cutting a chamfered edge

[wyndham]

once i get my cnc machine i'll need to cut a chamfer edge along 18mm mdf, can this be done with an end mill router bit or do i need to use a v shaped router cutter?
would i need 3d software for this process? i have vectric cut 2d

[Jonathan]

It depends how far you want to go. It it easy to do it with the spindle mounted on an A/C axis since this enables you to tilt the cutter to the required angle then cut round the edge. It would probably be the quickest way to do it...if you had lots to make.

Buying a V shaped cutter is much easier and should cut quickly. It shouldn't cost more than a few £. I've not really looked at cut 2D but I'd be surprised if you can't do this with it. It it after all only a matter of moving the cutter round on a path offset from the outer edge and at the right depth - both of which are easy to work out if the program will not do it for you.

Alternatively you could use a ball nose cutter, and do lots of passes. That would get a reasonable chamfer, though of course it depends on the stepover used. That's what I'd do if it was a one off (since it will take a long time to cut) and I didn't have the right cutter to hand...or I needed a special angle. (In the not too distant future I intend to do this sort of thing with 5 axis as above...)

[John S]

I run one job where it needs a slight chamfer to break the edge and I use a centre drill on the larger angle to do it.

John S.

[Jonathan]

I've sometimes used a countersink bit to lightly chamfer an edge. It can work well on aluminium if you get the right speed/feed.

[Gunny]

Vectric Cut2D will be able to do what you require.

If you have £4.39 then grab one of these cutters... it will be fine for what you need and will probably come in handy for other stuff in the future too.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B-D-1-4-V-...item2a1066277c

[Jonathan]

If you have £4.39 then grab one of these cutters... [/url]

Even cheaper here...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silverline...ht_2029wt_1000

[John S]

Even cheaper

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Clea.../sd3265/p16173

Good thing with Toolstation is they have free delivery if the order is over £10

I buy loads of 1/8" or 3mm cutters off they for a quid each and treat them as consumables.

[Jonathan]

Even cheaper

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Clea.../sd3265/p16173

Good thing with Toolstation is they have free delivery if the order is over £10

They must have changed the free delivery threshold recently? When I ordered from them I'm sure it was more. I wonder if anyone pays £5 for their delivery under £10!

[John S]

Been £10 for as long as I can remember and I even made a journey to the Nottingham branch to collect an order once not knowing it was only £10 threshold and my order was about £30

[Jonathan]

Been £10 for as long as I can remember and I even made a journey to the Nottingham branch to collect an order once not knowing it was only £10 threshold and my order was about £30

Fair enough, I must have been thinking of somewhere else...