Need help with Steve Bedair Ball Turning Toolpost

[Revolverkiller]

hey guys, Im trying to make the Steve Bedair Ball Turning Toolpost for a project in my Machinist Class and i want to get made on the Fadal in the shop using mastercam. Im having problems figuring out the correct pocket toolpath for the hold down base. im just starting out on using this program and i do have the tutorial book, but its can only help so much.

so far when i do a pocket face toolpath with an island, the toolpath doesnt go to the outside of the stock, and i cannot figure out how to bore the hole in the center either. i keep getting MC kinda shruggin its shoulders not knowing what the hell im trying to do. ill post the drawing here so y'all can see what im trying to make. also the other side of the part needs to have a pocket as well, so do i have to do another program like the one with the holes and pockets just minus those?




how would you program this seemingly simple part into mastercam?

Revo

[Limpan]

Hi, to machine the Ø2.500 island try with 2D High Speed and then choose Core Mill. You will have to select both the stock contour and the Ø2.500 circle. Good luck...

[cforcht]

you can also do it with island facing. select the outer boundary as well as the circle. pocket milling works too. but if you use pocket milling you need to lie to it and create false geometry outside the outer boundary so it will face off past the edges of the part.

I remember designing and making a ball turning attachment in high school. when I was done with it. I donated it to the school.

[Superman]

Why use a "Pocket" routine ?
it is all 2D_Contours

order of ops - material size = X4.0",Y4.1", Z0.625",
XY origin = stock centre, Z origin = top of stock minus 0.02",
hold in a vice by 0.125" maximum.

- FACE to cleanup
- 2D_CONTOUR -outside block 0.052" deep
- 2D_CONTOUR -inside c'bore by ramping
- all HOLES

turn over,
hold in a vice (outside edges ) by 0.35" maximum
clock centre hole as 0,0, bottom face is Z zero

- FACE to thicknes
- 2D_CONTOUR -outside Ø2.5" & use multipasses
- 2D_CONTOUR -inside by ramping & use multipasses

part done

[cforcht]

superman, I was merely pointing out that in mastercam there is usually more than one way to accomplish the same task. it all comes down to preference and user ability.