Machsupport Forum
General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) => Topic started by: Tweakie.CNC on December 06, 2008, 07:34:54 AM
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I have made many things with the use of CNC that I would otherwise not have the necessary skills to make. The Lithophanes and Wood Carvings I have made are good examples of this.
So with the inspiration of Marcel, Poppabears 'Magic Cubes' thread and N4NV's reference to 'Digital Machinist' I set about making this Mini Turner's Cube (it is this size because that was the size of the alloy plate that I had).
I certainly do not have the necessary lathe skills so this was made on my recently acquired Boxford mill. In the end I used the Mach Wizards 'Circular pocket' and 'Cut circle' (thanks to Brian Barker and Kiran) for the code, which only required slight modification. The tools used were a 4mm slot drill for the pockets and a 10mm 45 degree undercut (dovetail) to free the center cube. A bit of polishing and it's finished.
Controversial perhaps, but something this exercise has shown me is that, in the fullness of time, CNC programing skills will replace the traditional trade skills for almost all manufactured items. Is that a good thing or a bad thing ?.
Tweakie.
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Sorry, I missed a photo in the above sequence.
This is the point where courage or faith in your programing is required. Total conviction.
Tweakie.
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That's nifty Tweakie......really nifty.
And I believe your last statement is correct.
After all, the car replaced the horse and the gun replaced the sticks n' stones.
Thanks,
RC
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tweakie,
That is sweet and nice pictures as they show how you did it.
So on the last cutting of the inside cube, are you doing anything to hold it in place of just hoping it drops
away from the cutter?
RICH
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Hi Rich,
Nothing was holding the center cube in place, it did just drop away. I was holding my breath though.
Tweakie.
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Now that is a turner`s cube . Now if you don't want an heart attack every time you make one ,make plugs that will replace the missing metal so when you put it in your vise it will hold your middle cube while you machine it.
Marcel Beaudry
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Nic work, Tweakie, that's a beauty!
And Marcel has a great idea with the plugs but I was also thinking you could use a C clamp to clamp the square inside, and then clamp that clamp to the vise. That would make sure it wouldn't go anywhere for you.
I've had enough heart trouble.... I don't need more :D
Dave
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There is another trick you can use when doing very complicated complex turnings in metal.you can fill the voids with epoxy let it harden 24 hours then machine your parts repeat as needed. Then use an epoxy solvent . >:D
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Good stuff Tweak (as always). How did you polish it?
CNC programing skills will replace the traditional trade skills for almost all manufactured items. Is that a good thing or a bad thing ?
RC summed it up nicely. You can also think of it as a "new set" of skills, and not a replacement. You will still have to have machinist capabilities/mindset. The machines may be like a mindless robot, but the instructor sure has to have a good diverse skill set to instruct it. You better keep up with technology, or it will leave you sitting by the side of the road. Any advancement in technology in my eyes is definitely a good thing.
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Hi Guys,
When I was freeing the center cube, I had machined 5 sides and it looked as if the cube was still attached at all 8 points. I seriously considered Marcel's suggestion of the epoxy but decided to have a go at the final face anyway (impatience on my part). I was quite surprised when the cube dropped free and of course I was extremely lucky not to ruin the whole thing and break the cutter. You have to have luck in this world. If I ever make another I will certainly use supports for the inner cube when final machining.
The cube was polished by hand using 'T-Cut' and a piece of cloth folded round a flat needle file. The polishing took longer than the making.
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I am still not sure about this skills issue. I really don't think that a 'CNC machine operator' needs to have engineering skills (some knowledge yes but skill no). But does a program writer need engineering skills ? (again some knowledge yes but skill no).
Coming back to this cube - if the programs have been written then surely anyone could make it whether they have skill or not.
I would be really interested in your comments on this folks.
Regards, Tweakie.
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Looks great Tweakie. As far as skill, the beauty of CNC is that you can non-skilled workers (button smashers) producing parts that use to be for skilled machinest only. And they can make them fast and repeatability is insane. One skilled machinest can set up and take care of many machines for button smashers to load and operate. Their is a huge difference in the 2 most of the time.
