Good engraving tooling...low rpm problems???

[rando]

I am working on some christmas gifts.
What I am doing is engraving clock faces.
Here is an example of what I am doing....

though it looks o.k. I am not happy with the tooling I am using.
Here is a screenshot of my mcV8 verify

Has anyone ever used a pneumatic engraver chucked in a mill to engrave?
That's just an idea I had...I am afraid I'd obtain less than desireable results.
Any suggestions on tooling for engraving?
Right now, I am using a carbide chamfer mill, but with the 2400 max rpm my bridgeport retro-fit 3-axis mill, it doesn't last long.


I have been drawing up many more, and plan on parents, in-laws, grandparents, and siblings all getting a handmade clock from me for christmas.
chief 1
chief 2
Jesus weaping
Jesus-n-lamb

I'd really like to give these out, but I don't want to spend a fortune on tooling.

Thanks in advance.

[Fixittt]

i have used 1/16th ball noses for alot of my larger engravings, back in the day
Also these types of cutters which are made for engraving
http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/product_id/32223

[Fiddlemaker5224]

I have used these to mill in ablone shell they may work for you.
Been using the same one for 5 years.
Description:Ball - Single End Mills Size: 1/32 Shank Diameter: 1/8 Length of Cut: 3/32 Overall Length: 3 Mill Diameter Radius x Mill Depth: 4 mm Material: Solid Carbide Finish/Coating: Diamond Size (Inch):1/32 Shank Diameter (Inch):1/8 Length of Cut (Inch):3/32 Overall Length (Inch):3 Mill Diameter Radius x Mill Depth (mm):4mm Material:Solid Carbide Finish/Coating:Diamond Style:Ball End Neck Diameter (Decimal Inch):0.028 Shank Extension Length (Inch):3/8

[rando]

Thanks for the link.

I have been looking at those cutters, but am wondering if they will withstand the lower rpms my machine gives me???

Is that the reasoning for offsetting the center?

I suppose for the price, it'll be worth a try.

Nice work btw....what software do you use?

Where do you get those fonts?

I use simplycam's freebie for resizing, then take pics into wintopo for finalizing vectorization, and saving as dxf, then the real work begins with mc8. Lot's of work left in m*cam deleting unneeeded geometry, forming pockets, and cleaning up profiles to shorten program...it's alot harder than I thought. The lines from the dxf file wintopo produces are very jagged, and it is an art to get the file to produce a good vectorization in there as well. I guess I can't complain when you take into consideration what I paid fo the software...$0
Although most of my pics are based off of someone elses artwork, it is still lots of work producing the outcome I am after.

[rando]

Originally Posted by Fiddlemaker5224 I have used these to mill in ablone shell they may work for you. Been using the same one for 5 years.

I guess I'll look into a 1/32 diamond coated ball mill as well. Does that produce a fat line?
I am after fine lies, and am working in steel, aluminum or stainless.

The first one...only one I've actually cut yet is in steel, but it is pretty heavy.
Ithought when I pocketed out the back, It'd be acceptable, but even at 3/16 thick all the way around, it's going to need a hercules hook to hang it...or find a stud for sure...LOL!!!

[Fiddlemaker5224]

Originally Posted by rando I guess I'll look into a 1/32 diamond coated ball mill as well. Does that produce a fat line? I am after fine lies, and am working in steel, aluminum or stainless. The first one...only one I've actually cut yet is in steel, but it is pretty heavy. Ithought when I pocketed out the back, It'd be acceptable, but even at 3/16 thick all the way around, it's going to need a hercules hook to hang it...or find a stud for sure...LOL!!!

It has a slightly concave surface. I mix brass and copper dust with epoxy and fill them in for a metal inlay look on the shell.

[rando]

Originally Posted by Fiddlemaker5224 It has a slightly concave surface. I mix brass and copper dust with epoxy and fill them in for a metal inlay look on the shell.

I hadn't considered metal in-lay... I bet that gives a very distinguished appearance.
Got any pics?

