Machsupport Forum
General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) => Topic started by: poppabear on January 03, 2007, 05:44:43 PM
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Here is a program to make those Cubes inside of Cubes. For your Mach Machine.
Scott
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I did this a while ago......
(http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j253/fixittt/MAXNC/cubes.jpg)
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Hi,
Have you made any parts from this NC code?
Graham.
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Fixittt,
If you run my code, you will see that the Undercutting tool, ALSO, cuts the inner cubes free......
I like your work, very small, very nice.
Scot
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I found that the IJ mode had to be INC. If I understand the docs correctly the end mill you ground down has to be 3/4" dia?
Vince
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Hi Scott,
it must be me but I still dont see where the upper two bores are cut, the undercut tool moves in a square so what cuts the large bores?
Graham.
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I did mine on a Maxnc 15 Ol machine. ohh say 8 months ago or so maybe 6... hell I dont remember.
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Graham,
The Upper bores, are cut by the Undercut tool as well, remember it is STILL and end mill, just modified. When It plunges in for the larger bores (On my machine it plunges slowly). It contacts only about 1/2 the bottom of the End mill, once it reaches the bottom of that level, it then, moves in the Square path.
I hope that clears it up for you, I tried my hand at posting up a Simulation, AND a Simulation "Tool Path" from my CAM Program. BUT, I cannot figure out how to use the Wencouder (MS movie screen capture utility), to capture my Paths to show you.
If you are worried, cut your self a 0.75" Diameter End mill as described, and put yourself a 2" cube of "Insulating sheet foam", (you can get these foam sheets from home depot), or what ever kinda foam you want. Cut it on foam so you can see what I am talking about.
Scott
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I spent 3 hours last night grinding down a 3/4" end mill for the special tool to make the cubes. I should have ran the program dry a couple of times to check things out, but I did not. There is a problem with the program (side 1) around line 7000. Earlier in the program a 3/4 end mill cuts a .835" hole all the way through the cube. At line 7000 it starts to cut the second cube with the special cutter. It makes a move that is bigger than the .835" hole and snap. I don't see how this program could have ever made any Magic cubes. To work properly the 3/4" end mill should make three size holes, the biggest first, the a smaller one for the second cube and finally the .835 for the last cube.
Vince
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N4NV:
READ the note below the yours to Graham............
Where I note, that since the special mill end cuts, I had to SLOW the plunge rate WAY down. ON my machine, I slowed the plunge rate down to 0.5"/min. I may have been able to go faster, but my machine doesn't handle plunge cuts well..........
Also, in the Read me doc's, I note that you will have to adjust all the feeds, speeds, and spindle for YOUR machine. The G-code was for my machine. Since the tool was a custom tool, I had to adjust it by watching how it cut, the foam block first, and say to my self, nope gotta cut that plunge down, my machine want push that.
Sorry about your wasted time,
Scott
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Scott,
It is no waste of time if people are learning. Thanks for your contributions. ;)
Brett
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The program failure has nothing to do with the plunge rate. One side 1 with the special cutter, it plunges down to cut the center cube cuts a square, then retracts to cut the middle cube, it does not come all the way out. The cutter is still in a .835" hole. Anyone who tries to use the program make sure you single block through it for each side and make sure you verify what it is doing.
Vince
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hello everybody
if you want to have less problems doing your cubes you might make plugs to hold the inner cubes together while machining them the plugs are made to replace the missing metal that you have just removed and hold all the parts together so they wont break your tool . on a lathe you have to make a square bushing to hold your cube could also work on the milling . another method for metal cubes is to put epoxy after each face you cut then remove the epoxy after the cube is done .
Graham thanks for posting.
Marcel
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I finally made some cubes in a cube. Actually there are 5 cubes in all. The material is some type of bullet resistant plastic. A piece 12"x12"x2.1" is over $300. I don't know what it is called. A friend gave me a scrap piece. It machines like Delrin. It has a lot more flex than Delrin though. It was hard to hold it tight without flexing it too much. My friend says it can be flame polished but I had not had the nerve to try. The machining took about 14 minutes a side with a total of 4 tools, a drill, 5/16" end mill, 1/2" dovetail cutter and a 3/4" dovetail cutter.
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Looks good, I know it feels good to make things like that. Study up and don't rush it but polished would look neat.
Brett
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Very well done
Marcel Beaudry
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I have one of those sitting on my desktop.
Thanks to Marcel's generosity.
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I finally made some cubes in a cube. Actually there are 5 cubes in all. The material is some type of bullet resistant plastic. A piece 12"x12"x2.1" is over $300. I don't know what it is called. A friend gave me a scrap piece. I machines like Delrin. It has a lot more flex than Delrin though. It was hard to hold it tight without flexing it too much. My friend says it can be flame polished but I had not had the nerve to try. The machining took about 14 minutes a side with a total of 4 tools, a drill, 5/16" end mill, 1/2" dovetail cutter and a 3/4" dovetail cutter.
Did you use the same code with the dovetail cutters? If not could you post it. Also I would love to make these but I have a Taig mill and can only use up to a 3/8" shank endmill. Do they make endmills with a bigger cutter than the shank?
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Did you use the same code with the dovetail cutters? If not could you post it. Also I would love to make these but I have a Taig mill and can only use up to a 3/8" shank endmill. Do they make endmills with a bigger cutter than the shank?
I used the program that was listed in Digital Machinist. I don't know how to attach files here.
Vince
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Hey Vince, Did you polish the cubes? Was wondering how that turned out. I have attached a link to a link ;D that will help you with inserting files.
Brett
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Hey Vince, Did you polish the cubes? Was wondering how that turned out. I have attached a link to a link ;D that will help you with inserting files.
Brett
No, I have not polished them yet. I tried to do it mechanically but gave up. I was told that acitone could work but I have to pick some up (my wife does not use nail polish so there is no nail polish remover around the house).
Vince
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Careful, acetone acts as a solvent for some plastics.
Put a drop inside where you can't see it easily, and wait to see if the plastic get soft or tacky before you go wetting the whole outside surface with it.