Engraving Question
I searched for engraving threads but still need some help. I made a holder for my tools and was going to label the holes with those plastic label that stick on. That seems too mickey mouse and I've decided to engrave the numbers. I probably want the numbers to be 1/4" in height. I have no idea what tool to use. Would seem I need something like 1/16" EM, but such would likely break just by looking at it. The Tormach tool, if I understand, is just a diamond tip that gets dragged. The material is 6061.
P1010126_zps1376af7f.jpg photo by mysnoopybird | Photobucket
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I have a Roto Zip mounted on my 1100, 30,000 rpms. Most of my engraving was in wood, some 6061, brass ect. I just used router bits or dremel tooling. All worked fine. I do have the diamond drag engraver. That works great too because it is spring loaded. It only marks fine though not as wide as you would like. You can see the Roto Zip in the photo, I just made a simple mount it works. I always leave it on and I can still use the ATC.
Sp-4, thanks, I hadn't thought about those, might be just what I need.
John
I do lots of wood working and had it sitting around and on a whim I put it on. Now I never take it off. If I want to engrave, just put in a bit and go. It has two Collete sizes. What is nice is how fast one can engrave. I do have a 3/4" harded dowel that I put in the 1100s spindle so not to collapse the collet and to keep out chips when I run the Roto Zip.
Engraving Tools and Cutters, Diamond Engraving Tools
Trust me, you don't need the spring loaded tool holder providing you are careful.
You will benefit greatly from extra rpms, so high speed spindle options can be worthwhile if you are going to do a lot of engraving. You can get by quite happily with 5000 rpm, providing you keep the feed rates down. 10% of the tip width per revolution can be a good starting point.
Phil
PS: A high degree of concentricity of the cutter tip with the axis of rotation is very important.
Single Lip cutters
John I use single lip cutters for doing fine pocket milling such as engraving text into metal. You can see an example of these cutters in the attached photo. Because of the taper, these cutters have more strength than you can get with straight cutters. I typically use cutters that I tip off at .005". I buy blanks and grind them on a small single lip cutter grinder. They break easily and they are not cheap to purchase already ground. However, once you learn to use them, they can help you do incredible work. As mentioned earlier for small cutters like these rpm's are your friend.
I also use spring loaded diamond drag engraving points and they work really well also. As it only does line engraving, it goes much faster and gives much different results than pocket milling.
For a tool holder I would go with a diamond drag engraver unless I wanted to get experience pocket milling text.
Ken
For light engraving, you can knock up a pyramid cutter (make the end look like a 3- or 4- sided pyramid. Downfeed very slowly) from a broken 1/8" end mill in fairly short order. If you have facilities to grind it, carbide works much better.
I cannot see a photo. I would like to see an example of a mount that would not interfere with anything. Thank you.Originally Posted by Sp-4renegade
Sorry about that for some reason the pics did not attach. I will try again.
Tormach have alternatives for high speed spindles:
High Speed Spindles | Tormach LLC providers of personal small CNC machines, CNC tooling, and many more CNC items.
Phil
True, Yet I got an engraving job on a Friday night and the person wanted it for Monday morning. The Roto Zip I had. Most of my work is people need it now, and I never know what is going to show up, so I have to build, jig, adapt or just dream something up.Tormach have alternatives for high speed spindles:
High Speed Spindles | Tormach LLC providers of personal small CNC machines, CNC tooling, and many more CNC items.
Phil
re Tormach High Speed Spindles ("speeder")
It looks like they are going thru a re-engineering cycle - for the last year they are not offering them - but a rescent post the guy has a prototype - probabbly he should not have mentioned it :}
Peter
I ordered my 1100 in March 2012, I tried getting the speeder, no luck. I needed the Tormach, tilting 4th and the ATC and speederfor doing the rear lugs on my wood toy tractors. Takes way to long manually. When I get caught up.
Nice!
Thanks.
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