Brett
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Tweakie when you make 1 cube inside another or more, 5 sides are easy to do . the problems start whith the 6th side how to hold everything together, the more parts the cube has the plugs becomes more complicated , metal cube you can use epoxy ,wood ones you can not plus they are very easy to break , most of my wood cubes the walls are .062 thick and you must not forget the grain of the wood you can crush them with your hand easely now we come to the hard part, the tools .
Some of the tools are very small .079 width .300 long and must cut on three sides at the same time . If you use hss some time it will not make a single cube before it is worn down (high silica content) and the tool must not rub on any of it's faces because the wood will break or burn so i have to use carbide and grind them with diamond.Then comes the program .The progam can be short because the tool cuts on three side at the same time BUT you must have complete sense of what your tool is doing .It can be frustrating too look at the program without seeing the tool ,each tool is hand made .
Once the tool and the program are made , ANYONE can make a cube in a cube in a cube without any more knowledge( if he has the tool and the program).
So for me the skill is in making making the tool and the program.
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Hi Marcel,
Thanks for your reply it has given me more food for thought on the skills issue.
I think your cubes are something else and they do require a great knowledge and skill to design and make - you are being too modest.
Regards, Tweakie.
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Very cool Tweakie. I dont know if I would have that much faith :-\
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Sure you would 'King of the Lithophane' all you have to do is click on 'Cycle Start', go and have a beer then come back later and see what happened. Nothing to it.
Regards, Tweakie.
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Sure you would 'King of the Lithophane' all you have to do is click on 'Cycle Start', go and have a beer then come back later and see what happened. Nothing to it.
Regards, Tweakie.
Heck, that's something even I can do.........(the beer part) ;)
Dave
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After going through this thread, I think the Turners Cube is pretty neat, so decided to make me one in
Aluminum. Size is 2.5 in.square. inside smallest cube is .835 in.
time, approx 3 hours. Didn't use any clamping, just a vise. Last cut the cubes just dropped.
Here's my result.
Ed
p.s NO it doesn't come apart.
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Very Cool, Ed - :)
Dave
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That's neat Ed.
One thing that Marcel should have mentioned in his posts is that once you make one of these cubes, all your friends that see it want one too.
So making just one is no good, you have to make lots.
Tweakie.
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That's neat Ed.
One thing that Marcel should have mentioned in his posts is that once you make one of these cubes, all your friends that see it want one too.
So making just one is no good, you have to make lots.
Tweakie.
Yes, I realize that, And I'm not showing it to anyone around here. :D
Ed
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and here I thought we were friends....... ;D
Dave
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OK Dave,
How many do you want?
You want them when? ;D
Ed
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Call it the curse of the turner's cube .
Some like to have one to show to other people
Some like to have one to remember you
Some like to have one to show how good machinist (they are)????? (liars)
Me i give them to person's who have help me achieve other goals . And those i really like.
Marcel
P.S
that is why i have a box full of them made of different materials wood metals
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OK Dave,
How many do you want?
You want them when? ;D
Ed
:D
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LOL. :D
I don't have any friends.
So I only made 1, for me. ;D
p.s. When you have a machine shop, everyone wants to be your friend, and expect everything for free. ;D
Ed
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Yes
Then they bring a piece of titanium and want a part made out of it only has twelve operations and 3 machines to do it
and they say (it should only take 15 minutes to do it)
Marcel
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Marcel,
I know exactly what you mean. >:(
Even though I'm retarded retired , I just tell them I don't have the time.
And time is what it would take to make all the fancy cubes you make, and out of wood besides.
nice lookin Cubes you made. I'm impressed. See what you've started. :D Thanks for that.
Ed
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Yup ! - it's all Marcel's fault. I have bad dreams about cubes. I just want to get back to the wood routing.
Tweakie.
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What do you expect from a crazy french canadian >:D
Marcel Beaudry
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LOL Marcel, You've admitted your crazy. I can vouch for Ed, he is definitely crazy. Tweakie, have you seen his post............... yup, he is crazy too. And then you have Dave. Yup.............. I'm the only sane one left.
