Engraving Aluminum with a Wood Router CNC

[wmgeorge]

I have a 48x48 router with a high speed spindle (24,000 rpm) and I know people have engraved with machines like this in aluminum so I know it can be done. Using VCarve Pro 9.5 and Mach4.

But mine is R&P x-y and ball screw on the z. I am considering using mine to do dog tags and the like.

I have done some really fine detail using a 1/8 ball nose mill, just wondering how much luck others are having? Suggestions welcome.

Happy Holidays to you where ever your located!!

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[he1957]

After adopting a spring loaded tool holder from F.E.T. is the Ultimate and Most Affordable "Floating Engraving Tool" kit available! and using a Dremel 107 engraving cutter or a V-bit cutter, my results are fantastic along with consistent. I get better results with multiple passes, one or two to just penetrate the surface and an additional 0.01 mm (or just another with same DoC pass) to clean-up and take out any burrs. An air-blast makes a huge difference while cutting.

Similar mechanics to yours but on a 2400 x 1200 mm table.

[nlancaster]

Hell, I CUT aluminum on my machine.

I have done some engraving on aluminum as well, just used a standard 2 flute vgroove tool at 24k rpm, .050 DOC, and I think 100IPM

.250 single flute HSS, .125 stepdown, .050 stepover, 72IPM, 18000RPM

[wmgeorge]

Not much on FETs website very sparse on details for a $90 product.

NLancaster what are you using for coolant? I might try in the morning and just use some WD-40 for a trial run.. Thanks for posting guys.

[nlancaster]

when I did the engraving, i just used WD40, and it was cheap hardware store aluminum so no idea what material it was.

In that video i am running a diy fogbuster style setup with koolmist77.

[wizard]

Not much on FETs website very sparse on details for a $90 product.

NLancaster what are you using for coolant? I might try in the morning and just use some WD-40 for a trial run.. Thanks for posting guys.

What you will need coolant wise depends a bit upon the aluminum alloy as some are worst than others when it comes to sticking to the.cutter. That is one of the primary failure modes in aluminum, the cutter flutes plug leading to the cutter snapping or other bad voodoo. In general I like to think of it as lubricant not so much coolant. WD40 works as does many other solutions. If you are to do a lot of these it would likely be a good idea to experiment.

Speaking of dog tags this sounds like a perfect reason to build a special purpose machine sized for the job! A small CNC like this could be taken to arts and craft sales to do as you wait dog tags. Half the attraction would be people getting to watch the CNC (properly enclosed of course).

[machinedude]

when it comes to cutters for aluminum the coating either has to be for aluminum or no coating at all. something along the lines of kool mist 77 should work to prevent any galling of the flutes with a mister. mill drills work well for engraving as well typically a ball nose mill would be used for 3D tool paths but i guess it depends on what your looking for?