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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
I've started welding it at last!
I clamped everything together with M12 studs and G clamps:
Attachment 4177
First weld was fine:
Attachment 4178
Didn't need the hammer to get the slag off...the wind did that for me!
Attachment 4181
Some tacking:
Attachment 4179
Then I got worse...
Attachment 4180
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
I've finished one side of the frame... took all day! It's nice and flat/square :)
Attachment 4186
Got some tidying up to do now! ...
Attachment 4185
I'm going to get the other side of the frame clamped up now, and weld it tomorrow. I think I'll clamp the other side to the side I've just welded.
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
I have now welded the second side of the frame. I clamped it to the other side to get it flat etc:
Attachment 4192
I then tacked it together and welded the horizontal joins ... then rotated it and did the same etc:
Attachment 4193
My welding is getting much more consistent. Still probably should have chosen something simpler for my first welding project!
Attachment 4189
Now I have positioned the remaining pieces to work out how to proceed:
Attachment 4191
I decided to use some spacers from steel tube. I'll put a few more in and use them to clamp the in between pieces. Cats were interested...
Attachment 4190
Any comments / ideas welcome.
Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chip
thats looking good ,when will it be finished?
Thank you..... as soon as possible! I've just moved the frame up into the workshop since I decided it's best to weld it in there. I'm going to get it clamped together now (just stopped for a tea break!) and weld tonight.
I think realistically another two weeks to get it running, and some more for it to actually be finished. When the frame is done I still have quite a few parts to make to mount the X and Y-axis ballscrews and rotating ballnuts.
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
Frame clamped together then tack welded:
Attachment 4196
Some welding, then rotate it...
Attachment 4197
A weld:
Attachment 4194
Done!
Attachment 4195
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
Finally got the gantry mounted. Started making the aluminium plates to mount the X-axis bearings on 50mm wide, then realised it needed to be 60mm so that was a waste :sad: ... anyway, picture:
Attachment 4203
The important point is I now don't have very high gantry sides, so the machine should be much more rigid.
I spent all of today working out where to put these holes for the Y-axis ballscrew bearing mount:
Attachment 4204
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
Got it all together ... and it works!
Attachment 4243
Attachment 4242
Attachment 4241
Attachment 4244
The last photo was after cutting 3mm off the edge of a sheet of 18mm MDF in one pass at 6000mm/min.
Y-axis rapid speed is 16000mm/min, X-axis is 10500mm/min and Z is 8000mm/min. The Y-axis will do much more, but I've left it at that as I don't see much point having it twice as fast as the X-axis. I prefer to keep the resolution good...
I think I'll try cutting some aluminium now.
(More to follow shortly, + video)
Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
I tried cutting a sign ... the test one with V-carve:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThVYR...=youtube_gdata
I need to get a cutter which has a sharper point ... that one has a 3mm or so flat on the end which spoilt things somewhat.
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Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
Just tried cutting aluminium ... no problem! I put a bit of cutting fluid in the slot as it went round at 800mm/min, 0.85mm depth of cut with 6mm 2 flute HSS cutter @ 9000rpm. A lot faster than I could have used on my milling machine.
The edges are reasonably nice, still room for improvement but not bad I reckon for a first attempt. Next time I will add a climb milled finishing pass. Better than the milling machine...
Attachment 4246
Attachment 4245
Attachment 4247
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ossjj...=youtube_gdata
I'm happy now that the conversion was worth it ... I always wanted the machine to be able to cut aluminium at a decent feedrate. I might try a relief with aluminium and ball nose cutter next.
Re: 1.7*0.74*0.4m Mill / Router building...
nice cnc you have there Jonathan are you going to paint it at some point ??