

The third step, is that I must be able to change propeller length, shape and most important, the pitch.Again, I think that you can do this in RHINO once you've created the surfaces.

Once this is done, I need a recomendation of a good CAM software and CNC software.

Try downloading RHINO, it has no expiration date, but the demo limits you to 25 saves. Price is around $700US

MACH 2 is a great controller program $150US


Do you think the digitizing software and control part has to be different from the cutting software and control part or can the same be used for both ?

This depends upon time and money, If you want to cut alot of props and the machine is tied up digitizing, you might need seperate setups, otherwise one setup will definitely save money.

What do you think is a reasonable budget for such a setup ?

A wild guess to do this properly and produce good parts would be $7000US for machine and software.

[CNC Darren]

heres the link: www.shopsabre.com I belive ther probe works with Rams 3D wich is the CAM which comes with thier router, there is a link for Rams on the shop saber website.

[buscht]

http://www.shopsabre.com/

[trent2530]

I've been trying to do the same thing for some time now. Some of my results are blogged at http://www.machinecnc.com

Trent

[Paraprop]

Hi trent,

went trough your website but can't find any concrete information about the issues I have raised in it.

Best regards


Daniel.