Messages

71

General Mach Discussion / Re: recommended feed/plunge speeds

« on: January 19, 2010, 02:17:46 PM »

Maybe not too much help but I've been doing sycamore with a 6mm single flute ITC carbide cutter at around 16000 rpm and 800mm\min, 3mm deep cut. Was cutting for around 1 hour and showed no signs of wear.
Also worked the same in Horse chestnut.
I'm not saying this is the best cutter as it's one I have for plastics so I just used it anyway.
I also used the same feeds for V Carving lettering and this was going the full depth of a 12mm 90degree V bit.

My router is nothing special and is home built with an 800watt router head.

Steve

P.S. plunge was 200mm/min

72

General Mach Discussion / Re: Anyone Here Have Experience Milling 6061-T651 Wrought Plate?

« on: January 18, 2010, 03:50:13 PM »

Being a hobby user I use just about any materials at hand, some good some really horrible and have found that the biggest difference is flood coolant and climb milling.
I do try to use highish feed rates.
Mostly carbide tools, some of which are totally inappropriate, 4 or even 6 flute, and the only problems I've had have been when the coolant ran low and stopped, instant clogging and a snapped 10mm carbide bit.
Now that was a loud bang!

Steve

73

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Tool Compensation Is there a better way??

« on: January 18, 2010, 03:38:46 PM »

You could make a probe plate from a vertical angle or square section, have this mounted to a clamp that fits to the lathe bed and a stop for the front of the gap.

If it's made with some adjustment you could get it on centre (I think mach lathe allows for this) this way it would be repeatable and accurate and no need to do the dia turn to set the final tool position.

Write a macro to do the touch off etc and you should be able to reset mid job, assuming the stock doesn't interfere.

Steve

74

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 and AhHa break out board

« on: January 15, 2010, 07:07:04 AM »

I sold my Ahha board and fitted new drivers and breakout board as I didn't have info for the current drivers plus they were really old and single step only.
My mill was quite small though so the 10amp drivers only cost around £200 for all three + a simple breakout board.

Mine ran from a dos pc with Ahha artisan and I seem to remember it used a serial cable, I'll have to find the cable and look as it was a few years ago now.

Steve

75

General Mach Discussion / Re: Supplier of small quantities of Titanium and machining recommendations

« on: January 14, 2010, 06:32:48 AM »

No need to worry about the cigarette/methane gas interface as non of us smoke, well not cigarettes anyway 

The entire seat.... now there's a thought.

As to the material. I've thought it through carefully, resistance to chemical attack, strength to weight ratio (toilet seats are always overloaded) and overpriced, perfect!

Steve

76

General Mach Discussion / Re: A axis setup ?

« on: January 13, 2010, 10:05:38 AM »

My thinking on this is that you want the material to move in such a way as the cutter cut as if it was machining on the normal X or Y axis.

So if your A is in line with the X you are replacing the Y axis, if + moves are away (tool movement) from the front of the machine then the top of the stock would need to rotate towards you, anti clockwise if the rotary is on the left of the table.

Basically as the diagrams have shown.

Steve

77

General Mach Discussion / Re: Supplier of small quantities of Titanium and machining recommendations

« on: January 13, 2010, 09:57:31 AM »

Wow, it sound like I'm making something major!

The chemical resistance I was wanting is a biological product, a waste product to most of us, it's for a errrr..... toilet seat hinge :-)

I did a search and found that titanium is used for resistance to corrosion in some sewage treatment areas, so I thought I'd try to get some small quantities. Yes I know, overkill, but it could be a fun project and a talking point. Hinges that cost more than the toilet.

I also have some nice sycamore that I'm going to make the seat and cover from as well, cut down in our own garden and slabbed for us by the local tree man.

Now I bet no one guessed that use ehh. ;-)

Steve

78

General Mach Discussion / Re: Supplier of small quantities of Titanium and machining recommendations

« on: January 11, 2010, 04:09:07 AM »

Thanks

Looks like a usefull site for many materials, tried to get to the price list though and it didn't work, I'll try again later.

Thanks
Steve

79

General Mach Discussion / Supplier of small quantities of Titanium and machining recommendations

« on: January 10, 2010, 03:24:17 PM »

Title says it all really!

I'm looking for a supplier of small quantities of titanium (hobby use) in both flat and bar stock plus any recommendations for machining it.
I've seen some info that says HSS tooling is still the best and also don't let the tool skid as it'll work harden the surface instantly.
So what's others experience with titanium.

I'm looking to use titanium on a small job for it's chemical resistance not it's strength to weight so not sure the grade will make much difference.

Regards
Steve

80

General Mach Discussion / Re: Inporting DXF to Mach3

« on: January 07, 2010, 01:35:21 PM »

For 3D files I use meshcam, cheap and faily simple to use, it is only for 3D machining so don't expect ot be able to do 2.5D cutting with it.

There is a free program available, http://www.mecsoft.com/freemill.shtml

I tried is a few years ago and gave up but having looked back at it now it looks to have been worked on so may have improved.

Steve