Messages

11

Tangent Corner / Re: Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 24, 2010, 08:12:03 PM »

I definatley agree on making it a balanced tool. I used to work at Ingersoll Milling Machine company and designed a few carbide insert tools while there. I have seen what can happen when they are not balanced and especially at 30,000 rpm 30Hp. The nice thing with inserts is that they have a pocket and screw in the center (on some) that retain the insert. As for slowing down my router it has a built in variable speed dial. It is a Makita 1/2" variable speed plunge router. I am not sure though how slow it would go. I think my best bet will to just get a small dia router bit and cut the profile of the gear in 2D.

Thanks
Scott

12

Tangent Corner / Re: Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 24, 2010, 12:07:26 AM »

Cool idea! I never thought of fly cutting them. Nice pictures.
I wonder if I could make one to fit a small fly cutter that could be mounted in a router. Slowed down a lot of course.

Scott

13

Tangent Corner / Re: Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 23, 2010, 08:16:56 PM »

I see your point on needing one for each gear if they are not the exact same dia & # of teeth. Thanks for the link to the gear tooth profile generator. I think I had come across it awhile back. My best bet for ease might be to just use a small dia end mill /router bit and just mill the entire gear profile. I just need to get my CNC router completed.

Thanks for all the great help and advice.

Scott

14

Tangent Corner / Re: Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 21, 2010, 10:21:44 PM »

It is a shame if he is not moving to produce them. To just sit on a patent is kind of senseless but who knows what is going on.
I was thinking of making one but I am a little stumped as to how to machine the exact profile without a CNC lathe or grinder of some sort.
I  dont have a vertical CNC controlled axis on my mill yet. I do have a X and rotational CNC axis setup though. Maybe this is the need that will get me to work on one.
I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has made such a gear cutting endmill to see what angles were used in creating it.

Scott

15

Tangent Corner / Re: Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 21, 2010, 11:26:35 AM »

That is exactly what I am looking for.
Does any one sell these style of cutters?

Thanks
Scott

16

Tangent Corner / Gear cutting end mill search

« on: March 20, 2010, 11:05:44 PM »

I came across the video below of a guy using a endmill to cut gear teeth into a brass blank. Very cool, but I am looking to do the same thing and I can not find a end mill like the one used in the video. I can find gear tooth milling cutters galore but not end mills with gear tooth profiles. Can any one point me to where I might find them? Or what are they called to search for them.

http://www.youtube.com/user/John5tevenson?aia=true#p/u/7/fps0OR1eF_s

THanks
Scott

17

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Newbie question on G-code looping (While, for, etc.)

« on: March 20, 2010, 04:49:05 PM »

This is driving me nuts. I am trying to write a simple G-code program for Mach 3 that needs a simple loop. I have been searching for some example code of how to do a "WHILE" or "FOR" loop and I find examples but when I go to use them in Mach 3 it keeps giving me a error on the first line. Here is a example I tried and did not get to work.
 
N20 $WHILE P1<= 10
N30 P1=P1+1
N40...
N50...
N60 $ENDWHILE

Here is another that I tried and did not get to work
WHILE[P1LE10] DO1
P1=[P1+1]
;ENTER CODE TO LOOP HERE
END1

I am at a total loss as to what the proper syntax and structure is for Mach 3. Can anyone help with this simple loop?
Another question, is there a PDF or tutorial some where that documents all the loops and how to properly code them? I am also looking for a good book. I have seen the reccomendations on CNC by peter smid. It sounds good but does it cover the mach 3 flavor of G-code? I talked to several people where I worked about my problem and they said it all depends on what controlled you are using. They work in 2-3 different ones and they siad that they are similar but very different also.

Confused

Scott