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Author Topic: Has anyone used a wood router or a larger dremmel as an engraver  (Read 3404 times)

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Has anyone used a wood router or a larger dremmel as an engraver
I want to setup a 4th axis to do some small engraving in either aluminium or mild steel
using a single lip cutter in a dremmel or a larger wood carving router.
Just looking for anyone who has done it with either of those and I would
like to know what the end result was.
? Are they ridged enough? do they leave a good finish?
Are they hard on cutters due to the slop in the bearings?

Please let me know.
Thanks,
Brian
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Re: Has anyone used a wood router or a larger dremmel as an engraver
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2008, 05:46:26 PM »
Agree with Rich, a dremmel would not be my first choice. You might want to look into the spindle that a seller on Ebay has, his name is Wolfgang, it uses a 120V motor and is very smooth and no sloop.  I have one of Wolfgang’s spindles and it works very well. It takes 1/8 cutter.  There are some videos on YouTube with a guy cutting a circuit board.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT0xDY31ZX0

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Re: Has anyone used a wood router or a larger dremmel as an engraver
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2008, 02:27:49 PM »
Rich.

Is this the Grizzly unit you are referring to? http://grizzley.com/products/Flex-Shaft-Grinder/G9928

Which end of the hand piece are you taking loose and shimming? I would assume the chuck/collet end.

Happy machining , Jeff Birt
 

Offline olf20

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Re: Has anyone used a wood router or a larger dremmel as an engraver
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2008, 08:03:09 PM »
Hi all, hope everyone is doing well!
Brian, I have a Porter Cable 890, variable speed (10,000 - 23,000) I have done some engraving in aluminium and was
very please with the results. If I remember correctly I ran the router at 15,000 to 17,000 RPM, and 1 - 2 IPM. I use a 1/4" vcarve
bit. I did have a flat blade engraving bit but I use the vbit just to test everything. Like I said I was very impressed with the results.
I later done a Warning plaque for my neighbor and again the  results were very good. However I did find that there are differences
in Vbits. On the second engraving I was using a differant bit and the results were not quite as sharp.
I really did not do much to get the results. Hope this helps some!!
olf20
Mach3, Atlas Knee Mill, 4th Axis, VcarvePro, ESS, Super PID.
Been Heating with corn since 1998