Adventures In Metal: Ongoing Questions

[derf]

Seems like the machine home zero's are mixed up with the part program zero's. When I tell my machine to Z.0, tool .0, it goes to the top , which is the machine home zero and tool change position. If I just told it to go to z.0, it goes to the part program zero.

 

[Metal]

If I understand correctly when pressing "Go To Zero" you want the X & Y to move to their "0" position and then the Z last.

Setting "Safe Z" is what you want set to work coordinates and a distance you want the Z to rise to before the X & Y moves. I use this quite often.

Ray

Thanks Ray, I'll try it out, I thought safe Z was how you prevented the mill from crashing not retracting the bit from the work.

A short update: I've been eying a clausing 8520 on craigslist, it looks to be in really good condition, but I'm not sure if the cost is worth the extra 5" of travel than the benchmaster I have, Ideally I'd want ~20" x travel which would envelope everything I could think of making without screwing around with refixturing and/or locating pins and such, and it has a power feed X axis which seems unneeded if I am going to CNC it, is there a market to resell the power feed bychance?

 

[TomS]

Thanks Ray, I'll try it out, I thought safe Z was how you prevented the mill from crashing not retracting the bit from the work.

A short update: I've been eying a clausing 8520 on craigslist, it looks to be in really good condition, but I'm not sure if the cost is worth the extra 5" of travel than the benchmaster I have, Ideally I'd want ~20" x travel which would envelope everything I could think of making without screwing around with refixturing and/or locating pins and such, and it has a power feed X axis which seems unneeded if I am going to CNC it, is there a market to resell the power feed bychance?

Ray has it right. I checked the Allow Safe Z Moves and tested it. X and Y move to 0,0 followed by Z. I learn something new everyday on this site.

Tom S.

 

[Metal]

Ah ha, that seems to work! thanks.

 

[rdean]

I have used Mach3 for about 7 years and I am still learning new things it can do.

All welcome

Ray

 

[Metal]

Hey here's a new one, how do I figure out how fast I am supposed to be plunging or ramping? my z axis has some backlash, so at the start of a cut it wants to ride up the bit, which is obviously a big problem.

 

[Metal]

So I picked up a few cheap 3 flute endmills off amazon to experiment with depth of cut and speeds, I plan on breaking all of them

New question: before using my mill every once in a while, I bring the mill all the way down, wipe the ways with a paper towel, and then reapply vacta2 way oil, every time the "wipe off" phase comes off pretty dark grey, which makes me think that the ways might be wearing rather quickly, or is this normal? I disassembled, cleaned the ways, reassembled and made way covers so that no chip has a chance of reaching them, but its still grey upon cleaning, should I be concerned?

 

[TomS]

So I picked up a few cheap 3 flute endmills off amazon to experiment with depth of cut and speeds, I plan on breaking all of them

New question: before using my mill every once in a while, I bring the mill all the way down, wipe the ways with a paper towel, and then reapply vacta2 way oil, every time the "wipe off" phase comes off pretty dark grey, which makes me think that the ways might be wearing rather quickly, or is this normal? I disassembled, cleaned the ways, reassembled and made way covers so that no chip has a chance of reaching them, but its still grey upon cleaning, should I be concerned?

Is there any noticeable wear on the ways? Do you have a one-shot oiling system on your mill? I have a one-shot system which tends to flush the ways clean. If you are squirting oil on your ways it may not be getting where it needs to be and the gray may be due to wear.

Tom S.

 

[TomS]

Hey here's a new one, how do I figure out how fast I am supposed to be plunging or ramping? my z axis has some backlash, so at the start of a cut it wants to ride up the bit, which is obviously a big problem.

My CAM program calculates ramp rates for me. I can't recall seeing any printed information on this. You can change it by editing your g-code if you are so inclined.

Tom S.

 

[Metal]

TomS: Thanks as always

Its a really old benchmaster, I don't have any sort of oiling system, I just rub the oil onto the ways, when I get a chance should I disassemble, degrease, strub, and reoil the ways until it comes out clean? I just now thought maybe some ground up cast iron from the ways might be providing grit which could be causing the wear (if it is wear) what else could it be?

My cam software also calculates ramping, but I'm in the grey area of what I should be doing, and what the mill is capable of doing, I suppose learning by experimentation is possible but with all the harping about knowing speeds and feeds it seems odd that it completely disregards the depth of cut (!?)