Tiag and engraving how good?

[arguepo]

I'm looking to buy a Taig and do some pocket engraving on aluminum with it anyone have any experience doing this with their Taig and how good were the results.

[phoglite]

I'm looking to buy a Taig and do some pocket engraving on aluminum with it anyone have any experience doing this with their Taig and how good were the results.

I've got a taig cnc mill with xylotex board and mach3. I'm planning to do some engraving this weekend actually - what specifically do you have in mind? How deep and what size? Just text or images? -Keith

[awerby]

I've heard of pocketing - where you're removing material bounded by a series of lines and/or curves. And I know what engraving is (usually) - removing material along a linear and/or curving path. But I've never heard of pocket engraving - maybe you could explain in more detail what you've got in mind?

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[arguepo]

Here is a pic of what I'm trying to do. Also would that be a ball mill that did that?
Thanks Pete

[arguepo]

Here is a pic of what I'm trying to do. Also would that be a ball mill that did that? The depth is somwhere around .020" not very deep if it was done in mm then not more than .50mm. The aluminum piece is 3" in diameter.
Thanks Pete

[/QUOTE]

[jalessi]

Arguepo,

A Taig mill will do a nice job doing that type of work.

Yes a ball mill was used.

Welcome to the Zone,

Jeff...

[arguepo]

Thanks for the reply yes I'm new thanks for the welcome.
Pete

[3v0]

I expect the mill will be fine but the problem is finding software. The nearest I have come is cambam. Under MACHINING in the main menu select POCKET. This single action will create pockets for all selected bounded shapes. when you create the toolpath it creates the paths needed to make the pockets based on the tool. It even knows to leave the raised portions of 0's and P's.

I only played with cambam for a bit and had some problems with the path generation. It may have been user error. I was generating the text in InkScape and importing into cambam. I do not recall the exact details. Unless I can find an easier procedure this is what I expect to use for engraving. There is a program called Dr Engrave but I think you have to buy a $300 drag bit to try it.

You can buy engraving tools for use in mills at
Bur-lane Incorporated http://www.bur-lane.com/.
The ones I have are 1/8" shank.

3v0

[jalessi]

Pete,

Check out CUT2D it will do the pocket milling you desire and costs only $150.00

Very easy to use!

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectr...d_features.htm

Jeff...

[arguepo]

Thanks for the reply I have the software picked out it will be Millwrite. I was concerned about the machine capability. The quality of the stepper motors and such I guess would also come into play.
Thanks Pete

I expect the mill will be fine but the problem is finding software. The nearest I have come is cambam. Under MACHINING in the main menu select POCKET. This single action will create pockets for all selected bounded shapes. when you create the toolpath it creates the paths needed to make the pockets based on the tool. It even knows to leave the raised portions of 0's and P's.

I only played with cambam for a bit and had some problems with the path generation. It may have been user error. I was generating the text in InkScape and importing into cambam. I do not recall the exact details. Unless I can find an easier procedure this is what I expect to use for engraving. There is a program called Dr Engrave but I think you have to buy a $300 drag bit to try it.

You can buy engraving tools for use in mills at
Bur-lane Incorporated http://www.bur-lane.com/.
The ones I have are 1/8" shank.

3v0

[arguepo]

Thanks for the reply jalessi I looked at CUT2D and did not like a few things about it compared to Millwrite. 1 being I like to print my work and see an almost actual view of what it's going to end up looking like. With CUT2d I could not print it out. There were a couple of other things not much else other than that CUT2d is good.
Thanks Pete

Pete,

Check out CUT2D it will do the pocket milling you desire and costs only $150.00

Very easy to use!

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectr...d_features.htm

Jeff...