How do I Get this Part Made?! Advice!

[vacpress]

Hey everyone..

Even though you are all sick of me, I would like to ask for some advice! I have got some parts I need made from .375 or .50 6061 or similar aluminum plate, or even some other material like steel plate. I do not want to make them by hand beause they are the key parts in a small gantry router I have designed. The most important aspect, by far, is the hole locations.. Doing pilot holes is an option, but i would much prefer the holes come out the right dimensions..

I may have access to a 48x48x5 commercial gantry router.. However, there are limitations. I cannot use any messy coolant, and I need to avoid cutter changes as the operator\programmer at school is lazy. Furthermore I have to provide my own cutters, which he may ruin. I was told I can use a wd40 or other spray lubes..They use Gibbs CAM, solidworks, and the machine itself has a nice penske(i think) spindle, and has been very impressive working mdf and RENboard.

My question is, what feed, speed, depth, cutter types, work flow can I recommend to this guy? I plan to nest all my parts onto 1 big sheet for him, so all the pockets are on one side, and if I do need cutter changes, at least they can only be once for the whole job.

An example part is attached in .pdf format, a 3d .igs format, and a .jpg. This is by far the most difficult part. The rest are less involved.

If the guy at school cannot work it, I will be asking for help here! Possibly RFQ.

Thanks very much in advance! I appreciate the help I get here a huge amount.

Robert

This is the machine the parts are for:
http://www.robertguyser.com/cncd.jpg

[vacpress]

maybe i should attempt to be vague and unintelligible, as that usually gets a good response.

maybe i should note that i am not 'a machinist' as my byline reads.. in fact, i am an 'evil robot', which it used to say, but then it stopped saying 'evil robot', and switched itself to 'machinist'.

soon it should say 'gold member'.

[Ken_Shea]

maybe i should note that i am not 'a machinist'


Poor sod



Man you set up and begged for that one

[vacpress]

i thought i said 'sods'
as in 'all of us'...

now i will go look

[Ken_Shea]

Makes no difference now


Did you get my PM ?

[vacpress]

yes.. please note the content of the thread.

#1
Looking for design work...need something drawn? need a 3-D model done?
Here are a couple of examples of my work. More available upon request

#2
you and me both!

#3
me too,

#4
poor sods!


-----------
i suppose the inent isnt 100% clear.

i try not to be openly mean for no reason!

[vacpress]

no. i didnt.. apparently my box was full. it is no longer full..

[Ken_Shea]

I thought is was just for fun, I had a laugh on it, never thought you were being mean, nor am I.

OK, I will send another

[ger21]

Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of guys here cutting aluminum parts like that on a router, so you might not get a quick reply here. As a guess, I'd get some endmills made for cutting aluminum, as they're much cheaper than aluminum cutting router bits. The tool manufacturers should be able to give you feed speeds and rpms. unfortunately, it seems like you won't have much of a chance to learn by trial and error, which is really mandatory imo. Good luck.

[vacpress]

yeah. i really wish i could get in there to experiment, but i dont have that chance. i am going to call the guy tomorrow to see what experience he has.. apparently he tried some aluminum and claims

'it is easier with the nice aluminum. not that other stuff'. he might mean anodized, i dont know, this is through an intermediary at this point.

they run endmills on it. i am sure it is ridgid enough.. i suppose the question is more general. it is just some advice on cutters, etc.. especially knowing about how to get all those hole sizes, i have only done cnc programming and cutting of aesthetic models at this point. in renboard..

thanks for the response. i will def. look into specific aluminum cutters.

[tobyaxis]

You need to clean your PM Box Vacpress

[holbieone]

if i were making a few i would mill them complete

if it was to be a long run i would have them cut on a water jet ,hole included and then just mill out the pockets