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  1. #31
    m_c's Avatar
    Lives in East Lothian, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 3 Days Ago Forum Superstar, has done so much to help others, they deserve a medal. Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 2,908. Received thanks 360 times, giving thanks to others 8 times.
    Do a search on here, as it's been discussed before.

    Endmills I get from ArcEuroTrade when I'm ordering other stuff, but I'm using a milling machine and don't use that many non-insert endmills. What I do are mostly 12mm, with the occasional 6 or 8mm. Router needs are very different.

  2. #32
    M_C answered most of it but here's couple more suggestions.

    1. A: Good Habbit to get into starts at the Cad when you define the part. I always place it 2 or 3mm in from X0Y0 then when you touch off the billet side you know you'll always be inside it and won't run off the edge.
    B:Another way is to draw the outline of the billet in cad and have X0Y0 on the corner and work piece inside it.

    2. Easy way for one-off's if working from square/rectangular billet is to use the billet corner has X0Y0 like in option B: above then when you flip just make sure the edge is parallel to Axis and pick up X0Y0 from corner again.
    Problem comes when you can't work from square/rec stock or if need to relocate already completely machined parts.?
    In this case then it's often better to place X0 Y0 in cad on a hole centre or other defining feature that's easily picked up off using touch probe or other manual technique.

    Regards the touch probe then doesn't need to be any fancy or expensive tool just piece of wire with plate on the end of a known thickness and using a spare input setup in the control has probe input. Then put plate between tool and work piece.
    So long has the tool diameter is known you can just use what ever tool is in the spindle for quick touch off, if you want very accurate position then best to use accurately known shaft or tool shank.
    (Tip: If your working with Ali or metals and can isolate the work piece from the main frame or Ground then you don't even need to put the plate between the tool and work piece so can enter just tool radius into DRO for offset. Just touch probe wire to work piece.)

    This can then be used in few ways either by using the G31 probe command directly and telling it the axis direction and distance to travel looking for the edge.
    Then when it's touched off you zero the Axis DRO's and type the radius of the cutter + plate thickness directly into the Axis DRO to give correct offset from edge.

    To find hole centres you'd do this for each X,Y axis if you know the hole radius then type that minus the cutter radius + plate thickness has either positive or negative value depending on which side of hole you probed has the new offset.

    With that said the best way and easiest way when it comes to probing is to use pre designed scripts with probe commands etc for each type of probe routine you want to do which does all the offsets etc for you then add a button to your screen set so it's a one click affair.! . . . OR . . .
    By far the best and easier way if you use Mach3 is just buy Gerry's 2010 screen set which has all the probe routines you'll need and more besides. The CNC Woodworker - Mach3 2010
    With this screen set and simple touch plate on wire you'll very accurately find most locations and will be the best £15 you ever spent.

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  4. #33
    Looks to be a nice build project. I will be watching your WIP with interest as the size and style are similar to the one I am thinking about trying to design and then build. I fear it will take me some time to get my project off the ground though.

    Andy

  5. #34
    Wow, over a year has passed since I last touched this project! (too many other projects getting in the way...)

    I have decided to sell my laser cutter and put the money towards funding this new project....

    I have been doing quite a bit of thinking and have concluded that if I'm going to do this I may as well do it properly! Browsing the forum I came across a design by JAZZCNC which looks much more substantial. In fact it may look a little overkill for what I need. I may be aiming to use more aluminium profile to keep costs down. Although I really have no idea as to how much those ally plates (gantry in the link below) would cost to have machined?

    http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/6274-...ext-step/page2

  6. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by biketrialsdave View Post
    In fact it may look a little overkill for what I need. I may be aiming to use more aluminium profile to keep costs down. Although I really have no idea as to how much those ally plates (gantry in the link below) would cost to have machined?
    Aluminium profile doesn't always keep the cost down by the time you factor other things like fixings etc which you will need to take advantage of profile.
    Granted the design of mine you have been looking at does require quite a bit of machine work and really you need a machine to build this one but the aluminium it's self won't cost much more than Profile by the time you have factored in all the hidden items profile needs and it's much stronger and neater.

    To be honest how far you want or need to go depends on the type of work your planning on using the machine to do. If your mostly using it for Router type duty's IE: Wood, plastics etc then you don't need to go this far but if your wanting to cut aluminium with any decent depth of cut and finish quality then this is a minimum. Now this machine was designed from the begining as an all round machine which can do a decent job of all tasks but Make no mistakes this does come at a price and slightly makes it master of None.
    If you want the best machine without having to go silly on design and work required then your much better targeting the main use and build to that. This way you get a machine that is the best it can be and give great results at sensible money and time frame to build.

    If you are prepared to learn welding or can weld then Buildng from Steel will save you lots of money and is quite forgiving. It makes possible for very strong machine chassis cheaply. This then allows you to spend money where it matters most and that is on correct linear components and quality electronics.
    There will be some Aluminium parts required like Z axis but the major chassis parts like frame and Gantry can be made from steel if done correctly.
    Last edited by JAZZCNC; 23-06-2014 at 10:33 PM.

  7. #36
    Thank you for another informative post!

    I have just picked up some used THK HSR15 linear rails (4x 815mm Long, 2 blocks each) for a very reasonable price. I would of preferred 20mm but these should be up to the job...

  8. #37
    Some progress on the new design...

    Many more questions to follow! =)

    Click image for larger version. 

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  9. #38
    Hi dave, put some additional ali profile in between the current lengths, then lock it all together from the back so its more like one solid mass.

    .Me
    .Me

  10. #39
    Good suggestion, had something like that in mind. As the design currently is there is a 120mm gap between the top and bottom profile pieces on the gantry. That would nicely fit another piece of profile and completely enclose the back (although then I wouldn't have easy access). Either that or perhaps some vertical pieces of profile between the two horizontal pieces maybe?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by biketrialsdave; 29-06-2014 at 10:04 PM.

  11. #40
    Click image for larger version. 

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    A axis added - some detail missing.

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