Need Help!- Engraving on X3

[huwwuh]

Hello,

Could anyone suggest a reasonably priced floating head engraving spindle for an X3?
I would quite like to fit one that drives down the existing spindle rather than bolting an additional unit to the side but would welcome suggestions for either approach.

Any help much appreciated.

Huwwuh.

[Journey_Man]

Hi I built a Spindle Speed Increaser for Richard Lowe @ Syil America.
Here is the Link to the site- http://www.hemingwaykits.com/acatalo...Increaser.html
The Kit had all of the Materials and a very good set of prints/I just had to convert them from mm to in.
I did all of the work with my C6 Lathe.

[neilw20]

I found the floating heads very expensive,

http://www.2linc.com/engraving_mini.htm

so just clock up the job perfectly flat, and possibly use mill to surface grind the job first.
I found the money was better spent on an eclipse magnetic chuck just small enough that my splash guards still work.

Surface grinding...

Surface Grinding

[metalworkz]

You can get bye with a regular engraving bit and do several very small passes if the parts are basically flat. This way you can stop at the end of a pass when the engraving looks good. The floating engraving tools are great to have but for most flat engraving it is hard to justify the cost.

[huwwuh]

I purchased a Kress 800 high speed spindle and have made a PTFE "nose" cone that is fixed to the motor and shrouds the cutter. Am in the process of placing the whol assembly on a spring loaded linear slide that I had lying around.
I'll let you know how it goes!

[huwwuh]

I have implemented my floating head arrangement (a bit crude but quick and easy to make). It uses a Kress spindle.
It works fine until I've cut about an inch (through acrylic) when either the tool overheats or the nose cone starts riding up on the swarf. If I remove the nose cone I can cut a clean line no problem but obviously without the cutter setting its own height.
I think that both of these issues are down to swarf collecting around the cutter in the nose cone.
Does anyone know how to keep the nose cone clear while it's cutting?
Should I hack a quarter out of the nose cone so it's partially open or is there another way?
Attached are pictures of the set-up including the nose cone.

Any help much appreciated.

[metalworkz]

Do you think you could incorporate an air passage directed down through the nozzle? This would probably help cool the bit while hopefully keeping the swarf from getting into the nozzle? It would require running a small compressor to supply the air pressure, but usually one is needed anyway for clearing the chips etc. Just an idea. Thanks for posting the pictures and your progress!

Regards,

[huwwuh]

I could change the noze cone in line with the attached drawing (I've got an airline to hand so the compressor is not a problem) but I can't really see where the swarf will go. By putting a high pressure region inside the nozzle you would be pushing the swarf away _underneath_ the cone that is meant to be sliding cleanly on the work surface.

Does anyone know how the real ones work?

[metalworkz]

I think the air flow from the nozzle will basically keep the path around the nozzle clear of the swarf. Perhaps as you mentioned a section of the nozzle could be removed and the airflow directed to blow the swarf out through the section that is removed. This way the nozzle will still have a good sized base to ride on the material and the swarf can exit through the cutout via the air pressure? It will also flow over the bit and help remove swarf that clings to the bit while cooling the tool.

Regards,

[john_t_h]

Have a look here for some home made solutions http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtop...=4772&start=15