Pictures of things made in Home Shop CNC

[bpratl]

Looks good, is that a placard or a cover for a piece of equipment?
What text software did you use and how long did it take to machine with your high speed spindle?
Bob

 

[TomS]

Looks good, is that a placard or a cover for a piece of equipment?
What text software did you use and how long did it take to machine with your high speed spindle?
Bob

First I'd like to say thanks to those that helped me get through some software glitches. Without their help I'd still be scratching my head trying to figure it out.

Yes, it's a placard for my mill. My focus was to learn engraving but I also wanted to make something that wouldn't be useless when I was done. I use the eMachineShop CAD program for drawing. It has a text function that I used. It was a bit of a learning curve to figure out but I got it done. My CAM software is D2NC. It's a fairly basic program and I had issues it with too. For some reason it did not like the letter "S". Kept locking up the program. My work around was to change the top line from "CHIPMASTER" to "CHIPMAKER". After doing that everything worked as it should.

Using a 1/16" 3 flute HSS end mill at a .005" DOC with 50% stepover I cut all the letters in about 27 minutes. Total DOC is .030". For info the RPM was 26,000 and feedrate was 79.5 IPM. I could have used a 1/8" end mill and and cut them in about 10 minutes but I don't have a 3/8" collet for my router, yet.

Thanks for asking.

Tom S.

 

[chevydyl]

Does you software do text-to-curve? That's a fun one, I use BobCAD-CAM which does the cool fit text to curve. Glad to see that you got your router cutting it up. Nice job

 

[TomS]

Does you software do text-to-curve? That's a fun one, I use BobCAD-CAM which does the cool fit text to curve. Glad to see that you got your router cutting it up. Nice job

What is text-to-curve? Is it text aligned to a radius as opposed to a straight line?

The router works great. Cuts down significantly on cycle time.

Tom S.

 

[chevydyl]

Yes it is tom, not only a radius on a flat part, but also planer, like a 3d roll if you will, it will fit curves in multiple axis

 

[TomS]

Yes it is tom, not only a radius on a flat part, but also planer, like a 3d roll if you will, it will fit curves in multiple axis

Ah! I understand now. I don't think my CAM software has that feature but will check it out. I run D2NC which is a fairly basic program.

Tom S.

 

[Metal]

So after seeing battlebots on TV, I decided thats a thing I needed to do.
With some investigation, I found out there are pretty frequent smaller weight class fights in the north east, so then this happened

CAD:


And the reality (every part machined on my hobby mill!)

 

[Jonesturf]

So after seeing battlebots on TV, I decided thats a thing I needed to do.
With some investigation, I found out there are pretty frequent smaller weight class fights in the north east, so then this happened

CAD:


And the reality (every part machined on my hobby mill!)

Can you make a video of it wrecking something like a teddy bear?


Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Metal]

Can you make a video of it wrecking something like a teddy bear?
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Its taken apart right now for the second version, it punches through 1/8" steel I dont think something like that would be very entertaining, just a teddy bear getting a hole popped into it.

 

[jbolt]

While I am waiting for my new lathe I had a chance to work on the CNC router. I need to make some machine button labels and a control box cover plate out of engraving plastic. I thought I would try my hand at a small vacuum table. This is the first go around. I have an old vacuum pump I though I would try so I went with a grid system that uses rubber cord to section off the areas to be clamped.

The table is made from two pieces of 3/4" MDF with air channels cut in the middle section where they are glued together. The passages when assembled are 0.260" square. I'm not sure if this is enough or not. The channels were sealed prior to gluing to avoid pulling air through the MDF. The top board has a 1/4" through hole at the end of the channel.



I was not sure how tight the channels needed to be I cut them 0.200" for a 0.250" cord. This has turned out to be too tight. I later found a thread on the net where the channels are cut 0.010" under in width and 0.020" in depth so I will re-cut those. Here is the first grid cut with several coats of sealer. The cord I'm using is 1/4" OD silicon tubing I already have. I'm not sure the tubing is ridged enough to create a seal. If not I will get some solid rubber cord.



The inlet ports will be drilled and tapped for a 1/4" IP thread. Each port will have a mini ball valve connected to a manifold. I did some pressure tests on the vacuum pump I have and it is only pulling 15 inches. It is only a 1.5 CFM pump so I'm betting it will not work as planned. I have a 5 gallon air tank I will try and use as a pre-chamber to see if I can get an initial pull and then see if the vacuum pump can maintain the seal. Vacuum pumps are pretty inexpensive these days so I may look at a new one if this does not work.

If I can get this to work the next question will be if the thin 1/16" engraving plastic will pull flat enough to engrave properly. The simple thing to do would be to use double sided tape to hold the plastic but whats the fun in that!