I like your avatar....did you make that?

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by rando I am working on some christmas gifts. What I am doing is engraving clock faces. Here is an example of what I am doing.... though it looks o.k. I am not happy with the tooling I am using. Here is a screenshot of my mcV8 verify Has anyone ever used a pneumatic engraver chucked in a mill to engrave? That's just an idea I had...I am afraid I'd obtain less than desireable results. Any suggestions on tooling for engraving? Right now, I am using a carbide chamfer mill, but with the 2400 max rpm my bridgeport retro-fit 3-axis mill, it doesn't last long. I have been drawing up many more, and plan on parents, in-laws, grandparents, and siblings all getting a handmade clock from me for christmas. chief 1 chief 2 Jesus weaping Jesus-n-lamb I'd really like to give these out, but I don't want to spend a fortune on tooling. Thanks in advance.

It might be worth looking into mounting a secondary spindle, also known as a dremel or such onto your machine for engraving work. If you use the knee instead of the spindle for z axis all you have to do is make a bracket to mount the dremel to the side of the head.

If the quill is your z axis it is a little more difficult to do depending on the size of you tool holders. Quick and dirty is to make a clamping bracket that clamps onto the outiside of the quill and then mount you engrave to this.
You still have a fair amount of time before you have to give gifts this year.

Very nice work so far.
Mike

P.S. Get a variable speed dremel or router so you can match the speeds to the cutters and material. Check the runout before you buy. some of the cheaper stuff has a unacceptable amount of runout.

[neilw20]

I get broken 0.5mm carbide drills from my local PCB manufacturers rubbish bin. (I supply the bin).

I mount a CBN wheel (grinds carbide) in my lathe and have a jig for rotating the 1/8" shank drills. I let the drill OD (it is 0.5mm diameter usually but I like the 0.35mm ones too) touch on the grinder (looking with a 10x glass), then reduce the diameter down to 0.2mm or 0.3mm and just grind the end dead flat until it sparks out.
Engraving in stainless at 3500 RPM and 15mm/minute I have had cutters last up to 30 hours. It is usually some stupid operator (that's me) that kills the cutter.
They give a nice square bottom finish, so variations in depth don't affect the width of the line.
I fill lines with powder coat and cook at 200deg C in home oven.
The font is Acad Complex. Line graduations are 1mm

[Fixittt]

to answer the questions asked, I did all those engravings along time ago when I had autocad 2000 (about 6 or 7 years ago) The fonts I believe were either windows fonts or fonts in autocad. All the pictures were drawn by using the simple arc command. layout the vectors quickly then tough up. Still took a few hours each.
The Debbie and Steve portrates were drawn in autocad, I then reversed the image so it was all backwards. Sandblasted the back off a sheet of acrylic. spray painted it then engraved thrue the spray paint. The result was clear engravings when looking from the front. A nice frame some colored construction paper and a soft back lighting illuminated the engravings.

[rando]

Hmmm....nice ideas guys.

Spray painted acrylic...backlit....wow!!!
I bet those look really nice up close and personal.
Thanks for that one fixitttt.

Neil,
Very professional appearance on that...what is it ...a scale.
Great Work!!!

Mike,
That's a great idea too. I don't know why I hadn't thought of mounting it off to the side of the spindle, but I have a pencil die grinder that'll kick some rpms. I tried to mount it in the chuck with an adapter, but the way the airhose comes in, it hung down too far. I'll bet that will wind out being the route I take.
Thanks for all of the pointers.

[Fiddlemaker5224]

Originally Posted by rando I hadn't considered metal in-lay... I bet that gives a very distinguished appearance. Got any pics? I like your avatar....did you make that?

I looked through the files and don't currently have a good pic, I will take some of the current project when I get to that stage. Yes that is one of the 8 string fiddles that I make (currently hanging on the wall). That one is a panther on bubinga wood. I am currently working on a dragon fiddle and the inlays will be the brass epoxy method on the tail piece.