I better hurry up and get out of here before the men in white suits come to round you guys up. ;D
Great work Ed. I just saw this post. Let me warn you about Marcel. To have one of his cubes in your hand will bend your mind.................... Amazing................ Unreal.................. Insane. ;D
Brett
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I am not sure you are sane anymore since you have had one in your hands >:D
Marcel
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Well, I was mesmerised by it for a long while, quite possibly even hypnotised. :) I still can't stare at it very long without having to wipe my mouth. It is a jaw dropping experience.
Brett
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Brett,
I'd like to see a pic of the one you have.
BTW, My nick name since high school has been "Crazy Ed" , which I'm still called today , so I guess your right about that too. ;)
Ed
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I'll do that just for you Ed.
Brett
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Test
Brett
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Nice lookin bearings Brett, but doesn't look like they're in a cube. ;D
Ed
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Well, they are comeing soon. My IE7 may be tits up in my old pc. May be time for a clean install of windows. Has been a good one.
Brett
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Excuses , always Excuses. ;D
Ed
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Heres Bretts pics, he is that much of a useless %$^£$ he had to get someone halway round the world to post them for him ;D
Hood
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testing
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H 00D .
Thanks. Can you believe this Brett Guy ? He copys your pics and paste them in his reply. ;D LOL
Thanks Guys. These look great , and small. and harder to make.
Ed
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Has anyone ever made 2 complete cubes connected together with the inside of both cubes, ? which would then be called a Pair.
There would have to be a space between them equal to the size of the cube.
Kinda sounds like a math question, don't it.
Ed
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Here is the same piece that was cut in half then each element was glued back together to show each seperate element . Remember the cube is .875 square
Marcel
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How about this one .375 square 1.5 long
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Hi Marcel,
Your last two pics are only thumbnails. Can you post the jpg's ?
Thanks,
RC
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I will try
Marcel
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Here is the other one
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Marcel,
Thanks . That answers my questions. The 3 cube link, was it made from one p iece? And what are the 2 rings?
Thanks to you, all my other projects are not getting done. ;D
Ed
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It is made of one piece of brass .375 square. all of my turnings are made in one piece either wood or metal . and the rings are turned at the same time as the cubes no welding gluing .
Marcel
Sorry Tweaky i seem to have highjakked your post
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Marcel,
Beautiful work, but those rings had to be a real bich.
Thanks again
ED
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Hello Ed
Actually they are easy to do using form tools . now for the tool they are hard to do.if you want to see the tools go see show and tell (complex turning) and you will see the tools.
Marcel
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No problem guys, I am thoroughly enjoying the information sharing. Keep it up.
Cubes rule !
Tweakie.
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What the video show`s is a boring exercise (like in counterbore) the cubes precurser are still held together they are not free to move as in the cube Tweakie made.
Marcel Beaudry
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And . There's nothing fast about the robot either.
Ed
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Wow 11 years ago and still not dead .
Marcel Beaudry
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Crazy ain't it!!! Hopefully we can come back in another 11 and say the same thing.
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here's some of my latest, large one is a 6" cube.
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here's some of my latest, large one is a 6" cube.
Here ?
Where ?
Hi Ed.
Russ
:D
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have a prob posting a pic...
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Does this help ? https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=24585.0
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Wow 11 years ago and still not dead .
Marcel Beaudry
Hey Marcel, glad to see you, Sam and Ed! :) I still sit and stare at the turners cubes sometimes.
Crazy ain't it!!! Hopefully we can come back in another 11 and say the same thing.
I hope so too Sam. Time flies when you're having fun.
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will try this again.....made these out of some alum had laying around. the largest is a 6" square, started out as 22 lbs, ended up at just over 3 lbs...
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Thanks tweakie for that info...
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:)
Very nice Ed ! COOL !
So … what do you do in your spare time ? ;D
Might look you up this summer, your # still the same ?
Russ
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Way to go Ed!